Most thyroid patients are told their labs are "normal" because their Free T4 is in range, yet they still feel exhausted, cold, foggy, and unwell.

In this episode, Dr. Eric Balcavage breaks down one of the most misunderstood areas of thyroid testing: Total T4 vs Free T4, what each test actually measures, why doctors often run only one, and why relying on a single value leaves millions of people stuck without answers.

This is a Q&A-style episode, answering the real questions patients ask every day, including:

• What Total T4 really tells us about thyroid hormone availability

• Why Free T4 alone can be misleading

• How stress, inflammation, and adaptation affect these values

• Why "normal T4" doesn't always mean normal thyroid function

• When thyroid medication helps — and when it makes things worse

If you've been told your thyroid labs look fine, but you don't feel fine, this episode will help you understand what your labs are actually saying, and what they're not.

👉 Want help interpreting your thyroid labs?
Comment LABS to receive my free Thyroid Labs Decoded eBook.

AI is quickly becoming part of health care. Patients are using ChatGPT and other AI tools to interpret symptoms, labs, genetics, and decide what to do next—often before they ever talk to a clinician.

But here's the real question: Does AI actually understand the human body—or is it just organizing data without context?

In this episode, Dr. Eric Balcavage is joined by Dr. Cam McDonald, a global leader in precision health and AI, and Susan Robbins, an epigenetic human performance coach, to explore the promises, limitations, and hidden assumptions behind AI-driven health advice.

Together, they unpack:

• What AI does well in health care—and where it can go wrong
• Why more data doesn't always lead to better health decisions
• How genetics, epigenetics, and body measurements can inform care—but don't tell the whole story
• The difference between managing numbers and supporting recovery
• Why optimization isn't always healing
• When doing less may actually be the most precise approach

This conversation is especially important for anyone dealing with chronic symptoms, thyroid issues, anxiety, fatigue, or feeling overwhelmed by conflicting health advice. AI isn't the enemy—but what it assumes about health matters more than most people realize.

🎧 Whether you're a patient trying to make sense of AI health advice or a clinician navigating this new landscape, this episode will help you think more clearly about what true personalized care really means.

Guest Information:

Dr. CAM MCDONALD BIO: Dr Cam McDonald is a global leader in precision health, AI, and human performance who's redefining how we understand health, wellbeing, and behaviour in the modern world. As the CEO of the Precision Health Alliance and a Fellow of the Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine, Dr Cam combines deep scientific expertise with an engaging, down-to-earth communication style that makes complex ideas practical and inspiring. An Accredited Exercise Physiologist, Dietitian, and PhD researcher, Dr Cam has spent over two decades translating the science of epigenetics, AI, and personalised health into real-world systems that improve how people live, learn, and lead. Through platforms like ShaeWellness and Shae Group, his work helps organisations, practitioners, and individuals use technology to unlock human potential, prevent burnout, and create sustainable high performance. He's been featured on ABC Radio, Channel 7 News, and major conferences around the world, sharing the stage with thought leaders including the Dalai Lama and Deepak Chopra. Whether he's speaking to scientists, CEOs, or educators, Dr Cam brings a rare blend of rigour, humour, and humanity, showing how AI and precision health are not the future—they're the tools we can use right now to live and lead better. Website for health professionals - https://precisionhealthalliance.org/contact/

Susan Robbins is a retired law enforcement officer turned certified epigenetic human performance coach and personalized health expert, with over a decade of coaching experience and a specialization in epigenetics since 2019. After facing chronic Lyme disease, autoimmune, and gadolinium deposition disease, she discovered the transformative power of epigenetics—the science of how lifestyle and environment influence genetic expression—and has dedicated her career to helping others optimize their health through a deeply personalized approach. Using DNA testing, the cutting-edge PH360 platform, and epigenetic age testing, Susan guides clients to align every aspect of their lifestyle with their unique genetic and epigenetic blueprint, unlocking sustainable, long-term vitality and wellness. To bring personalized health to the forefront and make this science accessible, she created the podcast Everyday Epigenetics: Raw. Real. Relatable., a platform designed to break down complex epigenetic concepts into practical, relatable conversations that empower listeners to take control of their health journey with clarity and confidence.

Website: https://healthyawakening.co

Podcast: https://everydayepigenetics.co

Instagram: susanrobbins_epigeneticcoach

#AIHealth #PrecisionHealth #PersonalizedMedicine #HealthAnxiety #ThyroidHealth #ChronicIllness #FunctionalMedicine #Epigenetics #HealthTechnology #WellnessTruth #HealthData #StressAndHealth #HealingNotHacking #Overwhelmed

If you've been told your TSH is "normal" but you still feel exhausted, foggy, inflamed, or hypothyroid — this episode is for you.

In this deep-dive Q&A episode, Dr. Eric Balcavage answers 25 of the most common and misunderstood questions about TSH, the lab marker most often used — and misused — in thyroid care.

You'll learn:

• What TSH actually measures (and what it doesn't)

• Why TSH can go up in some stress states and down in others

• How inflammation, stress, sleep, dieting, and medication timing distort TSH

• Why "normal" TSH doesn't guarantee healthy thyroid function

• How to tell true hypothyroidism from adaptive physiology

• Why chasing TSH often keeps people stuck

• How thyroid medications affect TSH differently (T4 vs T3)

• Why tissue hypothyroidism can exist even when labs look "fine"

This episode is designed for:

• Patients frustrated by "normal labs"

• Clinicians who want better thyroid interpretation

• Anyone trying to understand thyroid physiology beyond numbers

👉 Free Resource:
Comment LABS to receive my Thyroid Labs Decoded eBook, where I break down TSH, T4, T3, reverse T3, ratios, antibodies, and medication timing in plain language.

🎧 Listen now and finally understand what your thyroid labs are really telling you.