📢 Ask Dr. Bikman’s Digital Mind:
📢 Dr. Bikman’s Community & Coaching Site, Insulin IQ:
📢 Become an Insider, Ben’s website:
In this Metabolic Classroom lecture, Dr. Bikman explains the crucial role of plasmalogens—a unique type of fat found in the membranes of cells, especially in metabolically active tissues like the brain, heart, and fat cells.
These special fats help keep cells flexible, support insulin signaling, protect against oxidative stress, and even regulate energy production by stabilizing mitochondria. Dr. Bikman details how plasmalogens act as “sacrificial shields” to defend cells from damage and how they enable cell signaling by keeping membranes fluid.
Ben explores how plasmalogens directly impact fat cell behavior, enabling white fat to transform into more metabolically active beige fat. This shift enhances fat burning and improves insulin sensitivity. In fat cells and mitochondria alike, plasmalogens influence thermogenesis, mitochondrial efficiency, and even gene expression related to fat storage and breakdown. Dr. Bikman also highlights how lower plasmalogen levels are linked with obesity, diabetes, and other metabolic disorders.
The lecture then connects plasmalogens to insulin signaling, showing how they support proper insulin receptor function through membrane fluidity and lipid raft formation. Without enough plasmalogens, insulin signaling is impaired, leading to elevated blood sugar and higher disease risk.
Finally, he provides actionable steps to support plasmalogen levels through diet and supplements, including DHA-rich foods, alkylglycerol from shark liver oil, and even prebiotic fibers like inulin.
Show Notes/References:
For complete show notes and references, we invite you to become an Insider subscriber or member. You’ll enjoy real-time, livestream Metabolic Classroom access which includes live Q&A with Ben after the lecture, unlimited access to Dr. Bikman’s Digital Mind, ad-free podcast episodes, show notes and references, and online, live Office Hours access with Ben. It also includes Ben’s Weekly Research Review Podcast, and a searchable archive. Learn more:
Translation Notes:
You can click the gear icon at the bottom of this video to auto-translate captions. For example, to translate into Polish, select Subtitles, choose Auto-Translate, then first choose English, then choose Auto-Translate again, then choose Polish.)
In addition, our channel has first access to YouTube’s new, innovative “auto-dubbing” feature. The process currently supports translations from English into many languages, with more to come. Click on the gear icon, then choose “Audio track” to access. (Sometimes this availability is delayed several weeks or more, so check back often.)
Timestamps (approximate):
01:15 – What Are Plasmalogens?
02:16 – Unique Structure and Function in Cell Membranes
03:23 – How Plasmalogens Are Made (Peroxisomes & Mitochondria)
04:25 – Genetic Deficiencies and Their Consequences
05:51 – Membrane Flexibility and Protein Signaling
06:56 – Antioxidant Role: Sacrificial Shield Against Oxidative Stress
09:11 – Metabolic Impacts of Low Plasmalogen Levels
10:05 – Plasmalogens and Fat Cell Transformation
11:22 – White Fat vs. Brown/Beige Fat
13:28 – The Role of TMEM86A in Obesity and Fat Storage
15:26 – Mitochondria and Plasmalogen Interaction
16:37 – Barth Syndrome and Mitochondrial Dysfunction
18:04 – Plasmalogens and Insulin Receptor Function
19:15 – Lipid Rafts and Insulin Signaling Disruption
20:15 – Real-World Markers: HOMA-IR and Lactate
21:45 – Dietary Sources and Supplementation
22:45 – Alkyglycerols, DHA, and Prebiotics for Plasmalogen Support
23:46 – What Harms Plasmalogens (Oxidative Stress, Inflammation)
24:52 – Final Summary and Actionable Steps
IMPORTANT NOTE: The information presented is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Dr. Bikman is not a clinician—and, he is not your doctor. Always seek the advice of your own qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.
