ZOE Science & Nutrition ZOE

Did you know that every 12 years, our skeletons undergo a complete transformation? 
Osteoporosis, a condition where bones become fragile, significantly increases the risk of fractures from minor incidents, often without any noticeable symptoms. Worldwide, it affects one in three women and one in five men over fifty, leading to pain, potential disability and loss of independence.
In today’s episode, Jonathan, Tim and Cyrus ask the question: How can understanding osteoporosis and implementing targeted lifestyle changes enhance bone health and reduce the risk of fractures?
Cyrus Cooper is a Professor of Rheumatology at the University of Southampton, where he is also the Director of the MRC Lifecourse Epidemiology Unit and Vice-Dean of Medicine. In addition, he’s a Professor of Musculoskeletal Science at the Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences at the University of Oxford.
Tim Spector is one of the world’s top 100 most-cited scientists, a professor of epidemiology, and scientific Co-Founder at ZOE. Tim trained originally in rheumatology and epidemiology. 
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If you want to uncover the right foods for your body, head to zoe.com/podcast, and get 10% off your personalised nutrition program.
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Timecodes
00:00 Introduction
01:21 Quickfire questions
03:08 What is osteoporosis?
06:10 Why might our bones become more fragile as we age?
08:10 Your skeleton renews itself all the time
10:30 Does menopause cause osteoporosis?
12:48 What's it like living with osteoporosis?
15:16 How common is osteoporosis in males?
16:04 What are the symptoms of osteoporosis and at what age should you get checked?
21:40 Some chilling statistics about osteoporosis
23:10 Common myths about the effects of calcium and vitamin D on osteoporosis
27:50 What is the latest science on vitamin D supplementation?
34:10 Can vitamin D and calcium ensure children’s bone density is healthy?
34:55 Osteoporosis treatment options, including new drugs    
37:20 The impacts of HRT on bone density
39:30 What are the downsides to some of these treatments?
43:00 Does physical activity help to prevent fractures?
44:30 Lifestyle impacts: diet and nutrition
49:40 Can exercise make your bones stronger?
55:20 Ideal exercises to prevent osteoporosis
57:10 Cyrus and Tim’s top 3 actions to improve bone health
59:10 Summary
Mentioned in today's episode:
Accumulation of risk factors associated with poor bone health in older adults, published in Archives of Osteoporosis
Relevant studies:
Influence of vitamin D supplementation on bone mineral content, bone turnover markers and fracture risk, published in Journal of Bone and Mineral ResearchPregnancy Vitamin D Supplementation and Childhood Bone Mass at Age 4 Years, published in JBMR...

Did you know that intermittent fasting can have significant health benefits? By aligning your eating schedule with your body's natural rhythms, it can bolster heart health, enhance insulin sensitivity, and support weight loss.
In today’s episode, Jonathan, Prof. Tim Spector, and Gin Stephens dive into the world of intermittent fasting, with a focus on time-restricted eating.
Gin shares essential tips for beginners and explains what it takes to be successful. Tim explores the groundbreaking findings of The Big IF Study from 2022, the largest exploration of intermittent fasting to date. They also unpack controversies and describe who might want to avoid fasting.
Gin Stephens is an intermittent fasting advocate, New York Times bestselling author, and podcast host. Gin has been living the intermittent fasting lifestyle since 2014.
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Tim Spector is a professor of genetic epidemiology at King’s College London, director of the Twins UK study, scientific co-founder of ZOE, and one of the world’s leading researchers. 
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If you want to uncover the right foods for your body, head to zoe.com/podcast, and get 10% off your personalized nutrition program.
Want ZOE Science & Nutrition’s top 10 tips for healthier living? Download our FREE guide.
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Timecodes:
01:25 Quick fire questions
03:25 What is intermittent fasting?
04:35 What are the most common types of fasting?
06:00 The circadian rhythm and fasting
08:22 The Big IF study explanation and results
13:41 Breakfast misconceptions explained
16:01 How do the Big IF study results compare to other research?
18:56 What are the health benefits of sticking to the Big IF study?
24:00 What is Tim’s intermittent fasting schedule like?
25:40 Jonathan's experience with the Big IF study
28:04 What is metabolic flexibility?
32:43 Practical advice for getting started.
35:40 Cephalic phase insulin response
40:30 Is there an ideal length for an eating window and time to start?
43:20 Can you eat whatever you want?
44:30 Can people over 70 years of age fast safely?
51:21  Summary
Mentioned in today's episode:
Flipping the metabolic switch: Understanding and applying the health benefits of fasting in Obesity
The Big IF Study 
Books by Gin Stephens:
28-day Fast Start: Day By Day
Fast. Feast. Repeat. 
Is there a nutrition topic you’d like us to explore? Email us at podcast@joinzoe.com, and we’ll do our best to cover...

