Functional Medicine Reality Podcast

Dr. Mark Su MD, Functional Medicine Practitioner for Health and Longevity
  • 5.0 (28)
  • Medicine

The Functional Medicine Reality Podcast exposes the truth about what really happens in healthcare and why so many patients with complex, chronic conditions are left searching for answers. Hosted by Dr. Mark Su, founder & leader of RootSeek’s nationwide virtual care team, this show goes beyond quick fixes to uncover the root causes of illness—like Lyme disease and co-infections, mold toxicity, gut dysbiosis, hormone imbalances, hidden infections, and heavy metal exposure.  Each episode reveals real patient journeys and expert clinician reasoning, showing you how functional medicine tackles chronic fatigue, autoimmune flares, brain fog, cardiovascular risk, and hard-to-solve cases where conventional medicine often stops short. From environmental toxins to stress-driven inflammation, from gut repair to longevity hacks, you’ll learn how to advocate, decide, and heal on your terms—with practical, next-step strategies you can trust. If you’ve ever wondered how to navigate “mystery symptoms,” controversial treatments, or cutting-edge testing, this podcast will be your compass. Episode highlights: Goes “behind the curtain.” We invite clinicians to think out loud, showing the decision-making process most patients never see.Spotlights real patient journeys. Raw stories reveal the triumphs and trade-offs of navigating chronic illness, performance optimization, preventive care, and more.Asks the hard, patient-centered questions. We challenge experts on controversies, practical constraints, and emerging evidence—so you can separate trustworthy insight from trend-driven noise.Delivers actionable clarity. Whether you’re rehabbing an injury, hacking longevity, or just trying to sleep better, you’ll leave with next-step strategies backed by clinical reasoning. The team at RootSeek (nationwide virtual care) is ready to empower you to advocate, decide, and heal, on your terms!If you’re asking any of the following questions (or something similar), this podcast is for you: Can functional medicine help with chronic Lyme disease, co-infections, or post-treatment symptoms?How do I know if mold toxicity or environmental toxins are making me sick?What’s the best way to detox from heavy metals, pesticides, or hidden chemical exposures?Are my fatigue, brain fog, or joint pains linked to gut health or hidden infections?How do functional medicine doctors diagnose and treat autoimmune conditions differently?What advanced tests uncover root causes that standard labs miss?Can functional medicine address chronic inflammation, histamine intolerance, or mast cell activation?What are the most effective protocols for gut repair, microbiome balance, and leaky gut?How do I separate real solutions from false hope when dealing with complex chronic illness?What steps can I take now to reclaim energy, hormone balance, and overall vitality? Tune in for transparent conversations that turn complicated science into practical truth and put the power of informed choice back where it belongs: with you.

