Extend Podcast with Darshan Shah, MD

Darshan Shah, MD
  • 4.8 (110)
  • MEDICINE
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Extend with Darshan Shah, MD is a podcast dedicated to cutting-edge science, research, tools, and protocols designed to help you extend your healthspan. Starting my medical journey at 16 and becoming one of the youngest doctors in the country, studying and training at the Mayo Clinic, Harvard Business School, Singularity University and other prestigious institutions, becoming a board certified surgeon and accumulating over two decades of practice, I have discovered that a mere 20% of health knowledge yields 80% of the results. That's why this podcast is all about cutting through the noise on how to turn back the aging clock. I interview world-renowned medical practitioners, doctors, experts, and thought leaders, offering you a step-by-step guide and actionable advice to proactively avoid disease and optimize your health. Plus, I share weekly solo episodes giving you quick, digestible protocols for successfully extending your healthspan.

  1. 4D AGO

    108. Dr. Vonda Wright: Why Women Need a New Approach to Aging, and How to Start Now

    What if the real turning point for women's health isn't menopause itself, but the decade before it?  Long before the symptoms hit, your brain, bones, and heart are already changing, silently. You can train hard, eat clean, and still lose strength, bone density, and cognitive sharpness if you're not addressing the biology underneath it all. In this episode of EXTEND, I'm joined by Dr. Vonda Wright, orthopedic surgeon, researcher, and author of Unbreakable, to talk about how women can take control of midlife long before the "change." We get into what actually happens when estradiol starts to fall, why bone is an active endocrine organ (not just structure), and how to measure what really predicts longevity: VO₂ max, grip strength, sit-to-stand, and bone quality. We also discuss her FACE framework, flexibility, aerobic base, carrying load, and equilibrium, a smarter way to train for longevity that protects your brain, bones, and hormones.  Dr. Vonda Wright is a double board-certified orthopedic surgeon, researcher, and author of Unbreakable. She's a leading expert in active aging and musculoskeletal longevity, known for helping midlife women build strength, preserve bone health, and optimize performance through data-driven prevention.  What's Discussed: (00:00) Why Women Need to Rethink Midlife Health (05:54) The Longevity Equation: Strength, Hormones, and Prevention (17:39) The Forgotten Organ Driving Women's Aging: Bone\ (28:44) How to Build Bone Quality (Not Just Density) (34:55) Training Smarter in Midlife: The FACE Protocol for Strength and Power (44:45) How to Find Real Fitness Inspiration Online, and Filter Out the Noise Learn more about Dr. Shah: Website: https://www.drshah.com/ Clinic: https://www.next-health.com/ Instagram:@darshanshahmd   Learn more about Dr. Vonda Wright:  Website: https://www.drvondawright.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drvondawright

    45 min

  2. 6D AGO

    107. Dr. Will Cole: Gut Issues and Anxiety? Functional Medicine Is Finally Connecting the Dots

    You can eat clean, track your labs, take supplements, and still feel anxious, inflamed, tired, or flat. Why? Because the gut, brain, immune system, and hormones are in constant conversation, and most of us are only treating one side of that story. In this episode of Extend, I sit down with Dr. Will Cole to uncover the science behind the gut-brain axis, and why nervous system dysregulation might be the reason your biomarkers won't budge. We unpack how microbiome imbalances, silent inflammation, low vagal tone, and stored trauma show up as anxiety, constipation, brain fog, and burnout… even when you're "doing everything right." We also get practical: testing beyond standard blood work, HRV as a window into resilience, breathwork vs. meditation, EMDR, "ugly journaling," and when devices like Apollo Neuro and Sensate actually help. Dr. Will Cole is a leading functional medicine expert, a pioneer in gut-brain health, neuroimmune disorders, and autoimmune healing. He is also the host of the top-ranked podcast The Art of Being Well and the New York Times bestselling author of books including Gut Feelings, The Inflammation Spectrum, and Ketotarian. What's Discussed: (00:00) From Functional Medicine to the Gut-Brain Revolution (13:14) How Trauma, Serotonin, and the Vagus Nerve Shape the Mind-Gut Connection (21:13) Healing the Nervous System: Journaling, EMDR, and Wearable Vagus Nerve Tech (30:15) Why Real Health Change Starts with Individuals, Not Institutions (35:07) Food Deserts, Misinformation, and Taking Your Health Back (43:04) Regenerative Supplements, Soil Health & The Future of Functional Medicine   Thank You for Our Sponsors: IM8: Try IM8 today with a 30-day money back guarantee. You can get 10% off your first order with code DRSHAH at https://im8health.com/discount/DRSHAH. Vitaboom: For supplements you can trust and wellness solutions tailored to your health, visit https://vitaboom.com/   Learn more about Dr. Shah: Website: https://www.drshah.com/ Clinic: https://www.next-health.com/ Instagram:@darshanshahmd   Learn more about Dr. Will Cole: Instagram: @drwillcole Instagram: @theartofbeingwell_  Youtube: @DrWillCole