Our bodies naturally follow a roughly 24-hour cycle, called our circadian rhythm. And every cell has a rhythm.
As we get older, we tend to lose muscle, making us more prone to falls and less able to live independently. Though we can't stop aging, staying active helps keep our muscles strong and our bodies healthy for longer.
Prof. Karyn Esser is a specialist in how the body's natural rhythms affect muscles. Today, she guides us through the latest research and shows that it's always possible to harness the power of your muscles to enhance your quality of life. She is a professor in the Department of Physiology and Aging at the University of Florida, where she’s also the co-director of the University of Florida Older Americans Independence Center.
In today's episode of ZOE Science & Nutrition, Jonathan and Karyn explore the body's internal clocks and ask: why do our muscles have their own schedule, and is there an ideal time of day to exercise?
If you want to uncover the right foods for your body, head to zoe.com/podcast, and get 10% off your personalized nutrition program.
Want ZOE Science & Nutrition’s top tips for better gut health? Download our FREE gut guide.
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Timecodes
00:00   Introduction
00:18    Quickfire questions
02:01    Why are muscles important, particularly as we get older?
08:45   Why we all lose strength as we age
11:07    What type of exercise do we need to maintain our muscle strength as we age?
14:55    What is a circadian clock?
19:25    Everything has a circadian rhythm
21:32    Why do our muscles work on a 24-hour cycle?
24:20    Humans are stronger in the afternoon
30:24    Is there a best time to exercise?
35:01    Can exercise before or after work help shift workers with jet lag?
37:33    Is there a difference between men and women’s responses to circadian rhythms?  
41:44    What are the effects of time-restricted eating on muscle mass?
53:42    Summary
Mentioned in today's episode:
Defining the age-dependent and tissue-specific circadian transcriptome in male mice from Cell Reports
Related studies: 
Timing is everything: Circadian clocks set the rhythm for vital functions in bacteria from the University of Chicago
Effects of resveratrol on in vitro circadian clock gene expression in young and older human adipose-derived progenitor cells in Aging
Age is associated with dampened circadian patterns of rest and activity: The Study of Muscle, Mobility and Aging (SOMMA) in medRxiv
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How soon should we start taking our dementia risk seriously?
In today’s episode of ZOE Science & Nutrition, Jonathan is joined by Prof. Claire Steves to explore the multifaceted world of dementia. They delve into the significance of dental health, genetics, diet, and physical activity — plus, they unpack the latest research — to give you practical strategies for preventing dementia.
Claire is a consultant physician in geriatric medicine at Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust. She’s also a senior clinical lecturer at King's College London and deputy clinical director of the institution’s Department of Twin Research and Genetic Epidemiology where she leads research on the characterization of physical and mental aging traits and frailty.
If you want to uncover the right foods for your body, head to zoe.com/podcast, and get 10% off your personalized nutrition program.
Get the FREE ZOE gut health guide — download here
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Timecodes:
00:00 - Introduction
01:26 - Quickfire questions on dementia
02:42 - Main discussion: understanding dementia
04:18 - Control over fate with dementia
06:52 - Why older people get more fractures
08:32 - Warning signs of dementia
09:55 - Unique aspects of dementia
12:12 - Cellular level discussion on dementia
15:49 - Risk factors for dementia
16:07 - Inheritance and dementia
18:29 - High-risk factors for dementia
19:15 - Fetal development and dementia risk
21:47 - Brain reserves and mental health
24:24 - New advances in dementia treatment
30:47 - Medications and life expectancy
33:21 - Diet and dementia prevention
35:58 - The role of physical activity
39:45 - Oral health and dementia
42:10 - Social interaction and brain health
44:02 - Diabetes and dementia
45:36 - Women, HRT, and dementia
49:09 - Recap: Types of dementia
53:39 - Hearing aids and dementia prevention
55:39 - Episode sign-off
Studies related to today’s episode:
Brain-age is associated with progression to dementia in memory clinic patients from NeuroImage Clinical
Find our top 10 tips for healthier living: Download our FREE guide.
Are you interested in a specific aspect of dementia? Email us at podcast@joinzoe.com, and we’ll do our best to cover it.
Episode transcripts are available here.