  1. 1h ago

    28. Why Your Probiotic Probably Isn't Working, And What to Take Instead

    Ready to stop guessing and finally get a clear plan? Join Dr. Su for the Ask Dr. Mark Clinical Q&A Call, a small-group call limited to about five people each month where you can bring your real questions and get real direction. Book your spot: https://go.rootseekhealth.com/askdrmark If you've ever taken a probiotic for weeks, felt nothing, and quietly concluded they just don't work for you, this episode is for you. You are not wrong that something isn't working. You may just have never been told that the probiotic on the shelf and the probiotic in the research paper are often not the same thing at all. Why this episode matters The microbiome is one of the fastest-moving areas in all of health research, and most patients are either taking nothing, taking the wrong thing, or being sold on claims that have no clinical backing. Dr. Mark Su sits down with Ben Myers, an educator and representative for Microbiome Labs, for a conversation that cuts through the noise. Ben brings years of deep education in probiotic science, strain-specific research, and the expanding connections between gut health, mental health, and women's health. This is not a product pitch. It is a conversation between two people who want you to understand what is actually happening in your gut, and why that matters for the rest of your body. What you will learn The difference between dead-strain, live-culture, and spore-based probiotics, and why the category you are taking changes everything about your results. Why strain specificity is the single most important and most overlooked factor in probiotic selection, and how the same species name on two different bottles can mean completely different outcomes. The science behind psychobiotics, including how one specific strain has been shown in peer-reviewed human clinical trials to regulate cortisol, shift tryptophan metabolism toward serotonin and melatonin, and change brainwave patterns in people under stress. How the vaginal microbiome works, why recurring bacterial vaginosis and yeast infections keep coming back after antibiotics, and what precision probiotic therapy is starting to offer as an alternative. Why fixing the gut first is still the foundation, and how that foundational work connects to skin health, sinus health, mental health, and far more than most people expect. A moment worth noting One of the most honest exchanges in this conversation happens early. Dr. Su acknowledges how hard it is for patients to know who to trust in the supplement space, especially when practitioners themselves sometimes have financial incentives tied to what they recommend. It is a rare moment of transparency, and it sets the tone for everything that follows. Dr. Su's perspective The goal was never to overwhelm you with strain names and research codes. The goal is to give you enough of the picture that you can stop throwing things at the wall and start asking better questions. The research on the gut is not slowing down. And while we do not have every answer yet, we have more than enough to take meaningful, targeted action. Links and resources Microbiome Labs: microbiomelabs.com About Ben Myers Ben Myers is an educator and representative for Microbiome Labs with years of experience working alongside functional medicine practitioners. He came to this work through his own health journey and a deep passion for making complex science accessible. This was his first podcast appearance. It will not be his last. Ready to stop guessing and finally get a clear plan? Join Dr. Su for the Ask Dr. Mark Clinical Q&A Call, a small-group call limited to about five people each month where you can bring your real questions and get real direction. Book your spot: https://go.rootseekhealth.com/askdrmark Or download the free Lab Results Guide if you have ever been told your labs are normal while still feeling terrible:  https://labsoptin.rootseekhealth.com/labs/ Connect with Dr. Su rootseekhealth.com | @rootseekhealth Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational purposes only.  Information discussed is not intended for diagnosis, curing, or prevention of any disease and is not intended to replace advice given by a licensed healthcare practitioner. This podcast and its guests may have direct or indirect financial interests associated with products mentioned.

    1h 16m

  2. Jun 14

    27. ADHD - Myths, Misconceptions & a Life Changing Diagnosis with MaryJo Anderson

    You've said it before. Maybe quietly, maybe to a close friend, maybe just in your own head. "I think I might have ADHD." And then nothing happened. There was nobody to follow up. Nobody to sit down with you and actually explored it. So you kept going, kept functioning, kept wondering. This episode is for you. Why This Episode Matters Adult ADHD, especially in women, is one of the most underdiagnosed conditions in medicine right now. Not because it is rare. Because it looks different than the textbook picture. It does not always look like a kid bouncing off the walls. In adults, and especially in women, it looks like a brain that never really quiets down. It looks like being brilliant in a flow state and completely scattered the rest of the time. It looks like anxiety that nobody can quite explain. It looks like years of wondering why you can be so capable in some moments and so frustratingly inconsistent in others. Dr. Mark Su and co-host Mary Jo Anderson sit down for the kind of conversation most people have never had with a doctor, honest, unhurried, and grounded in real clinical experience. What You'll Learn in This Episode What ADD and ADHD actually are in adults, and why the distinction between the two matters more than most people realize. Why women are far more likely to have the inattentive type, the one that flies under the radar for decades because it does not look like classic hyperactivity. What the hyperfocus and flow state experience really means, why it feels like euphoria, and why it is not a contradiction of the diagnosis. Why ADHD and anxiety so often travel together, and what actually happens to the anxiety when the underlying ADHD is addressed. How diagnosis actually works, no blood test, no imaging, just a thorough clinical picture and a validated assessment that can be done from home. Why getting evaluated is not about adding a label. It is about unlocking the potential that has always been there. Key Moments in This Episode Dr. Su explains why people with ADHD can hyperfocus for hours on something they love but cannot hold onto a grocery list for three aisles. Mary Jo shares what it felt like to finally have someone explain her own experience back to her, including the creativity, the noise, the inconsistency, and the years of wondering. Dr. Su shares a patient story about a junior in high school pulling D's who, after finally getting clarity and support, landed a competitive leadership position at a major national company. Two long-term patients in their forties, evaluated and treated as adults, both said something Dr. Su says he will carry for the rest of his career. For the first time in my life, I feel comfortable in my own skin. Dr. Su's Perspective This is not about pharma versus non-pharma. It is not about conforming to a label or a system. It is about one thing: helping you get the most out of the life you want to live. When the noise quiets down, when the anxiety starts to lift, when you stop dropping the balls and start trusting yourself again, that is not a small thing. That is your life opening up. If you have spent years functioning below what you know you are capable of, this conversation is worth your time. Take a Next Step Have a question for Dr. Su? Once a month, Dr. Su opens one hour to five people only. Real questions, real answers, real direction.  Book your spot: rootseekhealth.com/askdrmark Get your free Lab Results Guide:  Download at rootseekhealth.com/labs/ Connect with Dr. Su: rootseekhealth.com | @drmarksu @rootseekhealth Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational purposes only.  Information discussed is not intended for diagnosis, curing, or prevention of any disease and is not intended to replace advice given by a licensed healthcare practitioner. This podcast and its guests may have direct or indirect financial interests associated with products mentioned.

