Dr Rangan Chatterjee

Fat Cell Scientist: 99% People Lose Weight & Stop Disease Faster With This Insulin Trick

This episode is brought to you by: VIVOBAREFOOT: Get 20% off your first order https://links.drchatterjee.com/4gOV1OD TIMELINE: Get 25% off your order of Mitopure https://timeline.com/livemore BON CHARGE: Save 20% off with code LIVEMORE https://boncharge.com/livemore KETONE IQ: Save 30% OFF your subscription order PLUS get a free gift with your second shipment https://ketone.com/livemore Most of us will never have our insulin levels tested, yet this single hormone is the body’s master regulator of energy. When it stops working properly, almost every system in the body is affected, from how we store fat, to how we age. Today’s guest is Dr Ben Bikman, a scientist and world-leading expert on insulin and metabolism. He’s a Professor in the Department of Physiology and and Developmental Biology at Brigham Young University (BYU) and has spent years researching how changes inside our cells lead to common metabolic disorders, such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, and dementia. He frequently publishes his research in peer-reviewed journals, speaks at scientific conferences all over the world and is the author of 2 books, Why We Get Sick and How Not to Get Sick. In this conversation, we discuss: ● Why insulin is the body’s “master hormone”, guiding how we store and use energy and how resistance to it can cause a wide range of chronic health problems. ● The fact that almost 9 in 10 adults show signs of poor metabolic health, and why this is a global issue that affects countries far beyond the United States. ● How ethnicity and genetics shape the way we store fat, explaining why two people of the same weight and size can face very different risks of conditions like type 2 diabetes or heart disease. ● Why focusing only on blood glucose misses the early warning signs of poor metabolic health, and why measuring insulin levels offers a clearer and earlier picture of risk. ● The visible clues your body may already be giving you – such as skin tags or darker, velvety patches of skin around the neck or armpits – that can indicate chronically elevated insulin. ● Practical strategies to bring insulin down, from reducing refined sugars and starches to spacing out meals and experimenting with fasting in ways that work for both men and women. So often, we’re told that chronic illnesses are inevitable or a natural part of ageing. But as Ben explains, many of these conditions have a common origin – and by focusing on insulin resistance, we can take powerful steps towards prevention and even reversal. This conversation is not about fear, but empowerment. It’s a reminder that our everyday choices – how and what we eat, how we move, and how often we give our bodies a rest from food – can profoundly influence our future health. #feelbetterlivemore ---- Connect with Ben: https://www.benbikman.com/ Ben’s Books: Why We Get Sick: The Hidden Epidemic at the Root of Most Chronic Disease and How to Fight It UK https://amzn.to/46F0HGf US https://amzn.to/3IMP8VA How Not to Get Sick: A Cookbook and Guide to Prevent and Reverse Insulin Resistance, Lose Weight, and Fight Chronic Disease UK https://amzn.to/486kEYZ US https://amzn.to/48EVZLj #feelbetterlivemore #feelbetterlivemorepodcast ------- Order MAKE CHANGE THAT LASTS. US & Canada version https://amzn.to/3RyO3SL, UK version https://amzn.to/3Kt5rUK ----- Follow Dr Chatterjee at: Website: https://drchatterjee.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drchatterjee Twitter: https://twitter.com/drchatterjeeuk Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drchatterjee/ Newsletter: https://drchatterjee.com/subscription DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.

RCDr. Rangan ChatterjeehostBBDr Ben Bikmanguest

Oct 1, 2025·2h 11m·Watch on YouTube ↗

📖 CHAPTERS

1. 1

   Insulin resistance explained: the two-part “villain” (resistance + high insulin)

   Ben Bikman defines insulin resistance as a two-part condition: cells respond less effectively to insulin, and circulating insulin levels rise (hyperinsulinemia). He argues this explains why insulin resistance can drive many seemingly unrelated diseases across the body.

2. 2

   Why the terms don’t land: insulin seen as a drug, not a hormone

   Chatterjee and Bikman discuss why the public often misunderstands insulin resistance and metabolic health. Insulin is commonly associated with diabetes treatment rather than a foundational hormone shaping energy use and long-term disease risk.

