How Much Vitamin D Do We Really Need?

Early in my career, I noticed that patients’ skin often improved as we addressed their nutrition and gut health. That changed how I approached skin concerns and taught me to look beneath the surface for contributing factors. Today, I’m joined by triple board-certified dermatologist Dr. Mamina Turegano, co-author of The Holistic Psoriasis Management and Nutrition Guide and an advocate for Timeline’s approach to skin health. Together, we explore what your skin can reveal about your overall health and how that understanding can help you make more informed choices about caring for it. You’ll learn: How damaged mitochondria contribute to skin aging, and how urolithin A may support healthier skin through mitochondrial renewal How your gut health, hormones, and insulin resistance may be contributing to recurring acne and other skin concerns How menopause changes your skin, and what to consider if it becomes drier, thinner, or less resilient How strength training may benefit your skin alongside your muscles Which skincare basics to prioritize before investing in newer treatments and supplements Like most people, I care about how my skin looks, but I also want to understand what helps it stay healthy and resilient. That’s how I approach aging more broadly: learning what my body needs and making those choices part of everyday life. Help Us Win a Listener’s Choice Award The Dr. Hyman Show is a finalist in the Signal Awards, and the Listener’s Choice Award is decided by you. If the show has helped you ask better questions or take better care of your health, I’d be grateful for your vote. Just sign up for an account to vote before October 15. Thank you for making these conversations part of your life. View Show Notes From This Episode Sign up for Dr. Hyman’s Brainshaping Academy to learn how to nourish the biological systems that support your mental, emotional, and cognitive health https://drhyman.com/products/brainshaping?utm_source=dr_hyman_show&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=may_27&utm_content=link Get Free Weekly Health Tips from Dr. Hymanhttps://drhyman.com/pages/picks?utm_campaign=shownotes&utm_medium=banner&utm_source=podcast Sign Up for Dr. Hyman’s Weekly Longevity Journalhttps://drhyman.com/pages/longevity?utm_campaign=shownotes&utm_medium=banner&utm_source=podcast Join the 10-Day Detox to Reset Your Healthhttps://drhyman.com/pages/10-day-detox Join the Hyman Hive for Expert Support and Real Resultshttps://drhyman.com/pages/hyman-hive This episode is brought to you by Timeline, Sunlighten, Perfect Amino, Seed, BIOptimizers, and Pique. Don’t miss Timeline’s lowest prices of the year. Save 30% on a one-time purchase or 35% when you subscribe and save, plus free shipping. Offer ends October 11. Discover why so many people are using sunlighten.com. Use code HYMAN to save up to $2,100 today and free shipping. Help fill protein gaps at bodyhealth.com and use code HYMAN20 for 20% off. Make your microbiome part of your daily routine with seed.com/hyman and save 25% with code 25HYMAN. Use bioptimizers.com/hyman and code HYMAN for 15% off, special bonuses, and a 365-day money-back guarantee. Elevate your daily wellness ritual at piquelife.com/hyman and enjoy 20% off plus free gifts. 0:00 Strength training, skin thickness, and Sponsor: Timeline 1:46 Sunlighten infrared sauna, SIGNAL awards, and integrative dermatology from the inside out 5:53 Transition from conventional to holistic dermatology 9:29 Beyond the skin: diet, sleep, stress, hormones, and environment 10:14 Gut health, insulin resistance, and chronic skin disease drivers 12:23 Testing for SIBO, H. pylori, hormones, and gluten sensitivity 14:23 Sugar, dairy, environmental toxins, stress, caffeine, and inflammation as acne triggers 18:54 Functional treatment case: acne and psoriasis improvement 20:24 Comprehensive psoriasis workup and hidden drivers 22:16 Challenges in nutrition and lifestyle research; clinical observation 23:08 Healthy skin diet: Mediterranean eating, protein, fats, fiber, polyphenols, and processed foods 24:26 Elimination diets and foundational nutrients for skin health 27:50 The impact of hormones on skin health and aging 31:57 Functional medicine case studies: psoriasis, arthritis, and gut-focused treatment 36:25 Skin aging: effects of nutrition, lifestyle, hormones, and topical care 39:52 Alcohol, oxidative stress, and collagen breakdown in aging 41:00 Collagen