    57 min

  3. Jun 7

    26. Chronic Illness, Mold & Relationships: What Helps, What Hurts, and What Nobody Talks About

    If chronic illness has made you feel like a burden to the people you love, you are not alone, and you are not imagining how hard this is. Illness does not stay contained to the body. It moves through a household. It strains marriages, tests friendships, and quietly reshapes who you are in relationship to everyone around you. The fear that runs alongside it, the hypervigilance, the late-night symptom spirals, the feeling that you are asking too much, those things are just as real as any lab result. And most practitioners never make space to talk about them. In this episode, Dr. Mark Su sits down with Michael Schrantz, IEP, for one of the most personal conversations this show has produced. Mike is a certified indoor environmental professional who has worked with thousands of clients on mold and environmental illness, and he is someone who went through it himself. He knows what it feels like to be in that dark place, to watch your partner carry weight you wish you could take back, and to wonder whether you will ever feel like yourself again. This conversation covers the ground that most appointments never do. What you will hear in this episode: Mike talks about the moment he looked in the mirror and decided he was done living in fear, not denial of his illness, but a choice to stop letting fear run his days. He talks about his wife Jennifer, a flight instructor and realtor who held the household together when he could not, and what he learned about showing up for her even when he had very little left to give. He and Dr. Su get into what partners and caregivers tend to get wrong, including the way we dismiss ten concerns because eight of them seem emotional, when two of them are pointing at something important. And they talk about purpose, about why having something to get out of bed for matters in ways that go beyond motivation. If you are a partner or caregiver listening to this, Mike has something specific to say to you too. Key themes from this conversation: How mold illness and chronic illness reshape relationships in predictable, understandable waysWhat actually helps when someone you love is overwhelmed and scared, and what tends to make it worseWhy fear-driven thinking keeps patients stuck and what the path forward looks likeHow Mike regulated his nervous system and found his footing during his own recoveryThe role of purpose, faith, community, and presence in healing, the things that do not show up on a lab panel but matter enormouslyThis is not a clinical episode. It is an honest one, and it may be exactly what someone in your life needs to hear. About Michael Schrantz, IEP Michael Schrantz is a certified indoor environmental professional (IEP) and the founder of Environmental Analytics. He has worked with thousands of clients navigating mold-related illness and environmentally complex cases, and he hosts the IEP Radio podcast. Michael is a recurring guest on the Functional Medicine Reality Podcast and brings the perspective of both a seasoned environmental professional and someone who has personally walked through chronic illness and come out the other side. Website: environmentalanalytics.net  Podcast: IEPradio.com Ready to stop guessing and finally get a clear plan? Join Dr. Su for the Ask Dr. Mark Clinical Q&A Call, a small-group call limited to about five people each month where you can bring your real questions and get real direction. Book your spot: https://go.rootseekhealth.com/askdrmark Or download the free Lab Results Guide if you have ever been told your labs are normal while still feeling terrible:  https://labsoptin.rootseekhealth.com/labs/ Connect with Dr. Su: IG | @rootseekhealth Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational purposes only.  Information discussed is not intended for diagnosis, curing, or prevention of any disease and is not intended to replace advice given by a licensed healthcare practitioner. This podcast and its guests may have direct or indirect financial interests associated with products mentioned.

