August FMP Essentials Mastermind Member Newsletter

In This Edition:

• What’s New at FMP Essentials: Stay updated on upcoming courses, practitioner meet-ups, exciting announcements, and new educational content.
• Ketoanalogues and Kidney Protection: Learn how ketoanalogues, nitrogen-free precursors to essential amino acids, help preserve renal function in patients with CKD. By reducing nitrogenous waste, these compounds show promise in slowing eGFR decline, managing mineral imbalances, and delaying dialysis when introduced early.
• Private Mastermind Podcast Spotlight: Don’t miss Dr. Elyaman’s compelling conversation with Dr. Lauren Davis on recognizing and treating postpartum depletion. From nutrient gaps and hormone imbalances to gut health and mitochondrial dysfunction, this episode is full of clinical pearls for supporting new moms.
• Blog Feature: This month’s blog explores how functional medicine practitioners can use fasting as a personalized tool to support metabolic, cognitive, and liver health. Learn how to differentiate fasting types, understand key physiologic mechanisms, and apply practical strategies in clinical care.

• Stay informed, engaged, and ahead of the curve with this month’s updates!

What's New At FMP Essentials?

• Podcast Features: Dr. Elyaman was featured on two podcast episodes this July. Don’t miss these insightful discussions:

  • The Curious Cardiologist Podcast with Dr. Sanjay Bhojraj: In the debut episode, Dr. Elyaman explores the emerging autoimmune component of cardiovascular disease and how functional medicine can shift our approach to heart health. Listen here

  • Alzheimer's Breakthroughs Podcast: Dr. Josh Helman Podcast: Dr. Elyaman dives into the connection between insulin resistance and Alzheimer’s disease with Dr. Josh Helman, sharing strategies for early detection and intervention. Listen here

• Advanced Lipid Masterclass: Our advanced lipid course is now on-demand! This 8-module course is packed with clinical insights to help you master lipidology through a functional medicine lens. Haven’t signed up yet? Click here to join now and get full access!

• Public Podcast: Our podcast episode with Dr. Dawn Beaulieu on the functional medicine approach to ulcerative colitis previously released early to our Mastermind community is now publicly available on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify. If you missed it the first time, now’s your chance to tune in. Don’t forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel for more expert insights. Click here to watch now!

• ICIM Conference: We’re getting excited for the Cracking the Code on Chronic Kidney Disease conference this month in Atlanta hosted by the International College of Integrative Medicine (ICIM)! Dr. Elyaman will be speaking on Hyperuricemia & Insulin Resistance as Drivers of CKD, and we’ll be there with an FMP Essentials booth—come say hello! Register here.

• Mastermind: We’re getting so close to launching the Mastermind—Silver and Gold tiers are almost here, and we couldn’t be more excited! These new tiers will feature advanced clinical content, leadership development tools, and more. Stay tuned and be sure to join the waitlist to hear all the details as soon as they’re released!

Ketoanalogues in CKD: Slowing Renal Decline

Dietary protein restriction is a common treatment in chronic kidney disease (CKD) management, but cutting protein too aggressively can lead to malnutrition and protein-energy wasting. That’s where ketoanalogues (KAs) come in. These are nitrogen-free analogs of essential amino acids that, once ingested, are converted into usable amino acids in the body without contributing to nitrogenous waste. When added to low-protein or very-low-protein diets, KAs reduce the buildup of uremic toxins like urea and phosphorus while still supporting protein synthesis and nutritional needs.

A 2019 meta-analysis sheds light on their role in CKD progression and mineral bone disorder, especially when used early in the disease course.

The article's findings:

• KAs significantly slow eGFR decline in pre-ESRD CKD patients with eGFR > 18 mL/min/1.73 m², highlighting the value of early intervention.
• KAs reduce BUN and serum creatinine levels without increasing the risk of malnutrition, even when used alongside very-low-protein diets.
• KAs help manage mineral imbalances in late-stage CKD, reducing serum phosphorus, increasing calcium, and lowering parathyroid hormone  levels in patients with eGFR < 18 mL/min/1.73 m².
• No significant difference in albumin or cholesterol levels was seen between KA-treated groups and controls, suggesting that malnutrition risk is not significantly elevated with KA-based low-protein regimens.
• While KAVLP (very-low-protein + KA) did not outperform KALP (low-protein + KA) in preserving eGFR, both approaches showed benefit, raising the question of whether aggressive protein restriction is always necessary.

Ketoanalogues, particularly when started early, may delay the need for dialysis while preserving quality of life and nutritional status. Though more robust RCTs are needed, the current evidence supports their growing role in personalized CKD care.

References:

1. Li A, Lee HY, Lin YC. The Effect of Ketoanalogues on Chronic Kidney Disease Deterioration: A Meta-Analysis. Nutrients. 2019 Apr 26;11(5):957. doi: 10.3390/nu11050957. PMID: 31035482; PMCID: PMC6566830.

Check Out This Month's Podcast Episode

🎧 New Podcast Episode: Postpartum Depletion: A Functional Medicine Deep Dive

Dr. Yousef Elyaman welcomes osteopathic physician and lactation expert Dr. Lauren Davis to explore a commonly overlooked but critical topic in women’s health: postpartum depletion. With board certifications in family medicine and neuromuscular medicine, and as a mom herself, Dr. Davis brings both clinical expertise and lived insight to the conversation.

Here’s what they unpack:

• What Is Postpartum Depletion? A functional medicine lens on nutrient, hormonal, and energetic depletion after childbirth, often mistaken for typical fatigue or postpartum depression

• The Core Imbalances Mitochondrial dysfunction, hormonal disruption, nutrient depletion, impaired detox pathways, and sleep dysregulation

• Micronutrient Must-Knows Why magnesium, iron, iodine, vitamin D, and vitamin K2 are commonly deficient and what to do about it

• The Gut–Breast Axis How leaky gut in late pregnancy helps seed the infant microbiome and what happens when mom’s gut isn’t supported

• Cortisol, Thyroid, and Sex Hormones How adrenal, thyroid, and sex hormone imbalances show up after birth and what they mean for energy, mood, and recovery

• Bone Health and Breastfeeding The temporary but significant impact of lactation on maternal bone density and why it’s reversible

• Clinical Tools and Support Strategies From Dutch testing and trace minerals to breathwork and safety signaling, how to identify and treat postpartum depletion in a functional medicine framework

This insightful episode is a must-listen for anyone supporting new moms or interested in how functional medicine can transform postpartum care.

How to watch/listen: Log into your account, select the Bronze Mastermind, and scroll down to the "Expert Interviews, Insights & Podcasts" section to find the episode.

Check Out This Month's Blog Post

The Basics of Fasting: A Functional Medicine Perspective

Fasting is more than a wellness trend—it’s a therapeutic tool with strong potential to improve metabolic health, cognitive function, and cellular repair. This month’s blog explores the most common fasting approaches, how they differ metabolically from calorie restriction, and the clinical benefits of fasting for patients with MASLD. You’ll also learn key cautions, contraindications, and implementation tips to help patients integrate fasting in a safe and sustainable way.

Click here to view the article!

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Thank you for being part of our community!

-The FMP Essentials Team