supplements and UV radiation impact on skin 46:00 Supporting skin mitochondria: mitophagy, sleep, stress, exercise, and supplements 49:52 Urolithin A, polyphenols, carotenoids, and Sponsor: Timeline, Biooptimizers, Peak 54:52 Reversing skin aging and the role of strength training 57:42 Sun protection strategies for skin longevity 59:11 Melanoma risk, sun exposure patterns, and vitamin D 1:00:26 Major drivers of skin aging: sun, smoking, sugar, sleep, stress, exercise, pollution 1:02:26 Retinoids, vitamin C, and advanced therapies for skin repair 1:08:45 Dr. Mamina’s skincare routine and ingredient safety 1:14:55 Chemical vs. mineral sunscreens and rapid-fire takeaways 1:17:28 Where to find Dr. Mamina and learn about DermClick 1:18:15 Dr. Hyman’s new book, health lessons, and daily self-care 1:19:43 Supporting the show, following Dr. Hyman, and podcast disclaimer 1:20:21 Finding practitioners, Ultra Wellness Center, and closing thanks

Why do some people catch every cold going around while others rarely get sick? Your immune system isn’t something you simply “boost” with one supplement—it’s shaped every day by your sleep, diet, stress, gut health, nutrient status, and metabolic health. In this episode, I’m joined by one of my producers, Emma, to break down what actually helps you build a more resilient immune system before cold and flu season hits. Here’s what we discuss in today’s episode: Why some people get sick constantly while others seem far more resilient What actually weakens your immune system long before symptoms show up What I personally do at the first sign of a cold or flu The most important habits and nutrients for supporting immune function through the winter You don’t need a complicated immune protocol. The goal is to strengthen the systems that help your body respond well when you’re exposed—so you’re less fragile when cold and flu season arrives. Visit ⁠functionhealth.com for 160+ lab tests at just $365 a year. Have a question you’d love answered on Office Hours? Submit it here. (0:00) Preparing for cold and flu season: diet, nutrients, sleep, stress, and gut health (2:07) Building immune resilience: whole foods, sleep, stress management, and nutrient checks (3:03) Key nutrients and remedies: vitamin D, herbal formulas, mushrooms, colostrum, and hygiene (5:18) Understanding the immune system, resilience, and why some people rarely get sick (9:33) Metabolic health, sugar, insulin resistance, and their impact on immunity (11:56) Immune-supportive grocery shopping and important supplements (16:26) Sleep, stress, exercise, and protocols for when symptoms start (21:59) Vaccines and Dr. Hyman’s perspective on flu shots (24:12) Sleep, vitamin D, and myths like "starve a fever"

Nutrition advice often reduces food to calories, nutrients, and a list of rules to follow. But the more we learn about how the body responds to different foods, the clearer it becomes that this way of thinking tells only part of the story. Today, I’m joined by cardiologist and public health expert Dr. Dariush Mozaffarian, director of the Food is Medicine Institute at Tufts University and author of the new book Food Is Medicine. We explore what we still get wrong about food and what changes when we begin treating it more like medicine. Here’s what we discuss: Why eating less and exercising more may not lead to lasting weight loss, and what to focus on instead How to choose foods that work with your appetite, metabolism, and microbiome rather than relying on calorie counting What GLP-1 medications can teach all of us about hunger, cravings, and why weight isn’t simply about willpower How much protein you actually need and why the source matters What the science says about seed oils and which processed foods are worth avoiding Over the years, I’ve learned to focus less on counting calories or chasing a single nutrient and more on the quality of the food itself. When you eat real, whole foods, the signals that regulate hunger and energy can begin to work with you instead of against you. Eating well should be less about following rules and more about understanding what helps your body function at its best. View Show Notes From This Episode Sign up for Dr. Hyman’s Brainshaping Academy to learn how to nourish the biological systems that support your mental, emotional, and cognitive health https://drhyman.com/products/brainshaping?utm_source=dr_hyman_show&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=may_27&utm_content=link