Advertise on podcast: Gut Check Project

Your feet carry you through life, but how much attention do you give them before something hurts? On this episode of the Gut Check Project, Dr. Ken Brown and Eric Rieger welcome podiatrist and foot and ankle surgeon Dr. Boyd Dodder for a practical conversation about keeping your feet healthy, strong, and ready for whatever comes next. From plantar fasciitis and Achilles tendinitis to bunions, hammertoes, and ankle instability, Dr. Dodder explains the problems he sees most often-and why waiting to address them can make recovery harder. The guys explore the debate over zero-drop shoes, barefoot walking, cushioning, and orthotics, including why the right footwear depends on your age, activity level, and foot structure. They also discuss: How foot mechanics can affect your knees, hips, and lower backReturning to running or pickleball without doing too much too soonFoot strengthening, balance training, and the AxisBoardWhat toe spacers can and can’t doDiabetes, neuropathy, and the importance of protecting your feetTreatment options ranging from stretching and physical therapy to injections and surgeryWhether you’re dealing with stubborn heel pain, shopping for better shoes, or hoping to stay active as you age, this episode offers plenty to think about before your next step. Learn more about Dr. Dodder at Anna Foot & Ankle Specialists / Texoma Foot & Ankle.

Ask almost anyone how Ozempic works and you'll hear the same answer: it slows your stomach down. Dr. Ken Brown says that's the magician's waving hand. In this solo episode, the board-certified gastroenterologist walks through the research showing that roughly 99% of GLP-1 weight loss happens in three regions of the brain - and that the gut accounts for less than 1%. Which means the nausea, bloating, and heartburn people white-knuckle through aren't the thing making them lose weight. He maps the actual mechanism: the hypothalamus, where a misfiring hunger neuron acts like a broken fuel light telling you the tank is empty when it's full. The mesolimbic system, where dopamine explains why you find room for a Crumbl cookie after a full dinner - and why fMRI scans of that reward circuit go dark once someone starts a GLP-1. And the brainstem's area postrema, the ancient poison-detection system these drugs quietly hijack to produce fullness and nausea. Then the part he sees in clinic every week: why the pylorus tightens, why the migrating motor complex stalls, why the fundus stretches, and how that combination pools acid at the top of the stomach and pushes it into the esophagus. Plus the trial data showing most stomachs return to normal emptying by around 16 weeks, why a PPI often doesn't fix GLP-1 heartburn, and what he does instead for patients ready to quit a medication their gut can't tolerate. In this episode:- Why "it slows your stomach" is a misdirection- Your body's own GLP-1, and why these drugs act like an Amber Alert instead- The three brain regions doing 99% of the work- The broken fuel light: AgRP, POMC, and lifelong hunger- Dopamine, the dessert tray, and why this isn't willpower- The fMRI studies that made it visible- What the drugs actually do to the stomach — and the bathtub with the plug in it- Tachyphylaxis: why it improves around 16 weeks- Long-term GLP-1 use and SIBO risk- How to keep the weight loss without the gut misery Chapters: 0:00 The misdirection · 3:21 How your own GLP-1 works · 4:38 Three brain regions · 9:35 The broken fuel light · 11:08 Why you find room for the cookie · 13:11 The fMRI studies · 15:01 What happens in the stomach · 17:21 The bathtub analogy · 19:56 The trials nobody talks about · 21:31 Why 16 weeks matters · 23:29 SIBO and long-term use · 23:58 You don't have to suffer · 30:10 Bringing it together Educational content only - not medical advice. Talk to your physician about your medications. Learn more: regardingyourgut.com · kbmdhealth.comBrought to you by Atrantil Pro.