    55 min

  4. May 31

    25. What Your Hospital Bill Isn't Telling You (A Nurse Explains)

    You went to the hospital. You got care. You came home. And then the bills started arriving, one after another, for amounts that didn't add up. And somewhere in your online patient portal was a diagnosis you had never been told about, for a condition nobody mentioned while you were lying in that bed. If that has happened to you or someone you love, you are not alone. And you are not missing something obvious. The hospital system was simply never designed to explain itself to the people moving through it. In this episode, Dr. Mark Su sits down with Amy Baut, a registered nurse with 28 years of experience across some of Boston's most demanding ICUs and critical care units, including Stanford Medical Center and a Level One trauma center in Boston. For the last three years, Amy has worked in clinical documentation integrity, the behind-the-scenes role that sits between your provider's notes, your diagnostic codes, and what gets submitted to your insurance company. It is a role most patients have never heard of. And what Amy sees from that seat changes how you understand everything that happened during your hospital stay. In this episode, you will learn: Why your medical chart may include diagnoses that surprised you after discharge, and what those diagnoses actually mean for your care and your bill. How hospital billing codes connect to the real resources used during your stay, and why capturing them accurately matters more than most people realize. Why your doctor seemed rushed, why documentation sometimes falls short, and why that is not a sign that anyone stopped caring about you. What happens behind the scenes when your insurance company pushes back on a claim, and why patients receive confusing bills while that dispute is still being resolved. How to advocate more effectively for yourself or a loved one during a hospital stay, including one practical shift in how you bring your questions to the care team. Dr. Su's perspective: The healthcare system is not broken on purpose. But there are forces at play between your provider, your chart, and your insurer that nobody is walking patients through. This conversation with Amy is about closing that gap, so that the next time you or someone you love is in the hospital, you feel less like a bystander and more like someone who understands the terrain. Providers went into medicine because they care. The system around them got complicated. Knowing that changes how you experience the care you receive. Ready to stop guessing and finally get a clear plan? Join Dr. Su for the Ask Dr. Mark Clinical Q&A Call, a small-group call limited to about five people each month where you can bring your real questions and get real direction. Book your spot: https://go.rootseekhealth.com/askdrmark Or download the free Lab Results Guide if you have ever been told your labs are normal while still feeling terrible:  https://labsoptin.rootseekhealth.com/labs/ Connect with Dr. Su: IG | @rootseekhealth About Amy Baut, RN: Amy Baut is a registered nurse with 28 years of clinical experience, including critical care and ICU nursing at Level One trauma centers in Boston and at Stanford Medical Center. For the last three years she has worked in clinical documentation integrity, helping hospitals ensure that patient charts accurately reflect the care provided and the resources used. Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational purposes only.  Information discussed is not intended for diagnosis, curing, or prevention of any disease and is not intended to replace advice given by a licensed healthcare practitioner. This podcast and its guests may have direct or indirect financial interests associated with products mentioned.

    1 hr

  5. May 24

    24. ADHD, Stimulants, and Real Results with Dr. Mark Su

    Once a month I open up one hour to five people only. Real questions, real answers, real direction.  Grab your spot at go.rootseekhealth.com/askdrmark. You've probably been told the story about stimulant medication goes one way. You take it, you focus better, maybe you sleep less, maybe you lose your appetite. That's the whole conversation. But what if the real story is bigger than that, and most people never get to hear it because nobody in the exam room takes the time to tell it? In this episode, Dr. Mark Su breaks down what 22 years of treating ADD has actually taught him, including the secondary benefits of getting ADD under control that almost never come up in a standard prescribing visit. From sleep to relationships to anxiety relief, this one might reframe everything you thought you knew. What You'll Learn in This Episode: Why Dr. Su believes environmental toxicity is one of the primary drivers behind the rise in ADD and brain dysfunction across all age groups.Why stimulant medication is absolutely on the table as a root-cause medicine tool, and what it means to use it thoughtfully rather than reflexively.How getting ADD under control can dramatically reduce secondary anxiety, the kind that builds up around everything you forgot to do, didn't finish, or couldn't organize.Why some patients report sleeping better on stimulants, not worse, and the brain-based reason Dr. Su believes explains it.How treatment can improve presence, listening, and emotional availability in relationships in ways that patients and their partners often notice before the patient does.Key Insights: There is a version of this conversation that never happens in a five-minute prescribing visit. Dr. Su has watched patients go from struggling academically, relationally, and emotionally to experiencing what many of them describe as feeling normal for the first time. Not just more productive. Actually comfortable in their own skin. That distinction matters, and it is one he has never heard discussed in a standard clinical handoff. The secondary cognitive capacity piece is worth sitting with. Dr. Su uses Maslow's hierarchy as a lens here. When your brain is stuck in the noise of what you forgot, what you didn't finish, and what you're dreading tomorrow, there is simply no bandwidth left for the deeper questions, your goals, your relationships, your sense of self. Getting ADD under control does not just clear the task list. It creates the mental space to actually live. Dr. Su is clear that he is not dogma-driven in either direction. Stimulants are a tool, not a mandate, and not a cure. But he has seen enough life-changing outcomes, in students, adults, long-term patients, and even family members, to say plainly that dismissing them without a real conversation does patients a disservice. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dr. Su and the RootSeek team work with patients across the country who are navigating exactly this: unexplained symptoms, labs that don't add up, and a conventional system that keeps telling them everything looks fine. Ready to stop guessing and finally get a clear plan? Join Dr. Su for the Ask Dr. Mark Clinical Q&A Call, a small-group call limited to about five people each month where you can bring your real questions and get real direction. Book your spot: https://go.rootseekhealth.com/askdrmark Or download the free Lab Results Guide if you have ever been told your labs are normal while still feeling terrible:  https://labsoptin.rootseekhealth.com/labs/ Connect with Dr. Su: IG | @rootseekhealth Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational purposes only.  Information discussed is not intended for diagnosis, curing, or prevention of any disease and is not intended to replace advice given by a licensed healthcare practitioner. This podcast and its guests may have direct or indirect financial interests associated with products mentioned.