    45 min

  3. OCT 23

    106. Siggi Clavien: Why Your Liver is Slowly Killing You (And You Don't Even Know It)

    You have brain fog. You're gaining weight faster and losing it slower. You think it's stress, aging, or just life… But what if it's your liver screaming for help? In this episode of Extend, I'm joined by Siggi Clavien, liver health expert and founder of The Liver Clinic, to uncover the silent epidemic destroying our health from the inside out. We explore why 70% of liver disease today has nothing to do with alcohol, the actual damage done by Tylenol, and why your "normal" blood work might be hiding liver damage. We also dive into technology that can detect damage years before blood tests, and what might be your key to reversing chronic disease. Siggi Clavien is a liver health specialist with 28 years in phytomedicine development and founder of The Liver Clinic. He combines ancient Eastern medicine wisdom with modern technology to help people detect and reverse liver damage. We Also Discuss: (00:00) Health and Liver Function Discussion (07:12) Toxins, Diet, and Fatty Liver Impact (17:13) Liver Damage Detection and Management (28:27) Toxic Exposure and Health Protection (37:28) Liver Health and Protection Strategies (45:17) Understanding Liver Scan Technology and Risks (56:20) Diet, Exercise, and Liver Health (01:00:56) Detoxification, Liver Health, and Deliverance (01:10:39) Liver Health Tracking and Advancements (01:16:36) Health Care Access and Support Thank you to our Sponsors: Timeline: Go to timeline.com/drshah to get 20% off your order.   Learn more about Dr. Shah: Website: https://www.drshah.com/  Clinic: https://www.next-health.com/ Instagram: @darshanshahmd   Learn more about Siggi Clavien: Website: https://us.loveyourliver.com/ https://theliverclinic.com/  Instagram: @deliverance.elixir @siggiclavien

    1h 15m

  4. OCT 21

    105. Gabby Bernstein: Why Safety Is the Most Powerful Longevity Protocol

    We track our sleep, count our macros, optimize every supplement, yet most people's bodies are still stuck in survival mode. What if true longevity starts not with another biohack, but with safety? When your nervous system feels safe, inflammation drops, digestion normalizes, and recovery accelerates.  In this episode of Extend, I sit down with Gabby Bernstein, #1 New York Times bestselling author and host of the Dear Gabby podcast, to explore how emotional regulation, breathwork, and Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy rewire the nervous system for resilience. Together, we break down how HRV reflects longevity, why "soft" tools like breath and meditation have hard science behind them, and how pairing spiritual practice with functional medicine creates lasting health transformation. Gabby Bernstein is a #1 New York Times bestselling author, host of the Dear Gabby podcast, and a leading teacher in self-help and spiritual development. For 20 years she's democratized tools like meditation, trauma-informed healing, and IFS for everyday life. In this episode, she shows us how to make emotional safety a daily practice, and why that might be the most powerful longevity intervention we have. What's Discussed: (00:00) From Burnout to Breakthrough: A Spiritual Path to Sobriety (03:39) What Safety Really Feels Like, and How to Create It (12:14) Turning Pain Into Peace: Healing Trauma Through Spiritual Practice (18:20) Meeting Your Protector Parts Instead of Fighting Them (30:42) Radical Self-Compassion as the Fastest Way to Heal (33:59) How to Reprogram Your Inner Protectors for Real Wellness (46:30) When Doctors Need Healing Too: Trauma Inside Medicine (51:22) Where Science Meets Spirit: The Biology of Belief (57:55) Faith, Energy, and the New Language of Healing (01:08:44) Manifestation as Medicine: How Your Mind Shapes Biology (01:14:49) The App That's Redefining Daily Spiritual Practice Thank You to Our Sponsors: IM8: Try IM8 today with a 30-day money back guarantee. You can get 10% off your first order with code DRSHAH at https://im8health.com/discount/DRSHAH. Function Health: Learn more and join using functionhealth.com/drshah . The first 1000 get a $100 credit toward their membership. Visit www.functionhealth.com/drshah or use gift code DRSHAH100 at sign-up to own your health.   Learn more about Dr. Shah: Website: https://www.drshah.com/ Clinic: https://www.next-health.com/ Instagram:@darshanshahmd   Learn more about Gabby Bernstein: Instagram: @gabbybernstein Website: https://gabbybernstein.com/ Book: 7 Habits of a Super Attractor: Effortlessly Attract Your Desires