One camp says your reflux is too much stomach acid. The other says it's too little. Dr. Ken Brown says both camps are arguing over the wrong control knob. In this solo episode, the board-certified gastroenterologist makes the case that reflux was never an acid problem - it's a containment problem. Acid belongs in the stomach, and the real question nobody asks is why it left in the first place. Dr. Brown walks through the mechanics: the stomach as a one-way muscular pump, the lower esophageal sphincter as a nightclub bouncer who's started letting people back out the front door, the "acid puddle" that pools when the stomach won't empty, and the inflammation cycle that weakens the valve and keeps the whole thing self-sustaining. He looks at what 37 years of proton pump inhibitors have actually delivered - eight-plus drugs, an 83% rise in documented GERD, and a side effect list that includes bone, B12, magnesium, and kidney concerns - and points out that PPIs don't improve gastric emptying, don't reduce abdominal pressure, and don't strengthen the sphincter. He also tells his own story: 30 years of reflux, a four-centimeter hiatal hernia, grade C esophagitis, every natural remedy on the shelf, and the eight-year project to build something that addressed the mechanism instead of the symptom - the four-polyphenol Re:Flux formula and the clinical trial behind it, recently published in the Open Journal of Gastroenterology. In this episode:- Why the "too much vs. too little acid" debate misses the mechanism- How your stomach actually works as a one-way cycling pump- Transient lower esophageal sphincter relaxations, explained without the jargon- The acid puddle, and why gastric sleeve and GLP-1 patients get it- What stomach acid is genuinely for (B12, minerals, pathogen defense)- The three questions to ask instead of "how much acid?"- What PPIs do well, and what they were never designed to do- The HAND polyphenols and the trial results Chapters: 0:00 The wrong debate · 2:45 Two camps · 4:15 37 years of PPIs · 7:48 The one-way pump · 12:39 The acid puddle · 14:18 Why the valve opens · 17:15 Why you need acid · 18:59 Three better questions · 21:08 What PPIs can't do · 23:07 Dr. Brown's own 30 years · 26:20 Building the formula · 28:40 Trial results · 33:45 Acid is not the villain Educational content only - not medical advice. Never stop a prescription medication without talking to your physician first. Learn more: regardingyourgut.com · kbmdhealth.com · @kbmdhealthBrought to you by Atrantil Pro.

Losing weight on Ozempic, Wegovy, or Mounjaro but feeling bloated, constipated, and miserable? There's a reason, and a new Mayo Clinic study finally proves it. 76% of patients on GLP-1s tested positive for SIBO. 91% had methane overgrowth. Dr. Kenneth Brown breaks down why these drugs turn your small intestine into a swamp, why your microbiome decides if the drug even works, and the exact protocol to fix it without quitting the medication. If you're on a GLP-1 or thinking about it, watch this first.

You could be waking up at 3am with severe stomach pain, hives, or worse, and your doctor might have no idea why. In this episode of the Gut Check Project, Dr. Kenneth Brown and Eric Rieger break down one of the most under-diagnosed conditions in America: Alpha-Gal Syndrome (AGS), a red meat allergy triggered not by the meat itself, but by a single tick bite.They're joined by Brian Allgaier, MD, a board-certified ER physician from East Texas who has AGS himself. He shares a firsthand account of how three tick bites quietly rewired his immune system and what happened the night his mother-in-law's beef stew sent him into the worst pain of his life.If you spend any time outdoors east of the Rockies, this episode could change how you think about your gut symptoms forever.Topics covered:What alpha-gal syndrome actually is and why it's the only known sugar allergen. Why your blood type determines your risk (type B? You're probably safe). The Lone Star tick larvae you can't see that can still bite you. Why AGS is likely behind thousands of mystery GI cases going undiagnosed. Hidden sources of alpha-gal including porcine heart valves, Armour Thyroid, and pancreatic enzymes. Emerging treatments including acupuncture protocols and hyperbaric oxygen therapy. The shocking 12.8x increased risk of coronary artery disease linked to AGS. Links: https://nypost.com/2019/07/17/house-orders-pentagon-to-reveal-if-it-turned-ticks-into-biological-weapons/https://open.spotify.com/episode/4f9iRFDkG3K0sWy3VFHkfS?si=S6MGpLixTL6_xfYOXa9V2Q&nd=1&dlsi=49dcec44be6842b9https://academic.oup.com/ofid/article/12/8/ofaf430/8209804?login=falsehttps://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8729907/https://vetmed.illinois.edu/i-tick/wp-content/uploads/sites/69/2019/06/Steinke-et-al.-2015.pdfhttps://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/ATVBAHA.121.316878

You bloat every day. You unbutton your pants after meals. You've been told it's "just IBS," just stress, just part of getting older - and you've been suffering for years. Here's the truth: bloating isn't normal. It's a signal.In this episode, Dr. Kenneth Brown breaks down why up to 80% of people diagnosed with IBS may actually have something else entirely - small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) - and why gastroenterology has been getting this wrong for decades. You'll learn where gas actually comes from, the three conditions driving chronic bloating (IBS, SIBO, and functional constipation), the surprising link between food poisoning and lifelong gut issues, and why proton pump inhibitors may be making it worse.Plus: the real problem with the low-FODMAP diet, why most SIBO treatment fails, how bloating-driven inflammation may be fueling dementia, and the natural and pharmaceutical protocols Dr. Brown uses to actually fix it - including the polyphenol research behind Atrantíl.If you've been told your symptoms are "in your head," this episode is the one to share. All health begins and ends in the gut.

