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In this Metabolic Classroom lecture, Dr. Bikman explains the crucial role of plasmalogens—a unique type of fat found in the membranes of cells, especially in metabolically active tissues like the brain, heart, and fat cells.

These special fats help keep cells flexible, support insulin signaling, protect against oxidative stress, and even regulate energy production by stabilizing mitochondria. Dr. Bikman details how plasmalogens act as “sacrificial shields” to defend cells from damage and how they enable cell signaling by keeping membranes fluid.

Ben explores how plasmalogens directly impact fat cell behavior, enabling white fat to transform into more metabolically active beige fat. This shift enhances fat burning and improves insulin sensitivity. In fat cells and mitochondria alike, plasmalogens influence thermogenesis, mitochondrial efficiency, and even gene expression related to fat storage and breakdown. Dr. Bikman also highlights how lower plasmalogen levels are linked with obesity, diabetes, and other metabolic disorders.

The lecture then connects plasmalogens to insulin signaling, showing how they support proper insulin receptor function through membrane fluidity and lipid raft formation. Without enough plasmalogens, insulin signaling is impaired, leading to elevated blood sugar and higher disease risk.

Finally, he provides actionable steps to support plasmalogen levels through diet and supplements, including DHA-rich foods, alkylglycerol from shark liver oil, and even prebiotic fibers like inulin.

Show Notes/References:

For complete show notes and references, we invite you to become an Insider subscriber or member. You’ll enjoy real-time, livestream Metabolic Classroom access which includes live Q&A with Ben after the lecture, unlimited access to Dr. Bikman’s Digital Mind, ad-free podcast episodes, show notes and references, and online, live Office Hours access with Ben. It also includes Ben’s Weekly Research Review Podcast, and a searchable archive. Learn more: https://www.benbikman.com

IMPORTANT NOTE: The information presented is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Dr. Bikman is not a clinician—and, he is not your doctor. Always seek the advice of your own qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.

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In this Metabolic Classroom lecture, Dr. Bikman explores the deep biochemical relationship between stress and ketone production, uncovering how the body interprets stress signals as cues to mobilize fat and create ketones.

He explains how stress hormones—like epinephrine, cortisol, glucagon, and growth hormone—aren’t just emergency signals but actually metabolic adaptation hormones that help the body shift into fat-burning mode. Through the sympathetic nervous system and hormone cascades, the body responds to stress by increasing lipolysis and triggering ketogenesis, even during fasting, exercise, or low-carb eating.

Ben walks through how ketogenesis begins at the level of fat cells and liver mitochondria, and how key molecules like acetyl-CoA and oxaloacetate determine whether the body makes glucose or ketones.

Importantly, he clarifies that while stress can trigger positive metabolic shifts, chronic stress without relief can lead to harmful insulin resistance. The takeaway: understanding the difference between acute and chronic stress is key to using this response to your metabolic advantage.

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📢 Dr. Bikman’s Community & Coaching Site, Insulin IQ: https://insuliniq.com

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In this Metabolic Classroom lecture, Dr. Bikman explores the often-overlooked but metabolically vital glycocalyx—a carbohydrate-rich layer coating nearly every cell in the human body. Far from being just a structural feature, the glycocalyx influences nutrient absorption, immune response, vascular function, inflammation, and even how fat cells grow and behave.

Ben explains how this sugar-rich matrix is built from glycoproteins and glycosaminoglycans and how it's found in tissues like the gut, blood vessels, and fat cells, each playing unique roles. In the gut, it controls nutrient permeability and helps block pathogens. In blood vessels, it regulates nitric oxide release, controls protein leakage, and reduces the risk of clotting or atherosclerosis. And in fat cells, it influences cell growth, fuel handling, and inflammation.

Importantly, metabolic dysfunction—especially hyperglycemia—can severely damage the glycocalyx. While internal glucose helps build it, high glucose levels outside cells act like a “demolition crew,” triggering oxidative stress, inflammation, and glycation, all of which degrade this critical barrier.

Ben urges us to keep blood glucose in check, not only for insulin balance but also to protect this unsung hero of cell biology. The glycocalyx is a gatekeeper for metabolic health, and its degradation may be one root cause of diseases like diabetes, leaky gut, atherosclerosis, and insulin resistance.

Show Notes/References:

For complete show notes and references, we invite you to become an Insider subscriber. You’ll enjoy real-time, livestream Metabolic Classroom access which includes live Q&A with Ben after the lecture, Dr. Bikman’s “Digital Mind”, ad-free podcast episodes, show notes and references, and online, live Office Hours access with Ben. It also includes Ben’s Weekly Research Review Podcast, and a searchable archive that includes all Metabolic Classroom episodes. Learn more: https://www.benbikman.com

IMPORTANT NOTE: The information presented is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Dr. Bikman is not a clinician—and, he is not your doctor. Always seek the advice of your own qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.