    1h 18m

  5. OCT 16

    104. Dr. Jeffrey Bland: The Science of Immune Rejuvenation and Aging in Reverse

    What if your immune system could actually age backwards? For decades, we've accepted that inflammation, fatigue, and slower recovery are inevitable with age, but new research proves otherwise. Your immune system isn't doomed to decline; it can be retrained to act younger, stronger, and more resilient. In this episode of Extend, I sit down with Dr. Jeffrey Bland, the father of functional medicine, to explore the groundbreaking science of immune rejuvenation. We break down how chronic inflammation accelerates aging, why gut health holds the key to immune balance, and the nutrients that can literally reprogram gene expression. We also discuss how a 90-day nutrition protocol led to a 47% reduction in immune aging, and what that means for your longevity. Dr. Jeffrey Bland is widely recognized as the father of functional medicine, a thought leader who's spent over 40 years redefining how we understand health and disease. He's the founder of the Institute for Functional Medicine and Big Bold Health, where he's pioneering new research on immune rejuvenation and personalized nutrition.   We Also Discuss: (00:00) The birth of functional medicine and how it reshaped modern healthcare (08:45) Why traditional medicine overlooks the body's interconnected systems (18:22) How your immune system drives aging, resilience, and recovery (28:09) The gut-immunity connection and why inflammation accelerates aging (38:40) The science behind reversing immune aging and restoring balance (49:33) How diet and polyphenols influence immune gene expression (01:00:18) The epigenetic switch that controls healthy aging (01:11:42) Data, biomarkers, and the rise of personalized health (01:25:30) The future of collective health and community immunity (01:36:39) How to apply immune rejuvenation principles in your daily life Thank You for Our Sponsors: Pendulum: Use code DARSHAN or use the link https://pendulumlife.com/discount/DARSHAN to get 20% off Pendulum membership first orders.   Learn more about Dr. Shah: Website: https://www.drshah.com/ Clinic: https://www.next-health.com/ Instagram:@darshanshahmd   Learn more about Dr. Jeff Bland: Instagram: @drjeffreybland Big Bold Health: @bigboldhealth Website: https://bigboldhealth.com/

    1h 41m

  6. OCT 14

    103. Maya Raichoora: Train Your Brain Like Your Body + The 5 Types of Visualization

    What if your brain's biggest limitation isn't its capacity, but your failure to train it? In this episode of Extend, Maya Raichoora joins me to share how visualization techniques helped her reverse debilitating ulcerative colitis.  We explore the neuroscience behind visualization, from rewiring neural pathways to regulating the immune system through thought. We dive into five distinct types of visualization and why mental fitness deserves the same daily dedication as physical fitness. Maya Raichoora is the UK's leading mental fitness and visualization expert, bestselling author of "Visualize," and a former international badminton player. After being told she'd need lifelong immunosuppressive medication or colon removal surgery for ulcerative colitis at age 17, Maya used visualization and mental training to achieve complete symptom remission. She now coaches elite athletes, C-suite executives, and teaches the science of training the brain. We Also Discuss: 01:45 - How Visualization Reversed Severe Ulcerative Colitis Without Surgery 03:45 - The "Piranha Technique": Making Pain Playful Through Creative Imagery 11:48 - The Brain-Gut Connection: Why Your Colon Has as Many Neurons as Your Brain 18:06 - How Your Brain Directly Controls Immune Cell Production 21:15 - The Five Types of Visualization 26:07 - Why Your Brain's Stories Become Your Ceiling 29:55 - The Neuroscience of Mental Rehearsal: Why Imagined Reps Equal Real Ones 38:00 - The 90-Second Rule for Releasing Trapped Emotions 55:32 - The Language of Medicine: How "Incurable" Becomes a Self-Fulfilling Prophecy 1:04:15 - Mirror Neurons: Why You Become What You Watch   Thank You for Our Sponsors: Try IM8 today with a 30-day money back guarantee. You can get 10% off your first order with code DRSHAH at https://im8health.com/discount/DRSHAH. Learn more about Dr. Shah: Website: https://www.drshah.com/ Clinic: https://www.next-health.com/ https://www.instagram.com/nexthealth/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/darshanshahmd/   Learn more about Maya Raichoora: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maya-raichoora/  Website: https://mayaraichoora.com/