Get Free Weekly Health Tips from Dr. Hymanhttps://drhyman.com/pages/picks?utm_campaign=shownotes&utm_medium=banner&utm_source=podcast Sign Up for Dr. Hyman’s Weekly Longevity Journalhttps://drhyman.com/pages/longevity?utm_campaign=shownotes&utm_medium=banner&utm_source=podcast Join the 10-Day Detox to Reset Your Healthhttps://drhyman.com/pages/10-day-detox Join the Hyman Hive for Expert Support and Real Resultshttps://drhyman.com/pages/hyman-hive This episode is brought to you by Cozy Earth, Made In, Fatty15, Pique, Paleovalley, and BIOptimizers. Upgrade your sleep setup with cozyearth.com and enjoy 20% off with code HYMAN. Explore kitchen essentials at madeincookware.com and save 10% off your first order with code HYMAN-HIVE. Head to fatty15.com/HYMAN today and use code HYMAN for 15% off your 90-day subscription Starter Kit. Elevate your daily wellness ritual at piquelife.com/hyman and enjoy 20% off plus free gifts. Shop nutrient-rich foods and supplements at paleovalley.com/hyman and save 15% off your first order. Shop Magnesium Breakthrough at bioptimizers.com/hyman and save 15% with code HYMAN. 0:00 The paradox of rising obesity, calorie intake, and the importance of food quality over willpower 2:00 Introduction to Food is Medicine and Dr. Hyman’s mission 4:25 How medical training ignored nutrition and early challenges to low-fat dogma 7:48 Cardiac diets, processed carbs, and failures in nutrition science translation 10:54 The food system’s role in chronic disease and its national impact 12:15 Food as a health, economic, environmental, and equity issue 15:05 How science, policy, and business shaped the modern food system 18:14 Fixing the food system using the same forces that created it 19:04 The birth of modern nutrition science and discovery of vitamins 20:15 Deficiency diseases, vitamin fortification, and enriched grains 23:16 The green revolution, famine fears, and calorie-focused agriculture 27:04 Low-fat advice, tobacco-era marketing, and the rise of ultra-processed food 31:29 Misapplied nutrient thinking: fat vilification and chronic disease 33:30 Why calories in, calories out fails for obesity and weight control 36:53 Thermogenesis, brown fat, and food quality’s impact on metabolism 39:25 The microbiome’s role in calorie harvesting and weight regulation 41:03 Real food vs. calorie counting for long-term weight control 43:09 GLP-1, the microbiome, and how the food system hijacks appetite 48:27 Feeding your inner garden: microbiome foods, prebiotics, and protective foods 50:47 Food as medicine: adding good foods vs. deprivation 52:36 Food as a fast, personalized therapy for chronic disease 54:11 What ultra-processed food is and why it’s harmful 59:59 Why junk food isn’t food, and the protein craze explained 1:00:44 How much protein you need and why the source matters 1:03:55 Best protein sources and the dangers of processed meats 1:05:58 Seed oils, trans fats, omega-6s, and omega-3 deficiency 1:13:57 Why food system change is needed, not just individual willpower 1:15:20 Policy levers for fixing agriculture, labeling, regulation, and nutrition science 1:17:29 How health care can drive food as medicine 1:21:58 How investing in healthy food can reshape markets and outcomes 1:22:44 Food industry lobbying, misinformation, and policy challenges 1:25:07 Business innovation to shift toward healthier food products 1:26:03 Ultra-processed foods as “coal” and replacing them with clean food 1:26:25 What listeners can do in their communities and with officials

In this episode, I break down five popular longevity myths that may be distracting you from the things that actually have the biggest impact on how long and how well you live. Here’s what I discuss in today’s episode: The common longevity goal that may actually work against you as you get older Why the “perfect” supplement stack can’t replace the habits that matter most The mistake people make when they try to keep their body in constant repair mode What the science really says about red wine, genetics, and the factors that shape how you age Longevity isn’t about building the world’s most complicated routine. It’s about protecting your strength, energy, brain function, and independence for decades to come. Get the fundamentals right first—then layer in the extras. Visit ⁠functionhealth.com for 160+ lab tests at just $365 a year. Have a question you’d love answered on Office Hours? Submit it here. 0:00 Longevity industry hype, fundamentals, and common myths1:11 Myth 1 - The Thinner You Are The Healthier YouWill Age2:40 Myth 2 - Supplements, repair mode, and other longevity myths4:11 Myth 3 - Keeping Your Body In Repair Mode7:54 Myth 4 - Wine is good for you 9:24 Myth 5 - Longevity Is Mostly Genetic10:34 The longevity reality check and what you can change11:13 The real path to healthspan, strength, and independence

