The Calm Hormone. Progesterone, Men, and the Autism Question with Carol Petersen, RPh

The Calm Hormone. Progesterone, Men, and the Autism Question with Carol Petersen, RPh

Most people think they understand progesterone. Most people, it turns out, get it completely wrong. In this episode, compounding pharmacist Carol Petersen, RPh, CNP, joins Nadia to unpack what this one hormone actually does in the body, for women and for men, and why hormone balance sits underneath so much of what caregivers and their children struggle with every day. Carol has spent more than thirty years on the question most of medicine skips past: what happens when our hormones fall out of balance, and what it actually takes to put them back. Together they walk through how progesterone calms an overstimulated nervous system through its metabolite allopregnanolone and the GABA receptor, the adrenaline-to-cortisol-to-burnout cycle that leaves caregivers wired and exhausted at the same time, and why "sensitive" people may be running low on the cortisol they need to meet their environment. They go deep on the women's side, estrogen dominance and its many signs, progesterone and sleep, and the perimenopause and menopause window when anxiety climbs at the worst possible time. The conversation then turns to a part of the story Carol's own audience rarely hears laid out this way: progesterone in men. Men have progesterone too, and they need it. Carol explains the male nervous system, the androgen load, and the calm that men are often missing, and Nadia poses the question at the center of the episode: autism shows up far more often in boys and men than in girls and women, so does the wired, overstimulated, under-calmed picture rhyme with what so many caregivers see in their sons, and in themselves? This is not a claim that progesterone treats autism. It is a question worth asking. "Estrogen can induce anxiety and progesterone will relieve it." - Carol Petersen, RPh, CNP CONNECT WITH CAROL PETERSEN Website: https://thewellnessbydesignproject.com/ Coaching: https://thewellnessbydesignproject.com/coaching/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thewellnessbydesignproject LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carol-petersen-71514220/ CONNECT WITH BIOHACKING AUTISM Website: https://biohackautism.com Listen, follow, and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts, and on YouTube. SUBSCRIBE If this episode gave you a new way to look at hormones, calm, and caregiving, follow Biohacking Autism and share it with someone who needs it. New episodes every Monday. PRODUCTS AND RESOURCES MENTIONED Progesterone deficiency symptoms (Carol's reference list): https://thewellnessbydesignproject.com/2022/08/symptoms-of-progesterone-deficiency/ - the catalog of progesterone-deficiency symptoms Carol references in the episode. Ray Peat's research archive: https://raypeat.com/ - foundational work on progesterone and hormones referenced in the conversation. Pregnenolone (25 mg option): https://amzn.to/441xGnt - the precursor hormone discussed for calm and cognition. Pregnenolone (100 mg option): https://amzn.to/4xXBT9f - higher-dose option of the same. DHEA: https://amzn.to/4gMHNnx - adrenal hormone discussed in the hormone-balance picture. Creatine: https://amzn.to/3Rg0965 - discussed for energy and cellular support. Betaine: https://amzn.to/3QzK8aZ - methylation support discussed in the episode. TMG (trimethylglycine): https://amzn.to/4bhvYSI - methyl-donor support. NAC: https://amzn.to/4y43F4i - discussed for glutathione and detoxification support. Calcium d-glucarate: https://amzn.to/4p08bwz - discussed for estrogen clearance and detoxification. Sulforaphane: https://amzn.to/4oZCiEc - discussed in the detoxification context. SAMe: https://amzn.to/4gkXmTv - methylation and mood support discussed on-mic. ABOUT CAROL PETERSEN Carol Petersen, RPh, CNP, is a compounding pharmacist and certified nutritional practitioner with more than thirty years of experience in hormone health. Her work centers on restoring hormone balance, with particular attention to progesterone, the nervous system, and the questions conventional medicine tends to skip. She writes and educates through The Wellness By Design Project and works directly with families on hormone and nervous-system support. MEDICAL DISCLAIMER This episode is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice. Always consult with a qualified healthcare provider before making changes to your health protocol or your child's protocol. This conversation discusses hormones, including progesterone, pregnenolone, and DHEA, as well as prescription and compounded compounds and specific dosages named on-mic. Nothing here is a recommendation to start, stop, or change any hormone, supplement, or medication. Carol Petersen holds professional affiliate relationships with certain brands she may name, and runs a paid consulting and lab-ordering practice. ABOUT THE SHOW Biohacking Autism with Nadia Elkhatib explores integrative health, hormone balance, nervous-system regulation, and real solutions for people with autism and the caregivers who love them. New episodes every Monday.