#Plasmalogens #MetabolicHealth #InsulinResistance #Mitochondria #CellMembranes #DrBenBikman #FatCells #BrownFat #BeigeFat #LipidBiochemistry #FatBurning #Thermogenesis #Inflammation #ReactiveOxygenSpecies #InsulinSignaling #MetabolicClassroom #DHA #LowCarbScience #FunctionalFats #BiomedicalResearch
Ben’s favorite yerba mate:
Ben’s favorite meal-replacement shake: (discount: BEN10)
Ben’s favorite allulose source: (discount: BEN20)
Ben’s favorite health check-up for men: (discount: DRBEN15)
source
How does, gene mutations, affect your plasmalogens?
Right👍
Thank you, for sharing👍
Great information👍
I have come to the conclusion that a diet heavy in seafood/fatty fish is the optimal human diet because of the DHEA/Omega 3 functions that occur at the cellular level. But I'm also boggled at ALL the chemical reactions and receptor sites for all these interactive particles both at the cell wall, membrane and intracellular membranes that the timing must be critical for all these myriad interactions to have space and time to do their job. The "traffic signaling" must be lightning fast and efficient for all these functions to actually occur. Tonight my mind is reeling with the thoughts of these thousands of metabolic actions taking place to keep every cell alive. Whew. It truly is miraculous and complex❤
Great
I feel great on the keto diet, carnivore too… Really my symptoms are becoming minimal. Even my cholesterol does not rise, it remains quite low. But my blood pressure goes up, my heart rate too. My need for sleep decreases, my skin becomes clear, dandruff disappears from my hair, my vision becomes clearer, my brain works better. But my libido is disappearing… Why?
Why have I never heard this before? I always thought of cell membranes as being flexible, but not fluid.
This is fascinating 😮
Great video! Thanks!
What does Plasmalogens mean and what are they doing. Never hear it before.
Bedtime story 123.💕
Thank you for sharing your knowledge, Dr. Bikman. I am recovering after a gallbladder removal and unfortunately am on almost solely carb diet because of it, I can say without a doubt – this changed my mood, my energy levels and cravings dramatically. Cannot wait to go back to eating healthy fats and protein. Insulin resistance is a horrible thing to live with…
Ben Bikman should hold classes for doctors. He is amazing!
Me cheesing as I drink my chai tea that I added chicory root too 😁
It's amazing how much chemistry is packed into a cell! So much for the "simple cell! It's like saying a "simple computer processor". And it makes biological evolution into a farcical notion. We were designed and created.
Can plasmalogens play a role in lipedema?
Why have I never heard of plasmalogens? I just love learning new things and this was exciting. Thank you
I absolutely love you Metabolic Classroom, Ben. I learn something every day here.🌞
What do you think of Dr Dayan Goodenowe's prodrome supplements? I think some include plasmalogens.
Yet researcher of women's (sports) physiology, Dr Stacey Sims, among others, says fasting for women is contraindicated. Not a one-size-fits-all by any means. Child bearing, peri menopausal, menopausal express estrogen at different levels thus affect muscle/ bone gain/loss differenly. So much more to know than a blanket statement.
Hi Dr. Ben. I am wondering your thoughts on Methylene Blue? And if/or how it helps type 2's?
This reminded me of when I tried every “miracle fat” 😂 fish oil, MCT, flaxseed oil… still felt bloated and sluggish. Someone in a women’s detox chat mentioned eat like a woman protocol by Loren Green and it changed everything. I followed it and lost 28 lbs, no cravings, smooth digestion. not sure why this isn’t everywhere.
I remember watching videos like this for hours 😅 hoping to find one secret nutrient that would fix everything. I tried all the “healthy fats” and supplements but still felt bloated and foggy. Then in a hormone forum someone mentioned eat like a woman protocol by Loren Green. it explained digestion in a way no doctor ever did. 29 lbs gone, gut calm, energy perfect. wild how real this feels.