    20 min

  6. May 17

    23. Hype or Hope? How to Spot Mold Misinformation with Mike Schrantz

    If you've ever Googled "mold illness treatment" at midnight, desperate for answers, you already know how overwhelming it gets. The supplements, the sprays, the lab reports with pages of frightening health warnings, it can feel like you're drowning in information and still no closer to knowing what to actually do. This conversation is for you. Dr. Mark Su sits down again with Mike Schrantz, IEP, the environmental professional he trusts most when it comes to what's actually happening inside the buildings where his patients live. Together they walk through real examples of mold-related products, lab reports, and remediation methods, and call it straight: hype or hope. What You'll Learn in This Episode: Why some popular "mold and mycotoxin cleanse" supplements don't contain the one thing that actually matters for mycotoxin removal, and what to look for instead.How mycotoxin lab reports can overwhelm and even harm patients when the data is delivered without context, and what responsible interpretation actually looks like.The critical difference between killing mold and physically removing it, and why one of those approaches is widely accepted by the EPA and the other is not.Why AI-generated health information about mold illness may be making things worse, not better, and what to do instead of relying on it alone.How to slow down, ask better questions, and find a trusted professional before spending money on something that won't move the needle.Key Insights: One of the most important things Dr. Mark and Mike cover in this episode is the gap between a product's name and what it actually does. When a supplement calls itself a "mold and mycotoxin cleanse" but contains no binding agents, which are the compounds clinicians actually use to help the body clear fungal toxins, that name is doing a lot of work it hasn't earned. Neither Dr. Mark nor Mike dismiss these companies as bad actors. They simply ask the question every patient deserves to ask: where is the data, and does the ingredient list match the claim? The mycotoxin lab report conversation is one of the most important in this episode. Mike describes working with clients who receive pages of alarming health information alongside their results, things like carcinogenic effects, developmental risks, organ concerns, without any framing around what those findings mean for them specifically.  Resources & People Mentioned Michael Schrantz, IEP | Environmental Analytics Website: environmentalanalytics.net Podcast: IEPradio.comISEAI (International Society for Environmentally Acquired Illness) Free remediation resources and one-on-one guidance documents available at iseai.org under "Get Help" > "Resources"Aerosolver — A non-toxic, DIY-friendly small particle cleaning product mentioned as an option for whole-home surface cleaning after mold remediationDr. Su and the RootSeek team work with patients across the country who are navigating exactly this: unexplained symptoms, labs that don't add up, and a conventional system that keeps telling them everything looks fine. Ready to stop guessing and finally get a clear plan? Join Dr. Su for the Ask Dr. Mark Clinical Q&A Call, a small-group call limited to about five people each month where you can bring your real questions and get real direction. Book your spot: https://go.rootseekhealth.com/askdrmark Or download the free Lab Results Guide if you have ever been told your labs are normal while still feeling terrible:  https://labsoptin.rootseekhealth.com/labs/ Connect with Dr. Su: IG | @rootseekhealth Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational purposes only.  Information discussed is not intended for diagnosis, curing, or prevention of any disease and is not intended to replace advice given by a licensed healthcare practitioner. This podcast and its guests may have direct or indirect financial interests associated with products mentioned.