In today’s episode, we’re talking about a disease so widespread that it touches nearly every family in some way: type 2 diabetes. It’s not just a health issue, it's a rapidly expanding crisis. And many people don’t know that they have it. 
In the U.S. alone, 100 million people have prediabetes, and more than 37 million have type 2 diabetes, a chronic condition with life-altering effects.
Prof. Naveed Sattar joins us to shed light on preventing, treating, and potentially reversing type 2 diabetes. 
Naveed is a medical doctor and Professor of Metabolic Medicine at the Institute of Cardiovascular & Medical Sciences at the University of Glasgow. He’s one of the world’s top 1% most cited clinical scientists, and he’s worked on many clinical trials of lifestyle changes and drugs to prevent and manage diabetes. 
Learn your diabetes risk score:
If you’re in the U.K. click here. 
If you’re in the U.S. click here.
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Timecodes:
00:00 Introduction
01:00 Topic introduction
02:28 Quick fire questions
05:33 What is blood sugar and why does it matter?
07:15 What is insulin and what is its relation to blood sugar and diabetes?
08:48 Why doesn't the body allow sugar to increase in the blood?
10:45 What happens when somebody gets pre-diabetes or type 2?
14:34 What is HBA1C?
17:08 Why has there been such an increase in diabetes?
23:05 How does muscle mass have any impact on diabetes?
24:54 Are risks different between men and women?
27:08 How does ethnicity come into this?
31:04 What other personal risk factors are there?
32:29 What are the symptoms of diabetes?
33:53 When do these symptoms begin?
35:09 What should you do if you have concerns?
36:33 How to find out your own likelihood of risk
38:34 How can we avoid getting diabetes?
42:10 How can we combat genetic risk factors?
44:26 Is it possible to lower blood sugar and reverse the effects of diabetes?
47:18 What is the science behind the new drugs coming on the market?
49:20 Summary
53:39 Outro
Mentioned in today’s episode: 
Primary care-led weight management for remission of type 2 diabetes (DiRECT): An open-label, cluster-randomised trial in The Lancet
Is there a nutrition topic you’d like us to explore? Email us at podcast@joinzoe.com, and we’ll do our best to cover it.
Episode transcripts are available here.

Do you know what SIBO is and how it could be affecting your health?
In today’s episode, Jonathan and Dr. Will Bulsiewicz dive into the world of small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), a condition that may underlie common health issues ranging from irritable bowel syndrome to brain fog. 
Together, they tackle myths and share insights into SIBO diagnosis and treatment. Could rebalancing your gut microbiome be the answer you've been searching for?
Dr. Will Bulsiewicz is board-certified in internal medicine and gastroenterology. He’s also a New York Times bestselling author. Dr. B has won multiple awards and distinctions for his work as a clinician. 
If you want to uncover the right foods for your body, head to joinzoe.com/podcast, and get 10% off your personalized nutrition program.
ZOE's FREE gut health guide - download it here.
Follow ZOE on Instagram.
Timecodes
00:00   Introduction to SIBO
01:01 What is SIBO?
02:43 An overgrowth of bacteria
03:41 SIBO Myth #1 debunked
04:34 What is the link between SIBO and other diseases?
06:12 What are the challenges with SIBO Testing
06:48 Understanding testing methods
07:08 Myth #2 debunked
08:28 The issues with breath testing for SIBO
11:38 What are the root causes of SIBO
14:35 What is the impact of medication on SIBO?
16:12 Dietary management and low FODMAP diet
17:45 Probiotics and SIBO management
18:00 Myth# 3 debunked
19:55 Verdict
Mentioned in today’s episode: 
Fiber supplementation protects from antibiotic-induced gut microbiome dysbiosis by modulating gut redox potential from Nature Communications
Our earlier podcast on the low-FODMAP diet 
Is there a nutrition topic you’d like us to explore? Email us at podcast@joinzoe.com, and we’ll do our best to cover it. 
Episode transcripts are available here.