Evidence-based health, wellness, and longevity content from Dr. Tom Biernacki.
Metabolic syndrome affects 34% of U.S. adults and is driven by one root cause: insulin resistance. All 5 criteria — visceral obesity, high triglycerides, low HDL, hypertension, elevated glucose — are reversible with dietary carbohydrate reduction, exercise, and targeted supplementation.
Medically Reviewed by Dr. Tom Biernacki, DPM — Board-certified podiatrist, Balance Foot & Ankle, Howell, MI. Specializing in diabetic limb salvage, peripheral neuropathy, and functional longevity medicine. Updated May 2026. Quick Answer: Protein, Leucine, and How Long You Live Adequate dietary protein — particularly leucine-rich sources — is essential for maintaining muscle mass through aging, … Read more
12 reversible functional medicine root causes of hair loss beyond genetics: iron deficiency (ferritin below 70), thyroid dysfunction, insulin resistance, cortisol, nutrient deficiencies, and scalp inflammation. Comprehensive lab panel and targeted treatment protocol.
SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth) causes bloating, IBS, nutritional malabsorption, and systemic inflammation. Three subtypes — hydrogen, methane (IMO), hydrogen sulfide — each require different treatment. Complete protocol: diagnosis, rifaximin/herbal treatment, and relapse prevention.
Medically Reviewed by Dr. Tom Biernacki, DPM — Board-Certified Podiatrist & Functional Medicine Practitioner | Howell, MI Quick Answer The gut microbiome is one of the most powerful longevity modulators in the human body — not merely because of its role in digestion, but because it directly controls systemic inflammation, epigenetic gene expression, neurotransmitter production, … Read more
45-68% of Americans are magnesium deficient, yet serum magnesium misses it in most cases. The right form matters: glycinate for sleep and anxiety, malate for energy and fibromyalgia, L-threonate for brain health. Complete protocol inside.
Medically Reviewed by Dr. Tom Biernacki, DPM — Board-Certified Podiatrist & Functional Medicine Practitioner | Howell, MI Quick Answer Epigenetic clocks — computational models trained on DNA methylation patterns at specific CpG sites across the genome — now provide a direct measure of biological aging that is more predictive of mortality, disease onset, and physical … Read more
Medically Reviewed by Dr. Tom Biernacki, DPM — Board-Certified Podiatrist & Functional Medicine Practitioner | Howell, MI Quick Answer Mitochondrial dysfunction is now understood as a root cause rather than a consequence of aging — the energetic substrate on which every other hallmark of aging depends. When mitochondria lose efficiency, the cell loses ATP for … Read more
90-95% of serotonin is made in the gut. The microbiome regulates anxiety, depression, and brain fog via three pathways: the vagus nerve, HPA axis, and neuroinflammation. The evidence-based protocol to restore gut-brain function: gut barrier repair, psychobiotics, vagal tone training, and Mediterranean diet.
Medically Reviewed by Dr. Tom Biernacki, DPM — Board-Certified Podiatrist & Functional Medicine Practitioner | Howell, MI Quick Answer Every cell in the body runs on a 24-hour molecular clock synchronized by light, food, and activity signals — and when this clock falls out of phase, the consequences are not subtle. Night shift workers have … Read more