    39 min

  7. May 10

    22. Pharmaceuticals vs. Supplements: What Your Doctor Isn't Telling You

    If you've ever stood in the supplement aisle wondering whether any of it actually works, or sat across from a doctor who handed you a prescription without explaining why, this conversation is for you. The question of pharmaceuticals versus supplements comes up constantly in functional medicine, and the honest answer is more nuanced than most people expect. In this episode, Dr. Mark Su breaks down the real-world comparison between prescription medications and natural supplements, not from a place of dogma, but from years of clinical experience working with patients who are navigating both worlds at the same time. What You'll Learn in This Episode: Why pharmaceuticals often offer more predictability in the short term, and what that actually means for your treatment plan.Why treating a single condition with supplements frequently requires multiple products and higher pill counts than most people anticipate.How the cost and practicality of a supplement protocol can quietly become its own barrier to healing.What "polypharmacy" means, why it applies to supplement stacks just as much as prescriptions, and why it matters for chronic illness patients.How Dr. Mark approaches the pharma versus non-pharma decision for individual patients, and why there is no one-size-fits-all answer.About Dr. Mark Su: Dr. Mark Su is an integrative and functional medicine physician and the founder of RootSeek Health. He works with patients who have spent years searching for answers to complex chronic illness, and he built his practice around the belief that real healing starts with finding the root cause, not just managing symptoms. His approach draws from both conventional and natural medicine, using whatever tools best serve each patient. Key Insights: One of the most practical realities Dr. Mark addresses in this episode is pill burden. When a patient chooses a supplement-based approach for a condition like high blood pressure, they may need two or three different products, often at multiple doses per day, to match the effect of a single pharmaceutical. That's not a reason to dismiss supplements. It's simply information that helps patients make informed, realistic decisions about their own care. What makes this episode stand out is Dr. Mark's refusal to take sides. He genuinely believes in the best of both worlds, and he walks through the real clinical reasoning behind how he helps patients choose, adjust, and consolidate their treatment plans over time. Ready to stop guessing and finally get a clear plan? Join Dr. Su for the Ask Dr. Mark Clinical Q&A Call, a small-group call limited to about five people each month where you can bring your real questions and get real direction. Book your spot: https://go.rootseekhealth.com/askdrmark Or download the free Lab Results Guide if you have ever been told your labs are normal while still feeling terrible:  https://labsoptin.rootseekhealth.com/labs/ Connect with Dr. Su: IG | @rootseekhealth Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational purposes only.  Information discussed is not intended for diagnosis, curing, or prevention of any disease and is not intended to replace advice given by a licensed healthcare practitioner. This podcast and its guests may have direct or indirect financial interests associated with products mentioned.

    9 min

  8. May 3

    21: How to Choose Supplements You Can Actually Trust, with Leah Habjan

    Got Lab Results But No Real Answers?  Download your free guide: rootseekhealth.com/labs You've probably stood in a supplement aisle, or scrolled past an influencer ad, and thought, I have no idea if any of this actually works. Maybe you've spent real money on things that did nothing. Maybe your doctor shrugged when you asked. That confusion is not a personal failing. It's the supplement industry doing exactly what an under-regulated industry tends to do, and today we're pulling back the curtain on all of it. In this conversation, I sit down with Leah Habjan, a nutraceutical industry educator with OrthoMolecular Products, someone I genuinely trust because she leads with research, not a sales pitch. We talk about what separates a quality nutraceutical from a generic supplement, how to read a label without a science degree, and why the phrase "expensive urine" only applies when the product wasn't worth taking in the first place. What You'll Learn in This Episode: Not all supplements are created equal, and the difference between a dietary supplement and a professional nutraceutical comes down to formulation quality, therapeutic dosing, and whether the company has actually done the research to back what's in the bottle.You can identify a trustworthy supplement company without being a scientist. Look for products that link to clinical references, not just marketing claims, and watch for proprietary blends that hide what's actually in them and at what dose.Some ingredients now sold as supplements were once available only as prescriptions, and understanding that history changes how you think about what functional medicine has access to.The form of a nutrient matters as much as the nutrient itself. If you're a poor methylator, taking a B vitamin that isn't in its methylated form may do very little, no matter how reputable the brand looks on the outside.Finding someone you trust to help navigate supplement quality, whether that's a functional medicine physician, a knowledgeable health coach, or a credentialed industry professional, is one of the most protective things you can do for your health and your wallet.Leah Habjan is a nutraceutical industry educator with OrthoMolecular Products whose passion for health started long before her career did. Raised by a mom who was reading about food quality and organic sourcing decades before it was mainstream, Leah went on to study biology with the goal of becoming a healthcare provider, and eventually found her place at the intersection of clinical nutrition and physician education.  Key Insights: One of the most important things Leah shared in this conversation is that nutraceuticals are a subset of dietary supplements, but not every supplement qualifies. A true nutraceutical is formulated with therapeutic intent, meaning the doses actually align with clinical research, the raw materials are verified for quality, and the company can show its work. If a product's website can't point you to peer-reviewed references, that tells you something. We also talked about what happens when manufacturing standards slip, and it happens more than people realize. Leah has watched companies that once held themselves to high standards quietly shift their formulations after rapid growth, cutting corners on raw material quality in ways that aren't visible on the label. One example she gave hit home for me: switching from methylfolate to folic acid in a B-complex formula.  Connect With Leah Habjan: IG: @newenglandhealthy   Ready to stop guessing and finally get a clear plan? Join Dr. Su for the Ask Dr. Mark Clinical Q&A Call, a small-group call limited to about five people each month where you can bring your real questions and get real direction. Book your spot: https://go.rootseekhealth.com/askdrmark Or download the free Lab Results Guide if you have ever been told your labs are normal while still feeling terrible:  https://labsoptin.rootseekhealth.com/labs/ Connect with Dr. Su: IG | @rootseekhealth Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational purposes only.  Information discussed is not intended for diagnosis, curing, or prevention of any disease and is not intended to replace advice given by a licensed healthcare practitioner. This podcast and its guests may have direct or indirect financial interests associated with products mentioned.