You’re not supposed to talk about this stuff… So we did. In this episode, we sit down with one of the top colorectal surgeons in the country and nothing is off limits. We cover: How your body actually knows the difference between gas and disasterWhy so many people are struggling to go to the bathroom (and doing it wrong)The real reason hemorrhoids are exploding in younger peopleThe uncomfortable truth about habits no one wants to admitWhat doctors are seeing WAY more of right now… including cancerAnd yeah… we also went into the stories doctors usually only tell at dinner parties. But underneath the humor is something serious: 👉 Colon cancer is rising. 👉 Younger patients are being diagnosed more than ever. 👉 And most people are ignoring the signs. This episode will make you laugh… …and then make you think twice about your health. Share this with someone who “doesn’t like talking about this stuff.” They probably need it the most.

What if your “IBS” diagnosis isn’t the truth… just a placeholder? In this episode, Dr. Ken Brown breaks down a massively overlooked condition that could be behind chronic diarrhea, urgency, and gut dysfunction - bile acid malabsorption (BAM). It affects millions of people, rivals conditions like celiac disease in prevalence, and yet… almost no one is testing for it. You’ll learn: Why IBS is often a “trash can diagnosis”The real mechanism behind BAM (and why your body is working against you)How your gut’s “recycling system” can fail—and what happens when it doesThe 3 types of BAM (and which one most people fall into)Why traditional testing often misses it completelyThe simple, effective treatments that can change everythingIf you’ve been told “everything looks normal”… but you know something isn’t right - this episode might finally give you answers. 👉 Because sometimes, it’s not your gut that’s the problem… …it’s the diagnosis.

What if everything your doctor told you about cholesterol is based on corrupted science? In this episode of the Gut Check Project, Dr. Kenneth Brown and Eric Rieger dive deep into the emerging world of Lean Mass Hyper Responders (LMHR) - metabolically healthy people on ketogenic and carnivore diets whose LDL numbers look alarming on paper but may tell a completely different story in real life. They break down a groundbreaking citizen-science study led by Dave Feldman and Dr. Nick Noritz that's challenging decades of lipid orthodoxy, explore why high LDL + high HDL + low triglycerides may not be the death sentence mainstream medicine makes it out to be, and share the story of a 53-year-old marathon runner with "normal" cholesterol who still ended up in the cath lab. If you or someone you love has been told to go on statins, this episode is required listening. Topics covered: The LMHR phenotype and what it means for keto/carnivore dietersWhy Ansel Keys and the sugar industry shaped a generation of bad dietary advicePlaque progression, inflammatory markers (hs-CRP), and what actually predicts heart diseaseWhy the Clearly AI cardiac scan study raised more questions than answersThe difference between dangerous cholesterol and protective cholesterol

What if the most powerful tool to delay dementia isn’t a drug, a supplement, or even your diet… but a language? In this episode of The Gut Check Project, board-certified gastroenterologist Dr. Ken Brown is joined by a special guest co-host his son Lucas Brown, a Division I athlete and aerospace engineering student for a fascinating deep dive into one of the most overlooked brain-health strategies we have. Together, they unpack the surprising neuroscience behind bilingualism and multilingualism and why learning (and using) another language can delay the symptoms of dementia by 4–5 years. Not prevent it. Delay it. And those extra years? They’re years of driving, independence, conversations, memories, and time with the people you love. In this episode, you’ll discover: Why speaking two languages can help your brain function longer even when dementia pathology is already presentThe concept of “cognitive reserve” and how multilingual brains literally reroute around damageThe critical 13–30 age window for laying down powerful neural networks and why it’s never too late to startWhy effort matters more than fluency (yes, even “bad” French or Spanish counts)How adding a third language may provide even greater protectionWhy language learning outperforms brain games, puzzles, and passive mental exercises Dr. Brown explains the “linguistic paradox of dementia” how two people can have nearly identical brain scans, yet one is living independently while the other requires full-time care… simply because one speaks multiple languages. This isn’t about perfection. It’s about mental agility. It’s about keeping the brain flexible. And it’s about stacking the odds in your favor starting today. If you care about your long-term brain health, your independence, or your future self… this may be one of the most important episodes you’ll ever listen to. 🎧 Listen now and consider this your sign to start learning (or practicing) another language.