You can know exactly how you want to eat and still find yourself reaching for something else when you’re stressed or exhausted. I’ve been there. Our relationship with food is influenced by far more than nutrition knowledge, and blaming ourselves for struggling doesn’t help us understand what’s actually happening. Today, I’m joined by clinical psychologist Dr. Rachel Goldman, author of When Life Happens, to talk about the biology and psychology behind cravings, emotional eating, and food noise. We also explore how to care about nutrition without letting food rules take over your life. Here’s what we get into: Why you may reach for food when what you really need is rest, comfort, or a break How to pause before an automatic food choice and figure out what’s driving it How rigid food rules can turn one choice into a cycle of guilt and overeating How GLP-1s can quiet food noise, and what they can’t change about your relationship with food How to build other ways to cope when food has become your go-to response to stress I know what it’s like to want the cookie even when I know it isn’t what I really need. Knowing better doesn’t make us immune to being human. My hope is that this conversation helps you meet those moments with more curiosity and less blame, so your relationship with food can become a source of nourishment rather than stress. View Show Notes From This Episode Sign up for Dr. Hyman’s Brainshaping Academy to learn how to nourish the biological systems that support your mental, emotional, and cognitive health https://drhyman.com/products/brainshaping?utm_source=dr_hyman_show&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=may_27&utm_content=link Get Free Weekly Health Tips from Dr. Hymanhttps://drhyman.com/pages/picks?utm_campaign=shownotes&utm_medium=banner&utm_source=podcast Sign Up for Dr. Hyman’s Weekly Longevity Journalhttps://drhyman.com/pages/longevity?utm_campaign=shownotes&utm_medium=banner&utm_source=podcast Join the 10-Day Detox to Reset Your Healthhttps://drhyman.com/pages/10-day-detox Join the Hyman Hive for Expert Support and Real Resultshttps://drhyman.com/pages/hyman-hive This episode is brought to you by Seed, Paleovalley, Timeline, Rho, Sunlighten, and Seatopia. Make your microbiome part of your daily routine with seed.com/hyman and save 25% with code 25HYMAN. Shop nutrient-rich foods and supplements at paleovalley.com/hyman and save 15% off your first order. Support healthy aging and get up to 20% off when you subscribe on top of the new starting price of $79 at timeline.com/drhyman. Explore science-backed products at rhonutrition.com and use code HYMAN for 20% off the entire site. Discover why so many people are using sunlighten.com. Use code HYMAN to save up to $2,100 today and free shipping. Find a cleaner source of seafood. Check out seatopia.fish and use code HYMAN for free shipping on your first order. 0:00 Introduction: Food industry, brain/microbiome hijack, and Dr. Rachel Goldman 1:17 Challenges in our relationship with food and emotional eating 4:25 Societal messages, body image, and the problem with body comments 6:17 Cognitive behavioral therapy for eating behaviors 9:54 The power of pausing and mindful eating 16:20 Emotional vs. physical hunger and mindful eating 22:17 Stress, sleep, and their impact on hunger and food choices 25:21 The myth of willpower, cravings, and brain studies 31:39 Food addiction, biology, and focusing on controllable actions 35:15 Coping tools and stress management 38:32 Diaphragmatic breathing and managing stress 40:36 Orthorexia, restrictive eating, and seeking professional help 45:19 The restriction-binge cycle and building a healthy relationship with food 49:29 Creating and sustaining a healthy relationship with food 56:08 Critiques of psychiatric practice and the GLP-1 phenomenon 1:00:30 Psychological aspects of weight loss and GLP-1 medications 1:02:58 Fixing biology vs. addressing psychology in eating 1:03:44 Long-term strategies and resources for eating disorders 1:07:00 The psychology of eating, self-talk, and episode conclusion