seborrheic dermatitis, what works and what doesn't? ...and will there ever be a cure?
seborrheic dermatitis is such a common condition and yet the best we can seem to do is treat it with a combination of ketoconazole to kill off the malassezia yeast and hydrocortisone to reduce redness. There's some mention of prebiotics/probiotics possibly contributing to reducing inflammation's, but do these work? ..and Is there anything we can do to improve the body's ability to manage malassezia overgrowth? is that the solution/cure everyone is looking for?
How to interact with someone with Alzheimers
It’s difficult to know how to interact with someone who has Alzheimer’s. There are various examples, but for example, the person is somewhat aware of where they are and who surrounds them one day, and another day where they are aggressive. What and how is their brain functioning? Are there resources and guides , for not making things worse for facility caretakers and the patient
Traumatic (Brain) Injury
I was involved in a serious vehicle accident (not my fault). I have been rehabilitating. I have been a listener for 3 years and have changed my life for the better with integrating all of the exercise, sleep and life perspective that The Drive offers and teaches. I have been told by multiple surgeons that worked on me to keep doing whatever I was doing before my accident because it helped me survive and thrive through multiple bone fracture surgeries and has made my rehabilitation exceed all expectations and projections. Thank you to Peter for what you gave me in a most unexpected need! I have been reading and studying what will best fit for my particular needs. Part of my list of injuries was a severe TBI. I have read from multiple sources that protein is an important nutrition for TBI. It looks like protein as an essential ingredient for much of the brain including neurotransmitters and hormones and enzymes. Pardon my questions on “nutrition” but what ingredients should I be consuming to nourish my TBI inflicted brain while my body is also healing bones and trying to grow back muscle that was consumed in trauma and atrophied in a month of lying down in hospital? Thank you for all you do and what you have given me.
Skinny fat
What do people do who are skinny fat, thin all around but stomach visceral fat. Bulking up gains more stomach fat and thinning down fasting looks better but expense of overall muscle mass (although fat % goes down and muscle % goes up if you weight train and eat protein). Nobody address this esp for 50 year old guys I have found . Thank you
Resistance training and zone2
When I'm doing resistance training I notice that my heart rate is in Zone 2 much of the time. Does time spent resistance training count as a form of Zone 2 exercise? Obviously, this would make a huge boost in efficiency for weekly workout goals. If it doesn't county, why not? Thanks.
Niacinamide / Nicotinamide for skin cancer prevention
The recent guest episode on skin health was a great follow-up to your AMA episode earlier this year. The information about different topicals - different retinoids and Vitamin C was excellent, and the discussion about WHY to use mineral sunscreen instead of chemical sunscreen is immediately helpful! I'm surprised there was no discussion about using oral and / or topical niacinamide or nicotinamide (NOT plain niacin which is an important distinction) for preventing non-melanoma skin cancer, especially in people who have had BCC or SCC in the past and intervention for AK lesions, helping to repair DNA damage from UV rays.
Follow-up’s about chemical sunscreen and tick bites.
Two follow-up questions regarding recent posts/episodes. First, how should we think about using chemical sunscreen vs mineral sunscreen? I recall a 2024 AMA that concluded that adherence is the most important consideration, but that one might be prudent to avoid oxybenzone. However, in the recent episode with Tanuj and Suzan, I was surprised to hear them completely brush off chemical sunscreen without hesitation. Like Peter, I’m a long-time Elta MD user and the one I use is not strictly “mineral,” though it does have lower concentrations of certain organic compounds (and does not include oxybenzone) which I imagine helps reduce risk. Second, is there a reason not to keep ticks after removing them from the body? I was surprised the recent article suggested throwing them in the toilet. I am a serious hiker and, ultralight as I try to be, I always carry a small vial and tweezers (as well as doxy) so I can carry it out and get it tested if I do get a tick.
Skin fitness
You know what the bes thting about the Peter Attia podcast is? You end up listening to things outside your area of expertise with rapt fascination, both for the new knowledge and the areas of relevance and overlap to my own field (physiological fitness and preventative medicine). So I found myself listening to recent skincare ( The Drive #355) with expert Drs Nakra and Obagi. In it they discuss the importance of UV protection both for cancer prevention and aging mitigation. I fully support this, but their strategy is one of unidirectional reduction of exposure. I find this absolute approach not feasible for a couple of reasons, and suggest a better, more practical one to suggest to patients. Reason 1) As you’ll know, Vitamin D3 is activated in the skin in response to UV exposure, without a comparably efficient exogenous supplemental route. You’ll also be aware of the critical nature of vitamin D in calcium homeostasis, with relevance to bone health and falls risk limitation and as well as calcium availability for muscle contraction and its immune supportive role. Clearly a significant allies player in planning the centenarian decathlon. There’s also n the risk that huge numbers of high/low latitude Caucasian skinned patients are probably Vitamin D deficient. Proabably, because no international consensus has been reached as to a normal (read aspirational) range. Without clear vitaminosis syndromes and reducing fracture and infection risk at higher levels, it’s one of the rare cases where more really does seem to be better. 2. Extending the logic of fitnes In all other realms of medicine I can think of, ‘fitness’ involves adaptation to external stressors. Be it to mechanical or metabolic stress, given in right dose we adapt to cope with it. The melanocytic sun shading of nuclei in response to UV could be regarded in the same frame, making us more resilient to future UV exposure (note here the reduced absolute risk of melanoma in Black skin, as well as the maintenance of elastin and collagen as referred to with ‘black don’t crack’). What I advise patients in such situations then, is that slow, progressive exposure to sunlight (similar to training/rehab, while avoiding the ‘shock’ loading of burning (overtraining/overload)) is the healthiest approach, and our strategies should support this. I would love to hear your thoughts in your next AMA. Also, I’m unashamedly a huge fan of what you’re doing - if your team would ever like to connect, or I can in anyway contribute, I would jump at the chance. Best wishes
Suboxone and Testosterone (HRT)
My ADD patient (male 40, on Adderall and Suboxone) has been prescribed HRT/testosterone, with his GP. His husband tells me that lately his testosterone levels are lower than before he started HRT. If he has increased the Suboxone, on his own, can that account for his levels going way down? Thanks.
