The Long Game | Dr Alex cover art

The Long Game | Dr Alex

The Long Game | Dr Alex

Written by: Dr Alex Wibberley
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Hi! I'm Dr Alex, an Emergency Medicine doctor in the UK sharing what I've learned after almost a decade of working on the frontline, to help you avoid the preventable illnesses I see every day. Exercise & Fitness Fitness, Diet & Nutrition Hygiene & Healthy Living
Episodes
  • The Truth About Cortisol: How Chronic Stress is Silently Destroying Your Health

    The Truth About Cortisol: How Chronic Stress is Silently Destroying Your Health
    Oct 18 2026
    Cortisol gets a bad reputation, but without it you would not survive the day. The real issue is that your stress system was built to handle a threat lasting a few minutes, while many of us are carrying pressure that lasts years. In this episode I walk through what cortisol does when it is working properly, what changes when stress never switches off, the signs worth noticing, why sleep sits right at the centre of all this, how movement and food shape the picture, and the part that happens purely in your own head through rumination. I also cover why adrenal fatigue is not a recognised diagnosis, what the evidence actually shows for supplements like ashwagandha, and why saliva cortisol tests are so hard to interpret. The full list of research references for this episode is in the description of the YouTube version. Disclaimer: This is not personal medical advice and does not override what your doctor says. #dralex #cortisol #stressmanagement
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    21 mins
  • PSA Is 55% Accurate. This New Blood Test Claims 94%.

    PSA Is 55% Accurate. This New Blood Test Claims 94%.
    Oct 17 2026
    The PSA test that most men get offered is right about as often as a coin flip, and a newer blood test claims 94 percent accuracy. Both numbers need context before they mean anything. In this episode I go through what PSA actually measures, why catching a prostate cancer early does not always help the man it is found in, how the biopsy pathway has quietly changed for the better, and what this new 94 percent test can and cannot tell you. I also cover a second test from Sweden called Stockholm3 that I think deserves a lot more attention than it gets, and the screening decision the UK made this June that most people have misunderstood. The full list of research references is in the description of the YouTube version. Disclaimer: This is not personal medical advice and does not override what your doctor says. #dralex #prostatecancer #psatest
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    21 mins
  • Is Your Brain Starving? The Vitamin Deficiencies Affecting Your Health After 50

    Is Your Brain Starving? The Vitamin Deficiencies Affecting Your Health After 50
    Oct 17 2026
    Families often come into A&E convinced a parent is developing dementia, when forgetfulness, exhaustion and low mood can sometimes be traced back to something far simpler and far cheaper to check for. As we move past our 50s, the stomach lining naturally becomes thinner and produces less acid, which makes it harder to release vitamin B12 from food and harder for the body to absorb it. Two very common prescriptions, metformin for type 2 diabetes and PPIs for acid reflux, can also quietly reduce how much B12 the body takes in, especially the longer they are used. When B12 and other B vitamins like folate and B6 run low, a substance called homocysteine starts to build up, and higher levels have been linked to faster brain shrinkage and poorer memory. A small Oxford trial found that people with mild memory problems who took folic acid, B12 and B6 saw their brains shrink more slowly than those given a placebo over two years, particularly those who started with the highest homocysteine levels. It is an interesting result, though the study was small and larger trials have not shown the same clear benefit across the wider population. The most reliable way to protect these levels is through whole foods rather than supplements. Fish, shellfish, eggs and dairy provide B12, leafy greens, beans and lentils provide folate, and fish, poultry, potatoes and bananas provide B6. Supplements have their place for people on a vegan or vegetarian diet, those on medication that affects absorption, or anyone with a confirmed deficiency, but they are not a substitute for eating well. If you think this might apply to you or a relative, it is worth asking your doctor for a full blood count along with B12, folate, ferritin, thyroid function and HbA1c, since an underactive thyroid or rising blood sugar can cause very similar symptoms. Please do not stop any prescribed medication, including antidepressants, based on this video. Speak to your doctor first. The full list of research references is in the description of the YouTube version of this video. Disclaimer: This is not personal medical advice and does not override what your doctor says. #dralex #B12deficiency #BrainHealth
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    15 mins
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