A Division I tennis player. An aerospace engineering major. One schedule. Zero margin for error. Dr. Ken Brown sits down with his son, Lucas Brown, to talk about what it’s really like to compete at a top NCAA program while taking on one of the hardest majors in college. From pressure and fatigue to mindset, discipline, and why performance isn’t just physical, this episode goes beyond sports and grades into what it actually takes to operate at a high level every day. No hype. No clichés. Just a real look at ambition, balance, and learning how to stay composed when everything is demanding your attention at once.

When pain won’t quit, you don’t just manage it—you heal it. In this episode of The Gut Check Project, Dr. Arrash Kirkland—board-certified physiatrist, founder of Nobility Pain Management, and partner with LifeGenix Institute—joins Dr. Ken Brown and Eric Rieger to share how regenerative medicine is changing the way we treat chronic pain. From PRP and stem cell therapy to groundbreaking Discseel procedures, Dr. Kirkland breaks down how patients are skipping surgery, healing faster, and getting back to life. If you’ve been told pain is something you just have to live with—this episode will prove otherwise. https://lifegenix.com/ https://nobilitypain.com/arrash-kirkland-md/ MENTION THIS EPISODE at LIFEGENIX AND RECEIVE $200 OFF YOUR INITIAL FULL BODY ASSESSMENT THROUGH THE NEXT 30 DAYS!

Is hydrogen water just another overhyped health trend—or is it a legit biohack with real science behind it? In this episode, Dr. Ken Brown dives deep into the bubbling buzz around hydrogen-rich water, sparked by health influencer Gary Brecka’s bold claims on Joe Rogan. Skeptical co-host Eric Rieger gets pulled into Ken’s science rabbit hole as they explore the actual clinical studies behind hydrogen water—from improving metabolic health and exercise recovery to boosting brain function and telomere length. Along the way, they break down how hydrogen water is made, why tablets might be better than machines, and what this means for aging, inflammation, and gut health. It’s science, it’s skepticism, it’s a couple of bros drinking nanobubbles in the name of longevity. Tune in and decide for yourself: hype or hope?

Think hair loss has nothing to do with gut health? Think again. In this off-the-cuff, insight-packed episode, Dr. Ken Brown and co-host Eric Rieger dive deep (and hilariously) into the world of male pattern baldness, Propecia, and the surprising role of hormones, enzymes, and even heavy metals in hair health. 🧠 They unpack: Why blocking DHT might solve one problem but create five moreWhat COVID ICU patients and baldness have in commonHow stress, sleep, and mouth breathing sabotage your hairlineNatural (and weirdly effective) alternatives like scalp rolling, rosemary oil, and even pumpkin seed oilThe wild rabbit holes of enzyme functions, erectile dysfunction, and heavy metal toxicityAnd the million-dollar question: Can you keep your hair and your manhood? If you’re worried about your hair, your hormones, or your health overall—this episode is a must. Smart, unexpected, and full of laugh-out-loud moments, it’s The Gut Check Project at its best. 💥 Listen now and rethink what’s really behind that receding hairline.

The boys are back—new (temporary) studio, same no-BS approach. Dr. Ken Brown and Eric Rieger dive deep into the unexpected resurgence of GLP-1 medications like Ozempic and Wegovy—this time, with a controversial twist: microdosing. Is less actually more? Can tiny doses of these peptides do more than just shed pounds? Think anxiety relief, autoimmune improvement, and possibly ditching antidepressants altogether. 🤯 In this episode, you’ll learn: Why the original weight-loss hype may have missed the markThe shocking mental health benefits patients are reportingHow the gut-brain axis could be the key to mood, metabolism & moreThe dark side of big doses: muscle loss, acid reflux, thyroid risks, and sky-high costsWhy doctors are thinking outside the FDA box—and what it could mean for you Whether you’ve tried these meds, are skeptical, or are just here for the banter, this episode blends science, sarcasm, and some serious truth bombs. 🎧 Tap play. This one’s for anyone who’s tired of one-size-fits-all medicine and wants to explore the future of gut-driven wellness.