Suggestions for microphone use in the podcast
Peter/team, I am a big fan of what you do. So impressed with Outlive that at my wife and I’s 50th birthday party last year, I gave copies to all our friends who had travelled from around the world to join us. It's remarkable to see one team making such significant impact. Much of that goes to how thoughtful you all are in designing the experience from the deep research into the guest’s specialization, the thoughtful questions and now to the new set, lighting, videography and sound. However, I've noticed a slight mismatch in the aesthetic harmony of your setup, particularly with the microphone stands. While the SM7b microphones and their accompanying boom arms fit the popular 'podcast' look and might have worked with your home studio and car memorabillia, they seem somewhat overwhelming and overly industrial compared to the rest of your current decor, especially the horizontal boom, which can overshadow the speaker or distract from their facial expressions in some shots. While the SM7B microphone excels at noise cancellation, I personally find it best suited for recording specific audio tasks, like my daughter's vocals or bass, rather than for meetings or videos. A more streamlined option, such as a Shure tabletop microphone, or a shotgun microphone that is outside the camera angle could offer a more intimate feel. I had made a similar suggestion to Steven on DOAC and the new look is much cleaner https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VHUrdELKjDw Btw - if you really want to test out car control, come join me in MN - and bring along Sanjay as well. In winter, we make a road course on a frozen lake and race on it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jHIFAII3ibw . The Audi club does most of work but other clubs join in. Till recently I used a 330xi with standard winter tires. Though the nut jobs race older 944s or civic type Rs with Benhur like wheels that have snowmobile studs sticking out and great stuff foam instead of air in ‘em. Please take these suggestions for what they’re worth. Wishing you continued inspiration, success and forever in Chardi Kala
Are at-home red light masks effective for anti-aging?
Hi Peter! The podcast with skincare exp was great and I appreciate your excellent questions! This is the question I hoped would be asked, but wasn’t. Is there a way you can email them for their opinions and product recommendations? Many thanks for your excellent work!
Mitochondria transplatation
What do you think of the early research into mitochondria transplantation on reducing harm from ischemic events? https://arstechnica.com/science/2025/07/mighty-mitochondria-cell-powerhouses-harnessed-for-healing/ I’m not sure where these mitochondria are harvested from. Is there potential for widespread use?
HRT risks benefits if over 65 with no previous hrt
I have an AMA request. I am 72 and chose not to do HRT at the time the WHI study came out. I was a hippie who did lamaze breathing instead of pain meds for childbirth. I tend to avoid medication. I believe that was a mistake. Everything I hear, even from you, seems to write off women who are over 65 and never did HRT. To be clear, I know you do not write anyone off, it just feels that way as I try to find better info on the benefits/risks consideration for a 72 year old who never took HRT. How about an AMA on how to assess risk and benefits in this situation. For example, if my metabolic health is excellent based on unmedicated blood pressure, unmedicated cholesterol, waist circumference etc does that mitigate the cardiac risk? If I am a mountain hiker and snowshoer and pickle ball player, does that mitigate the risk of reduced bone density? If I avoid added sugar and highly processed foods and keep learning new things, does that mitigate the risk of dimentia? As to benefits, I would like to be able to cuddle with my husband for more than 5 minutes before I break out in a sweat. Vaginas dryness, of course. Energy level? And what is it protective of? Mixed information and lack of information is making this a very difficult decision. And I would like better info before I approach my pcp. Time for an AMA for HRT decision making for women over 65? My husband scrolls politics and economics. I listen to you, Andrew Huberman and others I discover through your shows. (MUCH BETTER CHOICE). I am a premium member solely to support your continued efforts. Keep it coming, Peter. 😃
Jason Fung - Ralph DeFronzo
Hello - Both of these interviews offered very promising thoughts on control of T2 diabetes. Can you help to integrate their approaches. Is Jason's perspective on the effectiveness of fasting and that draining the cell of excess glucose and lipids is the core issue to resetting insulin sensitivity and Ralph's perspective which seems to be more along the line of improving insulin effectiveness. Is it a matter of use fasting as much as you effectively can, then consider moving to Ralph's triple therapy? Appreciate any thoughts on an integration of related insights.
Full-body MRI Scans
I would like to undergo my first full-body MRI scan -- but I have no ability to compare the offerings -- Prenuvo vs Ezra vs others. I don't know how to compare the offerings and know which one is "better" or might be best for me. I have tried reviewing what details the providers share via their website, but don't know enough about MRI technology or imaging. I would be plunking down what's a lot of money for me, and would really appreciate the help going into this purchase better informed. More and more of these services are popping up. Thank you!
What does current scientific evidence say about the health effects of electromagnetic fields (EMFs) on humans?
I am sure this is a subject that many people ask but so far I have not listen to any episode focused in this area. I would appreciate a lot to get a clarification. Thanks in advance!