Show Notes
Prof Grant Schofield and Kayla unpack the science on creatine, from muscle strength and endurance to brain health, mental health, and metabolic benefits. What’s the evidence, how much should you take, and who can benefit most? Prevention is Cure.
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How much training is enough, and how much is too much?
Prof. Grant Schofield sits down with Prof. Julia Rucklidge, clinical psychologist, University of Canterbury researcher, and one of the world's leading voices on micronutrients and mental health, for a wide-ranging conversation on three decades of research most people have never heard about. Julia walks through the origin story of it all (yes, it really did start with pig farmers in Alberta), then into the studies that built her case: ADHD trials showing improved emotional regulation, faster recovery after the Christchurch earthquakes and mosque attacks in well-nourished populations, and the landmark "NUTRIMUM" pregnancy study, where mothers taking a broad-spectrum micronutrient formula saw dramatically better birth outcomes than those on antidepressants, including a threefold difference in resuscitation rates at birth. From there the conversation turns to the part that will frustrate you: why none of this has translated into practice. Julia unpacks New Zealand's 40-year-old+ Dietary Supplement Regulations, the bizarre legal reality that a supplement is not allowed to claim it can prevent or treat disease (yes, even scurvy), and her own first-hand experience being refused a prescription for the very formula she's spent her career researching. They also cover her newly-teenager emotional dysregulation trial, the reward-system dysregulation driving the "anxious generation," and her new role on the NZ Psychologists Board. If you've ever wondered why good nutrition science doesn't reach GPs, mums, or teenagers who need it, this one's for you. How a pig-feed observation in Alberta led to a career studying micronutrients and mental health Faster recovery from trauma (Christchurch earthquakes, Christchurch mosque attacks) in well-nourished populations The NUTRIMUM pregnancy trial: depression outcomes, birth outcomes, and postnatal depression rates vs. antidepressants Why broad-spectrum micronutrients may work better than single nutrients like vitamin D or B-vitamins alone Reducing emotional dysregulation in teenagers, without a psychiatric diagnosis New Zealand's outdated supplement law (Dietary Supplement Regulations Act, 1985) and why a food "cannot legally prevent or treat disease" Julia's own experience being denied a prescription for daily essential nutrients by her GP The regulatory maze around lithium-containing micronutrient formulas and Medsafe's crackdown What an ideal, evidence-based regulatory environment could look like Reward system dysregulation, dopamine, and the "anxious generation" in young people Julia's new appointment to the NZ Psychologists Board
Prof. Grant Schofield explains ketosis from first principles: what it is, why it matters, and how it differs from simply "eating low carb." We talk about insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome, which affect a significant share of adults today, the surprising wartime origins of chemotherapy. Prevention is Cure is sponsored by Prekure - a New Zealand education organisation with a bold vision: to redefine the future of medicine. Prekure's CEO, Louise Schofield, saw that people weren't getting the support they deserved, and decided to do something about it. Her answer? Train masterful health coaches who can empower people with the knowledge and tools to prevent illness - not just treat it. Feel inspired by these conversations? If you think you might have something to give, maybe you were meant to be a health coach? Learn more at prekure.com.And if you're loving the show - let us know what topics you want us to cover next. We're listening.
In this episode, Grant Schofield sits down with ocean swimmer and activist Jono Ridler, fresh off an extraordinary feat: swimming just shy of 1,400km from North Cape to Wellington in just 90 days. Jono shares what drove him to take on the swim, the physical and mental toll of months in open water, and the deeper mission behind it: raising awareness of what's happening beneath the surface of our oceans, including the impact of bottom trawling on fragile deep sea ecosystems. He talks candidly about training while working full time and raising a young daughter, navigating shark encounters, adapting to dropping water temperatures, and the injuries and setbacks along the way.
Prof Grant Schofield and Dr Louise Schofield are embarking on their annual 5-day fast, and they're sharing everything: the science, the struggles, and the practical tips that make it work.