Fork U with Dr. Terry Simpson

Learn more about what you put in your mouth.

Author: Terry Simpson

Fork U(niversity) Not everything you put in your mouth is good for you. Theres a lot of medical information thrown around out there. How are you to know what information you can trust, and whats just plain old quackery? You cant rely on your own google fu. You cant count on quality medical advice from Facebook. You need a doctor in your corner. On each episode of Your Doctors Orders, Dr. Terry Simpson will cut through the clutter and noise that always seems to follow the latest medical news. He has the unique perspective of a surgeon who has spent years doing molecular virology research and as a skeptic with academic credentials. Hell help you develop the critical thinking skills so you can recognize evidence-based medicine, busting myths along the way. The most common medical myths are often disguised as seemingly harmless food as medicine. By offering their own brand of medicine via foods, These hucksters are trying to practice medicine without a license. And though theyll claim nutrition is not taught in medical schools, it turns out thats a myth too. In fact, theres an entire medical subspecialty called Culinary Medicine, and Dr. Simpson is certified as a Culinary Medicine Specialist. Where today's nutritional advice is the realm of hucksters, Dr. Simpson is taking it back to the realm of science.
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Language: en

Genres: Health & Fitness, Medicine, Nutrition

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NAD The Molecule of Life — and the Hype
Episode 101
Wednesday, 5 November, 2025

🧬 NAD: The Molecule of Life — and the HypeHow a lab coenzyme became the latest anti-aging obsessionWhat We Mean by Longevity and HealthspanWhen people talk about longevity, they usually mean how long we live.But healthspan — the years we live well — matters far more.That’s the time before disease steals our energy, mobility, and independence.Modern medicine has already doubled our lifespan in the last century.Now the goal is to extend the healthy part — without falling for pseudoscience along the way.When Marketing Meets MedicineLongevity has become a booming business.Some gurus, like Dr. Eric Topol, do real science.Others, like Peter Attia, sell access: $150 000 per patient for lab tests, a VO₂ max treadmill run, and a few “optimized” workouts.He’s also an investor in AG1 — the influencer’s green drink of choice.Andrew Huberman promotes similar ideas under studio lights bright enough to sterilize a petri dish.Both are clever, credentialed, and caught between data and drama.Then there’s Dr. David Sinclair, who helped discover how cells age — and then helped turn that discovery into a supplement empire.His company tried to patent NMN, an NAD precursor, as a drug.The FDA briefly removed NMN from the supplement market, sending Reddit into meltdown.It’s back now, but the episode showed how quickly science slides into sales.And finally, we have the shirtless salesmen:Paul Saladino, who went from carnivore crusader to “fruit influencer.”Liver King, whose real secret wasn’t liver — it was injectable.And Gary Brecka, who claims to predict your death date (for a fee).These are subscription services disguised as sages.What NAD Actually IsNicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD⁺) is a molecule found in every living cell.It helps convert food into energy and repair DNA.As we age, NAD levels fall — metabolism slows and damage builds up.So scientists asked: If we raise NAD again, can we slow aging?In mice, the answer looks promising.NAD precursors like nicotinamide riboside (NR) and nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) increase average lifespan by 5–15 percent and improve energy, insulin sensitivity, and activity.That’s great for mice — but we don’t live in cages or eat lab chow.Can You Get NAD from Food?Not directly — but your body makes NAD from dietary precursors:tryptophan and niacin (vitamin B₃).You’ll find them in fish, poultry, beans, milk, and whole grains — basically, a Mediterranean-style diet.So before spending $90 on capsules, you can spend $9 at the farmers' market.What the Human Studies ShowHuman trials of NR or NMN (usually 500–2000 mg per day for 6–12 weeks) show they are safe and well-tolerated.They modestly raise NAD levels and sometimes improve lipid profiles and blood pressure.But the effects are small and inconsistent, especially in healthy adults.NAD precursors do not reverse aging.They don’t prevent heart attacks or extend lifespan in people — at least, not yet.NAD vs Statins: A Reality CheckMeta-analyses show NAD precursors, especially niacin, can lower LDL (“bad”) cholesterol by about 8–12 percent.That’s fine, but compare it to rosuvastatin (Crestor):DoseAverage LDL Reduction5 mg≈ 45 %10 mg≈ 52 %20 mg≈ 55 %40 mg≈ 63 %That’s the difference between...