Best Tools for Gut Health & Weight Loss | Dr. Chris Thompson
Why this one hits different
Your gut does a lot more than digest dinner. On Huberman Lab, Harvard gastroenterologist Dr. Chris Thompson explains how the GI tract controls hunger, fullness and blood sugar, and what actually works for weight loss.
Who is Dr. Chris Thompson?
Dr. Thompson is a Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, Chief of Interventional Gastroenterology at Mass General Brigham in Boston, and Co-Director of its Center for Weight Management and Wellness. His work spans gastroenterology, metabolism, nutrition and obesity medicine.
What's on the table
Andrew Huberman and Dr. Thompson cover how the gut signals hunger and fullness, the gut microbiome, metabolic health, common GI problems and which tests or treatments are genuinely useful. They discuss both GLP-1 medications and approaches to weight loss that don't involve them.
Why it's worth your time
Weight-loss drugs are everywhere right now, and so is the noise around them. This is a chance to hear a specialist who treats these problems every day lay out the bigger picture. As always, talk to your own doctor before changing medications or treatment.
Quick answers
- When did this episode come out?
- September 21, 2026.
- Does the episode cover GLP-1 drugs?
- Yes, alongside non-GLP-1 approaches to weight loss.
More in Health & Medicine, or all episodes of Huberman Lab.
Chapters
Episode notes from Andrew Huberman
Dr. Chris Thompson, MD, Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, Chief of Interventional Gastroenterology at Mass General Brigham in Boston, and Co-Director of the Center for Weight Management and Wellness, is a world-renowned expert on gastroenterology, metabolism, nutrition, and obesity medicine. He explains how your GI tract regulates hunger, fullness, and blood sugar, as well as the gut microbiome, metabolic health, and weight loss. We also discuss common GI tract issues and which particular tests or interventions are actually useful. We discuss both GLP-1 medications and non-GLP-1 approaches to weight loss. Given that gut health is vital to all the organs of the body, overall health, and longevity, our discussion ought to be of interest and practical value to everyone, including, of course, those struggling with gut health or weight loss challenges.
Show notes: https://go.hubermanlab.com/moMYULJ
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Timestamps
00:00:00 Dr. Chris Thompson
00:02:16 Digestive Tract, Gut Hormones & Nutrient Absorption
00:08:06 Colon Microbiome & Colon Cancer Screening
00:11:13 Sponsors: LMNT & Lingo
00:13:40 Swallowing Problems & Zenker’s Diverticula
00:16:08 Bowel Movements & Constipation
00:18:28 Fiber, Resistant Starch & the Gut Barrier
00:21:50 Intermittent Fasting & the Gut Microbiome
00:23:38 Fermented Foods, Microbial Diversity & Butyrate
00:27:12 H. pylori, Stress & Stomach Ulcers
00:30:20 GLP-1 Medications: Benefits & Limitations
00:33:42 Lower GLP-1 Doses, Weight Regain & Muscle Loss
00:37:35 GLP-1 Side Effects, Food Noise & Apathy
00:39:49 Bariatric Surgery & Medical Innovation
00:46:07 Sponsor: AG1
00:47:44 Hunger & Satiety: Ghrelin, CCK, GIP & GLP-1
00:50:01 Retatrutide & Combining Hormonal Targets
00:52:55 Ultra-Processed Foods, Overeating & Leptin
00:55:32 Incretin Discovery, Exendin-4 & the Gila Monster
00:59:35 Endoscopic Ultrasound & Pancreatic Biopsy
01:07:40 Early Metabolic Markers, CGMs & Fasting Insulin
01:13:06 Insulin Resistance & Metabolic Flexibility
01:15:53 Sponsor: Function
01:17:35 Patient Data, Screening & Treatment Adoption
01:26:31 AI, Robotics & Improving Procedures
01:29:27 Choosing a Surgeon & Measuring Procedure Quality
01:35:29 Image Guidance & Hyperspectral Imaging
01:37:19 Sponsor: Our Place
01:38:56 Diagnostics & Targeted Metabolic Treatments
01:42:45 Gastric Bypass, Foregut Exclusion & Diabetes
01:47:59 Duodenal Liners & Mucosal Resurfacing Research
01:52:58 Gut Permeability, Inflammation & Fatty Liver
01:59:39 Artificial Sweeteners, Fructose, Fats & Omega-3s
02:05:00 Resistance Training, Zone 2 Cardio & Intervals
02:06:31 Weight Set Point & Metabolic Adaptation
02:08:13 Endoscopic Sleeve Gastroplasty & Fundus Ablation
02:10:30 Magnetic Intestinal Connections & Combined Treatments
02:16:52 GLP-1 Gene Therapy Research
02:22:13 Innovation, Problem Solving & Teamwork
02:25:58 Zero-Cost Support, Sponsors & Neural Network Newsletter
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Disclaimer & Disclosures: https://www.hubermanlab.com/disclaimer
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