Welcome to the Dr. Gundry Podcast. The weekly podcast where Dr. G gives you the tools you need to boost your health and live your healthiest life.

Metabolism. Chances are you've heard a lot of misinformation about the topic. Maybe you've been told it has to do with how much you eat or the frequency you eat,

or that you're doomed with a slow metabolism because it runs in your family. But how do you know what to believe? Well, today I set the record straight on everything you need to know, including how to supercharge your metabolism with a few basic tips.

Plus, I'm taking a deep dive into one of the most essential vitamins that most of us are deficient in. You learn how to spot symptoms of this nutrient deficiency and what to do to improve your levels.

And finally, I'll discuss the absolute crucial blood tests you need to get from your doctor on a regular basis. They might just save your life. You don't want to miss this one. We'll be right back.

The number one reason you might have a slow metabolism. You're not able to lose weight because you have a slow metabolism.

Or tough luck. Your whole family has horribly sluggish metabolism and you'll never have a healthy one.

Or welcome to Menopause. A slower metabolism is part of the change. Any of these sound familiar? Well, today we're going to do one of my favorite styles of discussion, myth-busting.

Because there's a good chance that everything you're well-meaning MDs and family members have told you about your metabolism is wrong.

For example, a slow metabolism isn't caused by eating too little or not exercising enough. But before diving right in, let's discuss what the heck metabolism is anyhow. And it's true function.

Okay, ready for some myth-busting? I printed a list of reasons. Web MDs says you have a slow metabolism. We'll run down the list one by one and I'll explain why this simply isn't true.

Plus, I'll share two methods to fix a slow metabolism that work. No matter your age. Okay, so this is from Web MD.

Number one, your genes. But tabloomism is how your body changes food into energy. If your body is slow at burning calories while you rest or sleep, you probably got that from your parents through your genes.

I got news for you. Your parents and your genes did not tell you how to turn food into energy. That's actually a part of what your got microbiome is doing and the types of foods that you're eating.

Just explained in the energy paradox, ultra-process foods literally cause a backup at rush hour in the way your mitochondria take the food you eat and turn it into energy.

So the more processed foods that you eat, it's guaranteed to slow your metabolism, not the genes that your parents gave you.

Number two, hormones. A shift in your hormones can put the brakes on your body's energy use. That can make you feel tired. Some conditions like an underactive or overactive thyroid and diabetes are hormonal diseases that affect your metabolism.

Stress also releases hormones that contribute a slowdown. Well, first of all, as you've heard me write in the energy paradox, cortisol, the so-called stress hormone that makes you gain weight, has absolutely no effect on weight gain in your metabolism.

In fact, the vast majority of people who tell me that they have a slow adrenal gland or they have adrenal fatigue have absolutely normal cortisol levels.

I also have a number of people with high cortisol levels that are not fat, that are not sluggish and that is not the reason for the problem.

Now, yes, if you are hypothyroid, that will definitely slow your metabolic rate. And we have an epidemic of hypothyroidism in this country. A lot of it is the fact that we do not have iodine in our salt anymore.

That's an easy fix. But hormonal changes, I have women who go through metapause that gain weight. But it's not because of hormonal changes in estrogen.

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