Dr. Terry Simpson - The Unfiltered MD

Senator Rand Paul says Anthony Fauci lied to Congress. Tulsi Gabbard says the United States funded dangerous gain-of-function laboratories around the world. As a former molecular virologist who performed one of the earliest gain-of-function experiments before becoming a surgeon, I read the grants, testimony, and supporting papers to answer one question: What do they actually say? In this episode of The Unfiltered MD, we explore gain-of-function research, NIH grant review, biosafety laboratories, Ebola preparedness, and why understanding the science matters more than the headlines. For more information go to my substack at drsimpson.com and subscribe there for details. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.drsimpson.com/subscribe

Everyone seems to be selling hydration these days. Electrolyte packets, Himalayan salt, trace minerals, and powders that promise better energy, better performance, and better health. But do most people actually need them?In this episode of The Unfiltered MD, Dr. Terry Simpson looks at the evidence behind the hydration industry. We explore what the DASH-Sodium Trial taught us about salt and blood pressure, why sports scientists have been measuring sweat for decades, what Gatorade actually got right, and why glucose—not magnesium—is often the unsung hero of effective rehydration.Along the way we’ll separate physiology from marketing, explain when products like Pedialyte make sense, and discuss why many healthy people are spending money on a problem they don’t actually have.Your kidneys are smarter than most influencers. Let’s talk about it. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.drsimpson.com/subscribe

This week we talk about the Screw worm coming back to the US - and yes, it isn’t pretty. A viral update and what virus I am worried about in the world cup, as well as some good news about pancreatic cancer - finally. All this and nothing more. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.drsimpson.com/subscribe

This week on The Unfiltered MD: Ebola spreads through Central Africa as the U.S. ramps up airport screening, new studies link fatty liver and diabetes to heart disease and dementia, teens lose sleep to midnight scrolling, wildfire smoke may be affecting more than your lungs, and researchers question whether extreme endurance exercise and common supplements are helping us as much as we think. Modern disease is increasingly a story of systems under stress — and medicine is finally catching up. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.drsimpson.com/subscribe

Dr. Simpson Unfiltered MD: My Zepbound Journey (50 lbs Down), Food Noise, Side Effects & GLP-1 FactsIn the first episode of Dr. Simpson Unfiltered MD, weight loss surgeon Dr. Simpson and his producer April discuss his personal experience taking Zepbound for about a year and a half, including his fear of needles, a 50‑pound weight loss, minimal side effects, improved sleep, reduced “food noise,” decreased alcohol interest, refined taste for food and coffee, and lower measured stress. He shares his long history of weight fluctuations and diets, why he didn’t pursue bariatric surgery for himself, and explains GLP‑1 history and testing, including the Gila monster connection and long-standing clinical data. They address common concerns such as constipation/diarrhea, nausea, bone and muscle loss with weight loss, gallbladder disease vs pancreatitis risk, “Ozempic face,” thyroid cancer fears, and cautions about compounded GLP‑1s, emphasizing seeing an obesity medicine specialist and registered dietitian. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.drsimpson.com/subscribe

A cruise ship outbreak. A newly sequenced Andes hantavirus strain. Social media panic. In this episode of The Unfiltered MD, Dr. Terry Simpson explains what the latest hantavirus sequencing actually shows — and what it does not.Why do some viruses mutate constantly while others remain remarkably stable? What is the “rule of six” in measles? Why do influenza and COVID boosters need updating while measles vaccines continue working decade after decade? And how do tiny molecular changes in viral surface proteins determine whether a virus can unlock a human cell?Dr. Simpson walks through the biology of viral mutations, receptor binding, purifying selection, zoonotic spillover, and why the shrinking world makes future pandemics inevitable — even if this hantavirus outbreak probably is not the next one.This is not panic.This is preparedness. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.drsimpson.com/subscribe