A Stanford Scientist's Bold Plan to Slow Aging | Dr. Ronjon Nag, OBE on Healthspan for Caregivers

What is Silicon Valley actually funding in longevity, and what can cutting-edge aging science teach us about autism and chronic illness? Nadia sits down with Dr. Ronjon Nag, OBE, an AI pioneer turned Stanford genetics professor and longevity investor behind the R42 fund. Ronjon built some of the earliest neural networks that modern AI rests on, shipped voice recognition and the first mobile app store, sold companies to Apple, Motorola, and BlackBerry, and then pointed everything he knew at one of the biggest problems there is: aging. The conversation is a tour of the frontier. Ronjon explains his vaccine for aging and why he starts with cancer as the proof of concept, what AI now makes possible in drug discovery and clinical research, how he invests across roughly 100 companies through R42, and how epigenetic reprogramming can take a cell back toward age zero. They get into the GLP-1 conversation, NeuroAge and cognitive testing, why menopause and women's health are an obvious next frontier, and the lifestyle medicine pillars he personally lives by. The throughline for this audience: what we learn chasing longevity extends straight into autism, Alzheimer's, and chronic disease. Every healthy year is another year of capacity to care for the person who needs you. Healthspan, not just lifespan. "Every healthy year is another year of capacity to care for the person who needs you." - Nadia Elkhatib CONNECT WITH DR. RONJON NAG LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ronjonnag/ R42 Group (portfolio): https://www.r42group.com/ R42 Institute: https://www.r42institute.com/ R42 Institute AI Fellows Program: https://www.r42institute.com/r42-institute-ai-fellows-program R42 Founders Program: https://www.r42institute.com/r42-founders-program R42 Longevity Series: https://www.r42institute.com/longevity-series R42 University (Luma): https://luma.com/r42university Stanford courses (ExploreCourses): https://explorecourses.stanford.edu/instructor/ronjon Stanford AI Longevity Lab Certificate Course: https://med.stanford.edu/genetics/events/Stanford_AI_Longevity_Lab_Certificate_Course1.html Stanford Medicine profile: https://med.stanford.edu/profiles/ronjon-nag Stanford DCI profile: https://dci.stanford.edu/ronjon-nag_impact-in-classroom/ Agemica: https://www.agemica.com/ CONNECT WITH BIOHACKING AUTISM Website: https://biohackautism.com Instagram: @biohackautism TikTok: @biohackingautism YouTube: @BiohackingAutism LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nadiaelkhatib Email: nadia@biohackautism.com SUBSCRIBE If this conversation shifted how you think about your own healthspan, follow Biohacking Autism wherever you are listening, and pass this episode along to another parent or caregiver who needs to hear that taking care of themselves is not selfish. It is how you stay in the game for the person who is counting on you. PRODUCTS AND RESOURCES MENTIONED Magnesium: https://amzn.to/3SrNqh5 Glycine: https://amzn.to/4wbIdZ5 Zinc: https://amzn.to/4wivi7P Low dose naltrexone (LDN): https://agelessrx.com/ldn-science/ Fish oil: https://amzn.to/4eOhtqr Creatine: https://amzn.to/4vnPXXr Vitamin C: https://amzn.to/4w8LHvm Copper: https://amzn.to/4vIgxeE Vitamin D: https://amzn.to/4xWUAdm Thymus bioregulator (Vladonix): https://vita-stream.com/a-6-vladonix-peptide-bioregulator-vladonix/ Pivot (GLP-1 food): https://getpivot.com Mimeo Health (intermittent fasting mimic): https://mimeo.health NeuroAge (cognitive testing): https://www.neuroagetx.com/ ABOUT THE GUEST Dr. Ronjon Nag, OBE, is an adjunct professor of genetics at Stanford, a longevity investor, and an inventor. He built some of the earliest neural networks behind modern AI, founded companies acquired by Apple, Motorola, and BlackBerry, appeared on the cover of Fortune in 1993, and is a member of the Silicon Valley Engineering Hall of Fame. He was named an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for his contributions to entrepreneurship and AI. Through the R42 fund and the R42 Institute, he invests in and teaches the science of aging. MEDICAL DISCLAIMER This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. The content reflects the personal views and experiences of the host and guest and should not be taken as medical guidance. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before making any changes to your health regimen. This episode discusses specific compounds and protocols, including GLP-1, glycine, magnesium, zinc, low dose naltrexone, fish oil, creatine, peptides, and bioregulators. These are discussed for educational purposes only and are not recommendations. Always consult your clinician before changing any protocol.