3. 3

   How big is the problem? Metabolic syndrome as a proxy for insulin resistance

   Bikman describes the scale of metabolic dysfunction using U.S. data on metabolic syndrome and connects it to insulin resistance. He emphasizes this is a global issue, not confined to countries with high obesity rates.

4. 4

   Two origins of insulin resistance: “fast” (diet-driven) vs “slow” (fat-cell-size driven)

   Bikman separates insulin resistance into a rapidly inducible form driven by chronically high insulin from frequent refined carbs, and a slower form tied to fat-cell hypertrophy. This framework helps explain different risk profiles across populations.

5. 5

   Ethnicity, fat-cell biology, and the “personal fat threshold”

   Using Chatterjee (South Asian) and Bikman (Caucasian ancestry) as examples, they explore why equal weight gain can carry different metabolic risks. Bikman introduces the “personal fat threshold” and genetic influences on fat-cell creation vs enlargement.

6. 6

   Evolutionary lens: climate, vitamin D, and why fat-storage strategies differ

   Bikman offers a hypothesis connecting ancestral geography, sunlight exposure, and insulation needs to fat storage patterns. They discuss how traits that may have been adaptive historically can become problematic in today’s food environment.

7. 7

   Why doctors miss it: glucose-first medicine vs earlier insulin signals

   They argue insulin resistance is often undetected because clinical care focuses on glucose, a later marker. Bikman explains the historical and technical reasons for glucose dominance and why insulin measurement would catch risk earlier and change treatment.

8. 8

   Treating type 2 diabetes: lowering glucose by raising insulin can backfire

   Bikman criticizes approaches that push insulin higher to reduce glucose without addressing hyperinsulinemia. He contrasts this with lifestyle strategies aimed at bringing insulin down, which should also lower glucose as a downstream effect.

9. 9

   Clues without bloodwork: skin signs that suggest high insulin

   When fasting insulin tests aren’t available, Bikman notes two strong visible indicators of insulin resistance. These signs commonly appear where skin rubs and may improve as insulin resistance reverses.

10. 10

    A low-insulin lifestyle: smart carbs, protein/fat, and “mini-fasts”

    Bikman lays out practical steps: reduce refined carbs, prioritize whole foods, and create longer gaps between meals to let insulin fall. He emphasizes this isn’t a war on all carbs, but a quality-and-pattern approach.

11. 11

    Metabolic flexibility and why fasting feels impossible for some people

    They discuss how insulin governs fuel switching: high insulin keeps the body in sugar-burning mode, while low insulin allows fat-burning and ketone production. People who can’t transition easily may feel intense hunger despite having ample stored body fat.

12. 12

    Women, menstrual cycle phases, and fasting tolerance (follicular vs luteal)

    Bikman explains sex-based differences in fasting and insulin sensitivity across the menstrual cycle. Progesterone in the luteal phase can increase hunger and insulin resistance, while the follicular phase often supports easier fasting and greater fat use.

13. 13

    Tools for behavior change: CGMs and breath-based fuel trackers (Lumen)

    They reconcile “glucose is late” with the usefulness of CGMs by distinguishing fasting glucose snapshots from dynamic glucose responses. Real-time feedback helps people self-motivate, identify spikes, and adjust meal timing and composition.

14. 14

    Ketones: proof of fat burning, brain fuel, and exogenous ketone use (benefits + paradox)

    Bikman argues ketones are a normal, beneficial signal of fat burning and a major brain fuel—especially relevant to infants and brain health. They discuss exogenous ketones for performance, cognition, and metabolic support, including the “high insulin + high ketones” paradox and why it may still be beneficial.

15. 15

    Personalization and wrap-up: biomarkers, lifestyle context, and one change to start tomorrow

    They emphasize there are multiple routes to improved metabolic health, and outcomes should be judged by biomarkers and sustainability. Bikman’s closing advice: have a purpose beyond weight loss, and change breakfast immediately as a low-friction starting lever.