88% of adults have metabolic disease, but what’s really making us sick? Dr Benjamin Bikman reveals the hidden dangers of insulin and how to take control of your health

 Dr Benjamin Bikman is a metabolic scientist and Professor of Cell Biology and Physiology. He is the host of ‘The Metabolic Classroom’ podcast and author of books such as, ‘Why We Get Sick: The Hidden Epidemic at the Root of Most Chronic Disease―and How to Fight It’. 

Dr. Benjamin Bikman earned his Ph.D. in Bioenergetics and was a postdoctoral fellow with the Duke-National University of Singapore in metabolic disorders. He is currently a professor of pathophysiology and a biomedical scientist at Brigham Young University in Utah.

Dr. Bikman's professional focus as a scientist and professor is to better understand chronic modern-day diseases, with a special emphasis on the origins and consequences of obesity and diabetes, with an increasing scrutiny of the pathogenicity of insulin and insulin resistance. He frequently publishes his research in peer-reviewed journals and presents at international science meetings.

Dr. Bikman has long been an advocate of a ketogenic diet in light of the considerable evidence supporting its use as a therapy for reversing insulin resistance. His website InsulinIQ.com promotes dietary clarity, healing, and freedom through evidence-based science about insulin resistance. Employing cell-autonomous to whole-body systems, Dr. Bikman's recent efforts have focused on exploring the intimate associations between the metabolic and immune systems. 

You may think of insulin resistance as being reserved for diabetics, and you may have even drawn the same conclusion I have, that the problem is glucose being too high. After speaking with Ben Bikman, a scientist that studies metabolic disorders caused by insulin resistance, I was shocked to find out that insulin resistance can still develop even in people with seemingly normal glucose levels. Ben’s explanation of the complicated nature of insulin in the body and his unique take on facts that can literally save your life with knowledge are exactly what we need more of.  Whether you consider yourself to be healthy, prediabetic, or struggling with other health issues this episode may give you the insight you need today.

Dr. Ben Bikman, the bestselling author of Why We Get Sick, talks about how to shrink and burn fat cells by working to keep your insulin low throughout the day through controlling carbs and fasting. When insulin is low, your metabolic rate is higher, and you’ll burn more fat.

Is too much insulin a root cause for the chronic diseases that plague modern society? According to Professor Ben Bikman, it likely is. 

And he should know. Professor Bikman is a scientist and researcher who specializes in insulin and its effects on our health. 

In his new book, Why We Get Sick, Dr. Bikman makes a case for why we need to target insulin levels to improve global health.  As you’ll hear him say, lifestyle choices can cause insulin resistance, and they can cure it, too. The tools are at our disposal; we just need to know what they are and how to use them.

Dr. Bikman speaks with a combination of authority and humility that’s rare in today’s world of soundbites. I appreciate his expertise and his approach, and I hope you will as well. 

Why is insulin so important for us to control? And why does a ketogenic diet help so many people? Professor Ben Bikman has been studying these questions in his lab at BYU for years. In fact, he's one of the foremost authorities on the subject.

As you'll see in this interview, Ben is incredibly passionate about this topic! He digs into the actions of insulin and glucagon, how protein intake affects these hormones, and the role of ketones as a metabolic actor. Plus, Ben shares some of the practical aspects of living low carb in real life — as a father, husband and researcher.

Some authorities promote vegetable oils as a “health food” but others see them as a clear danger to our health. Observational studies suggest they are beneficial to our health, but mechanistic studies suggest they can cause significant harm. How do we make sense of the disparate views? Our panel of experts weighs in and helps us put things in perspective.

The human race is eating itself into metabolic disarray, what is sometimes termed "the plagues of prosperity." Benjamin Bikman suggests ways one might mitigate insulin resistance—the core of many modern health challenges.

This speech was given July 17, 2018.