The Metabolic Classroom

Currently Playing: 108: Menopause, Ketones, and Metabolism: A Strategy Explained

📢 Ask Dr. Bikman’s Digital Mind: https://benbikman.com/ben-bikmans-digital-ai-mind 📢 Dr. Bikman’s Community & Coaching Site, Insulin IQ: https://insuliniq.com and/or 📢 Become an Insider, Ben’s website: https://www.benbikman.com This Metabolic Classroom lecture with Dr. Bikman explores how the loss of estradiol during menopause affects five key metabolic systems: the brain, muscles, mitochondria, fat tissue, and inflammation. Each of these systems relies on estradiol for optimal function, and its decline contributes to increased risk for cognitive impairment, muscle loss, reduced mitochondrial function, increased visceral fat, and systemic inflammation. Ketones—particularly beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB)—can provide a partial compensatory effect in each system. In the brain, BHB supports glucose metabolism, reduces neuroinflammation, and enhances neuroplasticity. In muscles, ketones reduce protein degradation and improve mitochondrial function. At the mitochondrial level, BHB promotes mitochondrial biogenesis and helps reduce oxidative stress through NRF2 activation. The lecture also outlines how ketones affect fat tissue by promoting mitochondrial uncoupling and upregulating thermogenic genes like UCP1. Additionally, BHB helps reduce inflammation by inhibiting the NLRP3 inflammasome. A final section reviews exogenous ketone strategies—salts, esters, acids, and MCTs—as potential tools to support women through menopause-related metabolic changes. 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, ad-free podcast episodes, show notes and references, online Office Hours access, Ben’s Research Review Podcast, and a searchable archive that includes all Metabolic Classroom episodes and Research Reviews. Learn more: https://www.benbikman.com Translation Notes: You can click the gear icon at the bottom of this video to auto-translate captions. For example, to translate into Polish, select Subtitles, choose Auto-Translate, then first choose English, then choose Auto-Translate again, then choose Polish.) In addition, our channel has first access to YouTube’s new, innovative “auto-dubbing” feature. The process currently supports translations from English into many languages, with more to come. Click on the gear icon, then choose “Audio track” to access. #menopause, #ketones, #estradiol, #metabolichealth, #ketoformetabolism, #BHB, #hormonehealth, #fatloss, #ketodiet, #lowcarblifestyle, #inflammation, #mitochondria, #musclehealth, #ketogenictherapy, #MCTs, #brainhealth, #insulinresistance, #womenshealth, #fasting, #metabolicclassroom #benbikman #drbenbikman Timestamps (approximate): 01:07 – Health Consequences of Low Estradiol 02:14 – Five Metabolic Systems Affected 03:07 – Brain: Estradiol, Ketones, and Cognition 04:17 – How BHB Supports Brain Energy 05:13 – Neuroplasticity and Anti-Inflammatory Effects 06:47 – Muscle Loss and Estradiol’s Role 08:05 – BHB and Muscle Preservation 09:03 – Ketones and Muscle Mitochondria 10:59 – Mitochondria and Menopause 12:18 – Ketones and Mitochondrial Health 14:28 – Estradiol’s Effect on Fat Distribution 15:30 – Fat Cells and Ketone-Induced Uncoupling 18:24 – Ketones, Insulin, and Fat Metabolism 19:26 – Menopause and Inflammation 20:34 – BHB Suppresses Inflammation 21:38 – Uric Acid, Inflammation, and Ketones 22:40 – Application: Ketogenic Diet vs. Exogenous Ketones 23:47 – Ketone Salts, Esters, and Acids 25:47 – MCTs and Ketone Production 27:12 – Recap: Ketones Mitigating Menopausal Effects Ben’s favorite yerba maté and fiber supplement: https://ufeelgreat.com/usa/en/c/1BA884 Ben’s favorite meal-replacement shake: https://gethlth.com (discount: BEN10) Ben’s favorite allulose source: https://rxsugar.com (discount: BEN20) Ben’s favorite health check-up for women: https://choosejoi.co/drben15 (discount: DRBEN15) Ben’s favorite health check-up for men: https://blokes.co/drben15 (discount: DRBEN15) Ben’s favorite exogenous ketone: https://ketone.com/BEN30 (discount: BEN30) Other products Ben likes: https://www.amazon.com/shop/benbikmanphd