Jobs for Adults With Autism: What This Investor and Father Learned in 15 Years

Autism employment is one of the biggest questions parents carry: what happens when my child grows up, and will they find real work and purpose? In this episode on jobs for adults with autism, venture capitalist and autism dad Brian Jacobs shares what 15 years of investing in autism employment and raising a son on the spectrum taught him about preparing your child with autism for adulthood. We get into why there is no single fix, why the job interview is an unfair social test for many on the spectrum, the small workplace accommodations that make the biggest difference, how AI could close the gap for adults with autism, and what meaningful work looks like for nonverbal and low-verbal young adults. It is a hopeful, practical conversation for any parent thinking about their child's working future. "The parents are the soldiers in the war. They are out there talking about it and making it okay to talk about employment for people on the spectrum." - Brian Jacobs Connect with Brian Jacobs: Moai Capital: https://www.moai.vc/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianjacobsvc/ Autism Impact Fund: https://autismimpact.fund/ AASCEND: https://www.aascend.org/ AASCEND Job Club: https://www.aascendjobclub.org/ Stanford Graduate School of Business faculty page: https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/faculty-research/faculty/brian-jacobs Connect with Biohacking Autism: Website: https://biohackautism.com Email: nadia@biohackautism.com Instagram: @biohackautism TikTok: @biohackingautism YouTube: @BiohackingAutism LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nadiaelkhatib Subscribe to Biohacking Autism wherever you listen, and on YouTube, so you never miss a weekly episode. Companies and organizations mentioned: Ultranauts: https://ultranauts.co/ Daivergent: https://www.daivergent.com/ Auticon: https://auticon.com/ About Brian Jacobs: Brian Jacobs is a co-founder of Emergence Capital and the founder and Managing Partner of Moai Capital, a seed fund based in San Mateo. Over a career investing in technology startups, he has served on the boards of more than fifty companies, twelve of which have gone public, and he was twice named to the Forbes Midas List of top venture investors. He teaches venture capital financing at the Stanford Graduate School of Business and holds degrees in mechanical engineering from MIT and an MBA from Stanford. Through Moai Capital, Brian invests in companies expanding employment for adults on the spectrum, including Ultranauts, Daivergent, and Auticon, and he is a founding Limited Partner of the Autism Impact Fund. He also serves on the board of AASCEND, the Autism Aspergers Spectrum Coalition for Education, Networking and Development. He is the father of an adult son on the spectrum who works today as a software engineer. Medical disclaimer: This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking it because of something you have heard on this podcast.

The Parent Is the Intervention | Len Arcuri on Leading Your Child's Autism Journey

What if the most powerful autism intervention is not a protocol but the parent? In this episode of Biohacking Autism, Nadia Elkhatib sits down with Len Arcuri, host of Autism Parenting Secrets and founder of All In Parent Coaching. Len came to this work as a dad first. A former finance executive and Six Sigma Master Black Belt, he met his son's diagnosis the way many of us do, by going into fix-it mode and treating his child as a problem to solve. What changed everything was the realization that the belief "my child is broken" was the very thing keeping him from meeting his son where he was. Len and Nadia walk through the shift from fixing your child to leading your child's journey, and the two-step sequence at the heart of his work: unconditional acceptance first, root-cause strategy second. They get honest about parental guilt, why beating yourself up to be a better parent is a strategy that can never work, and how to protect your energy without empty self-care language. Len shares his decision framework for parents drowning in protocols, the CEO-and-caddy model for owning the plan while using good advisors, and why asking for help is not giving up, it is refusing to give up. "Asking for help is not giving up. It's refusing to give up." — Len Arcuri Connect with Len Arcuri Website and free assessment: https://elevatehowyounavigate.com/ Podcast: Autism Parenting Secrets (available on all major platforms) https://autismparentingsecrets.com/ [https://autismparentingsecrets.com/] IG: https://www.instagram.com/autismparentingsecrets [https://www.instagram.com/autismparentingsecrets] FB: https://www.facebook.com/autismparentingsecrets [https://www.facebook.com/autismparentingsecrets] Connect with Biohacking Autism Website: https://biohackautism.com Instagram: @biohackautism TikTok: @biohackingautism YouTube: @BiohackingAutism LinkedIn: /in/nadiaelkhatib Email: nadia@biohackautism.com Subscribe to Biohacking Autism so the next conversation finds you. If this episode gave you one idea or a breath of relief, share it with another parent who needs it. Products and Resources Mentioned All In Parent Coaching and the parent assessment / power score: https://elevatehowyounavigate.com/ The twin study case study referenced by Len: D'Adamo CR, Nelson JL, Miller SN, Rickert Hong M, Lambert E, Tallman Ruhm H. Reversal of Autism Symptoms among Dizygotic Twins through a Personalized Lifestyle and Environmental Modification Approach: A Case Report and Review of the Literature. J Pers Med. 2024 Jun 15;14(6):641. doi: 10.3390/jpm14060641. PMID: 38929862; PMCID: PMC11205016. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11205016/ [https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11205016/] ATEC (Autism Treatment Evaluation Checklist): proxy measure referenced for tracking progress https://autism.org/autism-treatment-evaluation-checklist/ [https://autism.org/autism-treatment-evaluation-checklist/] About Len Arcuri Len Arcuri is the host of Autism Parenting Secrets, one of the most listened-to podcasts for parents in this space, with over 300 episodes and approaching a million downloads. He is the founder of All In Parent Coaching, where he works one-on-one with parents of children with autism to help them lead their child's journey with clarity and calm. A former finance executive and certified Six Sigma Master Black Belt, Len brings a systems-and-strategy background to the inner work of parenting, after walking the journey himself with his now-19-year-old son. Medical Disclaimer This episode is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice. Always consult with a qualified healthcare provider before making changes to your health protocol or your child's protocol. This conversation references functional and integrative approaches, supplements, and modalities such as homeopathy; these reflect the guest's personal family experience and are not recommendations for any individual child.

