In this game-changing episode of The One Thing Podcast, host Dr. Adam Rinde sits down with returning guest Dr. Amy Proal, microbiologist and co-founder of the PolyBio Research Foundation, @polybioresearchfoundation2243 , for a deep dive into the role of persistent infections in chronic illnesses. 🧬
They explore groundbreaking research on how microbes like herpesviruses, cytomegalovirus, and even SARS-CoV-2 can hide in tissues (like the vagus nerve!) and disrupt everything from mitochondrial function to immune signaling, potentially contributing to long COVID, Alzheimer’s, POTS, chronic fatigue, and more.
Dr. Proal shares promising updates on clinical trials using low-dose rapamycin and discusses how this drug may help by modulating mTOR signaling and improving immune function, including interferon responses and T-cell exhaustion. She also explains how metabolic states, such as ketosis, may influence microbial persistence, offering fresh hope for treating the root causes of chronic conditions.
Whether you're a clinician, a patient, or just fascinated by the emerging science reshaping modern medicine, this episode delivers crucial insights you don’t want to miss.
💡 Learn more about Dr. Proal’s work at https://polybio.org
🔔 Subscribe to stay ahead of the curve in functional medicine and chronic disease research.
TIMESTAMPS
00:00 - Intro & guest welcome: Dr. Amy Proal
02:00 - The chronic illness epidemic and environmental factors
05:00 - Chronic infections: why they’re often overlooked
07:00 - Alzheimer’s, pathogens, and the Harvard paradigm shift
10:00 - Cytomegalovirus and the vagus nerve connection
13:00 - Long COVID, vagus nerve, and autonomic dysfunction
16:00 - Broad spectrum of microbes in chronic illness
19:00 - Mitochondria, pathogens, and immune hijacking
27:00 - Low-dose rapamycin, mTOR, and immune modulation
33:00 - Metformin, mitochondria, and antiviral implications
35:00 - Ketosis, glucose restriction, and mitochondrial impact
37:00 - Why chronic infections don’t always cause acute illness
40:00 - Immune support vs. pathogen targeting: dual strategies
43:00 - Anecdotal improvements with rapamycin
45:00 - Future research, optimism, and PolyBio’s mission
#Hashtags
#LongCOVID #AlzheimersResearch #ChronicIllness #MitochondrialHealth #FunctionalMedicine #Microbiome #Rapamycin #ImmuneHealth #PolyBio #PersistentInfections #PodcastHighlights #TheOneThingPodcast
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Full Show notes can be found at https://www.onethingpod.com/episode-117-the-hidden-microbial-drivers-of-chronic-illness-with-dr-amy-proal/
