We are fighting a global obesity epidemic. We’ve been hearing that for decades from all sources, with countless interventions — from dietary to medical to surgical — aimed at reducing body fat.

“Have we gotten anywhere?” asks Dr. Gabrielle Lyon, renowned functional-medicine practitioner, and expert in protein application for health and aging.

“Maybe it’s not just a fat problem,” she continues. “Maybe on the flip side of the coin, it’s a muscle problem — because it’s actually a metabolic problem, and at the root is skeletal muscle.”

In this talk given at the CrossFit for Health Summit on Feb. 3, 2024, in Austin, Texas, Lyon, also board-certified in family medicine, presents evidence supporting a “muscle-centric” approach to medicine, arguing that prevention and reversal of the chronic-disease states plaguing humanity today starts with the health and preservation of skeletal muscle.

“This is the new treatment for hypertension. This is the new treatment for dementia. This is the new treatment for cardiovascular disease,” she says. “Muscle is the currency of life.”

CHAPTERS
00:00-02:11 - Humble beginnings.
02:16-03:50 - Confusing and divisive science.
03:52-06:41 - The story behind the muscle-centric medicine movement.
06:44-09:25 - Do we have an obesity problem or a muscle problem?
09:32-13:04 - Skeletal muscle, inactivity, and the root cause of disease state.
13:05-15:58 - The problem with Dexa scans.
16:04-17:58 - Skeletal muscle and glucose disposal, lipid oxidation, and insulin resistance.
17:59-19:43 - The adverse effects of fat infiltration of muscle are not inevitable.
20:39-21:23 - Questioning the current models of aging.
21:25-24:26 - Aging and the catabolic crisis.
24:33-25:43 - How we can affect muscle health.
26:00-29:00 - Protecting skeletal muscle with dietary protein.
29:02-30:46 - How much protein do we need?
30:47-34:09 - When to eat protein for maximum benefit.
34:14-35:50 - Carbohydrates: Who needs them and how much?
35:55-37:19 - Muscle is medicine.

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