    1h 13m

  7. OCT 9

    102. Max Lugavere: How to Prevent Alzheimer's 30 Years Before Symptoms

    What if the biggest threat to your brain health isn't genetics, but the environment you're living in? In this episode of Extend, Max Lugavere joins me to share how environmental toxins, metabolic dysfunction, and dietary choices are driving the explosion of neurodegenerative diseases. We dive into why Alzheimer's begins 30-40 years before diagnosis, and the specific lifestyle interventions that can dramatically reduce your risk. From the dangers of golf course proximity to the surprising role of mouthwash in hypertension, this conversation challenges everything you thought you knew about protecting your brain. Max Lugavere is a health and science journalist, filmmaker, and bestselling author of "Genius Foods" and "The Genius Life." His documentary "Little Empty Boxes" chronicles his mother's battle with Lewy body dementia and explores the preventable nature of cognitive decline. Max has become one of the leading voices in brain health optimization. We Also Discuss: 08:02 - Why Neurodegenerative Diseases Begin 30 Years Before Symptoms 12:53 - Different Types of Dementia and Movement Disorders Explained 14:24 - Environmental Toxins Linked to Parkinson's Disease 16:03 - How Living Near Golf Courses Doubles Parkinson's Risk 31:04 - How One Gram of Pancreatic Fat Loss Restores Insulin Sensitivity 35:21 - Fasting Insulin: The Biomarker That Predicts Alzheimer's Early 37:12 - The Role of Ketogenic Diets in Brain Energy Metabolism 51:19 - How 20 Grams of Creatine Improved Cognition in Alzheimer's Patients 57:38 - The Truth About Seed Oils vs. Extra Virgin Olive Oil 1:09:04 - Omega-3s and the 50% Alzheimer's Risk Reduction 1:13:23 - Why Antiseptic Mouthwash May Raise Blood Pressure   Thank You for Our Sponsors: Timeline: Go to timeline.com/drshah to get 20% off your order. Learn more about Dr. Shah: Website: https://www.drshah.com/ Clinic: https://www.next-health.com/ https://www.instagram.com/nexthealth/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/darshanshahmd/   Learn more about Max Lugavere: Instagram: @maxlugavere Website: https://www.maxlugavere.com/

    1h 28m

  8. OCT 7

    101. Dr. Mariza Snyder: Why 80% of Perimenopause Symptoms Are Brain Related and Doctors Keep Missing It

    Did you know, 80% of perimenopause symptoms are brain-related, but it takes 4-6 doctor visits to get a diagnosis? In this episode of Extend, Dr. Mariza Snyder reveals why perimenopause has been medicine's best-kept secret and how women can reclaim their health during this critical transition. We discuss why perimenopause is called "the silent shift," the protective power of hormone replacement therapy, and why suffering through this transition is completely optional. Dr. Mariza also shares her personal hormone protocol and why she believes women deserve the gold standard of care during this pivotal decade. Dr. Mariza Snyder is a hormone and metabolic health expert specializing in perimenopause and menopause care. She's the author of "The Perimenopause Revolution" and host of the "Energized with Dr. Mariza" podcast. With nearly 15 years of experience helping women navigate hormonal transitions, she advocates for preventative hormone replacement therapy and comprehensive biomarker tracking. We Also Discuss: 04:54 - Why 80% of Perimenopause Symptoms Are Brain-Related 07:49 - The "Silent Shift" That Happens Years Before Missing Periods 11:21 - Why Standard Blood Work Keeps Women Suffering in Silence 12:57 - The Biomarkers Every Woman Should Track Starting at 35 30:49 - What Women Can Do to Start Managing Perimenopause 39:45 - How Hormone Replacement Therapy Acts as Your "Protective Shield" 55:21 - The Truth About Breast Cancer Risk and HRT 1:01:21 - Advanced Cancer Screening Strategies for Women 1:05:24 - Why Sleep Consistency Can Change Your Life in 10 Days 1:06:23 - The Mindset Shifts That Make Perimenopause Empowering   Thank You for Our Sponsors: NextHealth: Your destination for cutting-edge health optimization from IV therapy to hormone balancing. Explore at https://www.next-health.com/ Learn more about Dr. Shah: Website: https://www.drshah.com/ Clinic: https://www.next-health.com/ https://www.instagram.com/nexthealth/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/darshanshahmd/   Learn more about Dr. Mariza Snyder: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drmariza/  Website: https://drmariza.com/

    1h 13m
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4.8
out of 5
110 Ratings

About

Extend with Darshan Shah, MD is a podcast dedicated to cutting-edge science, research, tools, and protocols designed to help you extend your healthspan. Starting my medical journey at 16 and becoming one of the youngest doctors in the country, studying and training at the Mayo Clinic, Harvard Business School, Singularity University and other prestigious institutions, becoming a board certified surgeon and accumulating over two decades of practice, I have discovered that a mere 20% of health knowledge yields 80% of the results. That's why this podcast is all about cutting through the noise on how to turn back the aging clock. I interview world-renowned medical practitioners, doctors, experts, and thought leaders, offering you a step-by-step guide and actionable advice to proactively avoid disease and optimize your health. Plus, I share weekly solo episodes giving you quick, digestible protocols for successfully extending your healthspan.

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