    1h 13m
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About

The Functional Medicine Reality Podcast exposes the truth about what really happens in healthcare and why so many patients with complex, chronic conditions are left searching for answers. Hosted by Dr. Mark Su, founder & leader of RootSeek’s nationwide virtual care team, this show goes beyond quick fixes to uncover the root causes of illness—like Lyme disease and co-infections, mold toxicity, gut dysbiosis, hormone imbalances, hidden infections, and heavy metal exposure.  Each episode reveals real patient journeys and expert clinician reasoning, showing you how functional medicine tackles chronic fatigue, autoimmune flares, brain fog, cardiovascular risk, and hard-to-solve cases where conventional medicine often stops short. From environmental toxins to stress-driven inflammation, from gut repair to longevity hacks, you’ll learn how to advocate, decide, and heal on your terms—with practical, next-step strategies you can trust. If you’ve ever wondered how to navigate “mystery symptoms,” controversial treatments, or cutting-edge testing, this podcast will be your compass. Episode highlights: Goes “behind the curtain.” We invite clinicians to think out loud, showing the decision-making process most patients never see.Spotlights real patient journeys. Raw stories reveal the triumphs and trade-offs of navigating chronic illness, performance optimization, preventive care, and more.Asks the hard, patient-centered questions. We challenge experts on controversies, practical constraints, and emerging evidence—so you can separate trustworthy insight from trend-driven noise.Delivers actionable clarity. Whether you’re rehabbing an injury, hacking longevity, or just trying to sleep better, you’ll leave with next-step strategies backed by clinical reasoning. The team at RootSeek (nationwide virtual care) is ready to empower you to advocate, decide, and heal, on your terms!If you’re asking any of the following questions (or something similar), this podcast is for you: Can functional medicine help with chronic Lyme disease, co-infections, or post-treatment symptoms?How do I know if mold toxicity or environmental toxins are making me sick?What’s the best way to detox from heavy metals, pesticides, or hidden chemical exposures?Are my fatigue, brain fog, or joint pains linked to gut health or hidden infections?How do functional medicine doctors diagnose and treat autoimmune conditions differently?What advanced tests uncover root causes that standard labs miss?Can functional medicine address chronic inflammation, histamine intolerance, or mast cell activation?What are the most effective protocols for gut repair, microbiome balance, and leaky gut?How do I separate real solutions from false hope when dealing with complex chronic illness?What steps can I take now to reclaim energy, hormone balance, and overall vitality? Tune in for transparent conversations that turn complicated science into practical truth and put the power of informed choice back where it belongs: with you.

Information

  • Creator
    Dr. Mark Su MD, Functional Medicine Practitioner for Health and Longevity
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    28
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Functional Medicine Reality Podcast
  • Show Website
    Functional Medicine Reality Podcast

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