The internet says GLP-1 drugs are stealing your muscle. That “up to 40% lean mass loss” is supposed to scare you. But here’s the problem: it’s not new, it’s not unique, and it’s not what they say it is.In this episode, Dr. Terry Simpson breaks down what really happens to lean body mass during weight loss—whether it’s diet, surgery, or medications like semaglutide. He explains why glycogen and water get mislabeled as “muscle loss,” why severe protein deficiency is actually rare, and why most people naturally move more—and get stronger—after losing weight.Then we tackle bone: why some bone loss is a normal adaptation to carrying less weight, what actually causes osteoporosis, and why staying active matters far more than clinging to excess pounds out of fear.And yes—we take on the “gym bro” narrative that GLP-1s are dangerous unless you follow their program. (Spoiler: that’s not evidence, that’s marketing.)If you’ve heard the panic, this is the episode that puts it back into physiology. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.drsimpson.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.drsimpson.comMeasles cases surge as vaccination gaps widen. Colon cancer rises in younger adults. GLP-1 lawsuits reshape access. Deepfake doctors spread misinformation. This week, we connect the science, policy, and what you can actually do.

This week on Dr. Simpson Unfiltered, I take a hard look at what medicine is — and what it isn’t. From the Peter Attia controversy and the responsibilities that come with medical training, to measles outbreaks threatening U.S. elimination status, pediatric vaccine failures, and why men develop heart disease years earlier than women, this episode is about duty, humility, and trust. Medicine isn’t built on personalities or shortcuts — it’s built on protecting patients, especially children, and making small, evidence-based steps forward that actually save lives. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.drsimpson.com/subscribe

This week, the virus didn’t win — the committee did.Dr. Terry Simpson opens with a personal look at the rollback of the hepatitis B vaccine for newborns — a policy that ignores decades of data from Alaska showing infants catch hepatitis B from caregivers, not just mothers. Then, updates on vaccines that save lives: shingles shots that protect the brain, and HPV vaccines that may erase an entire cancer from the map.You’ll hear how Australia is on track to eliminate cervical cancer by 2035 — thanks to universal HPV vaccination, smarter screening, and access to self-collection testing — and why Dr. Simpson’s own 15-year-old son is fully vaccinated. Sons and daughters alike can help end HPV-linked cancers, from cervical to oral.Also in this episode:* mRNA COVID vaccines linked to 25% lower all-cause mortality.* Mediterranean and MIND diets improve brain function in MS.* Polyphenols from tea, coffee, and berries boost heart health.* WHO endorses GLP-1s for long-term obesity treatment.* New hope for HIV remission, concerns over AI and privacy, and why ERs are seeing a surge in “scromiting.”Dr. Simpson Unfiltered — where data beats dogma, and science always gets the last word. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.drsimpson.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.drsimpson.comWhat happens when the Formula 1 engines inside your cells start behaving like a tired 1974 Karmann Ghia? In this episode, Dr. Terry Simpson breaks down the real science of mitochondria, why they age, how they sabotage your energy, and why RFK Jr. definitely cannot diagnose mitochondrial dysfunction by looking at teenagers in an airport. No wellness woo. No quantum nonsense. Just biology, humor, and clarity.

This week on The Unfiltered MD, Dr. Terry Simpson takes on RFK Jr.’s latest admission that his campaign’s Tylenol–autism claim has no scientific basis — and explains why real science doesn’t “prove” ideas, it tests them.Then: new research on hearing loss, brain health, and blood pressure; the expanding cardiovascular benefits of GLP-1 medications like semaglutide and tirzepatide; and why the Mediterranean diet continues to outperform quick fixes.Plus: how fewer steps can still improve longevity, why food-borne E. coli may be behind some urinary-tract infections, and what rising cancer rates mean for screening.All that — and a preview of Dr. Simpson’s upcoming live TikTok cooking show, where paid subscribers at drsimpson.com get the recipes and ingredients early so they can cook along. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.drsimpson.com/subscribe