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This Week in Startups · September 4, 2026 · 58m

Dr. Mark Hyman on Function Health & GLP-1 microdosing | E2334

Jason Calacanis, Mark Hyman
Show Notes

Dr. Mark Hyman joins Jason to discuss Function Health, his platform that aggregates 100+ biomarkers to catch disease early. They explore why standard lab ranges are unreliable, why insulin is a better early warning than blood sugar, and the staggering statistic that 93% of Americans show signs of metabolic dysfunction. The conversation covers GLP-1 medications, including Jason's personal weight loss story and the emerging practice of microdosing to avoid muscle loss. They also discuss the biology underlying depression and anxiety, the potential of psychedelics like ibogaine for PTSD, and how AI might transform diagnostic medicine.

This summary was generated from show notes and public descriptions, not from a full transcript review. Details may contain inaccuracies.

Curious

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93% of Americans Have Metabolic Dysfunction34:31
Citing a Tufts / JACC study, Dr. Hyman states that only 7% of American adults have good cardiometabolic health, meaning 93% show some degree of metabolic dysfunction.
ClaudeChatGPTGemini
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Insulin Is a Better Early Warning Than Blood Sugar34:31
Dr. Hyman argues that testing fasting insulin is a superior early indicator of metabolic dysfunction compared to standard blood glucose tests, yet it is rarely ordered.
ClaudeChatGPTGemini
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Microdosing GLP-1s to Avoid Muscle Loss42:22
Dr. Hyman discusses the emerging practice of microdosing GLP-1 medications at lower doses to achieve metabolic benefits while preserving muscle mass and avoiding the 'skinny fat' outcome.
ClaudeChatGPTGemini
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The Biology Underneath Depression and Anxiety50:17
Dr. Hyman challenges the purely psychological framing of mental illness, pointing to underlying biological drivers including inflammation, metabolic dysfunction, and nutritional deficiencies.
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Highlights

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Function Health Is Fixing a Broken Diagnostic System00:00
Dr. Hyman describes Function Health as a platform that aggregates over 100 biomarkers to detect disease early, targeting a healthcare system he calls 'sick care' rather than true healthcare.
ClaudeChatGPTGemini
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Ibogaine and the Second Revolution in Psychiatry54:32
Dr. Hyman sees psychedelics like ketamine and ibogaine as part of a second revolution in psychiatry, with ibogaine showing particular promise for PTSD treatment.
ClaudeChatGPTGemini

Misc

✧Jason lost 45 pounds on GLP-1s — going from 213 to 168 — and his doctor said 50% of patients in his Northern California practice are on them.
✧A wearable device caught Jason's Covid before he felt sick.
✧A chatbot outperformed doctors in diagnostic accuracy in one study referenced, but Dr. Hyman emphasizes it still needs human oversight.
✧Texas committed $50M in state funding to ibogaine clinical trials through SB 2308.
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