The Weight Loss Lie: What Finally Worked After Years of Failing (Hormones, GLP-1, and Metabolic Health)

For most of her adult life, Nadia believed weight loss was a math problem. Calories in, calories out. If the math was not working, the problem was her. In this solo episode she walks through what was actually happening: a body in metabolic distress, sending a signal for years that nobody, including her, was listening to. The short answer, "I am on a GLP," is true but incomplete. The real story is hormonal. Insulin resistance. Leptin resistance. A struggling thyroid with Hashimoto's. Collapsing sex hormones in perimenopause. Nadia shares the numbers that rewrote her decade, why she gained weight on one of the most effective weight loss medications ever made, and what finally shifted once she stopped chasing the scale and started fixing the signaling. The weight, it turns out, was downstream the whole time. This is also a caregiver conversation. For autism parents and caregivers, metabolic health is not vanity. It is the load-bearing wall of the life you are responsible for building. Inside: insulin and leptin explained, why microdosing changed everything, the daily protocol in plain English (protein, electrolytes, amino acids, digestive enzymes, lifting, walking), and why insulin resistance is a precursor to cardiovascular disease, several cancers, and the condition now described as type 3 diabetes, which is Alzheimer's. Near the close, Nadia hints at something she has been quietly working on. More on that soon. "Your weight is not your worth. Your weight is information. It is a flag your body has planted, telling you something upstream needs attention." CONNECT WITH BIOHACKING AUTISM Website: https://biohackautism.com [https://biohackautism.com] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/biohackautism [https://www.instagram.com/biohackautism] TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@biohackingautism [https://www.tiktok.com/@biohackingautism] YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BiohackingAutism [https://www.youtube.com/@BiohackingAutism] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nadiaelkhatib [https://www.linkedin.com/in/nadiaelkhatib] Email: nadia@biohackautism.com [nadia@biohackautism.com] SUBSCRIBE If you want to be first to hear what is coming next, subscribe to the show wherever you listen and follow along on social. PRODUCTS AND RESOURCES MENTIONED Electrolytes (no added sugar), Nadia's pick: https://amzn.to/4ez6S3L [https://amzn.to/4ez6S3L] Whey protein, Nadia's pick: https://amzn.to/4fxWXN0 [https://amzn.to/4fxWXN0] Amino acids, Nadia's pick: https://amzn.to/4oqFxo4 [https://amzn.to/4oqFxo4] Digestive enzymes, Nadia's pick: https://amzn.to/4eevvlb [https://amzn.to/4eevvlb] The Fixxr (T2 thyroid support, Dr. Amie Hornaman's line): https://amzn.to/43wG3XQ [https://amzn.to/43wG3XQ] Hunter Williams on retatrutide (podcast episode referenced in this episode): https://open.spotify.com/episode/3rCvtt10k3iH0gXWtCSAm0?si=omolrtgoTJK9tVAZY-1heg [https://open.spotify.com/episode/3rCvtt10k3iH0gXWtCSAm0?si=omolrtgoTJK9tVAZY-1heg] RESEARCH REFERENCED IN THIS EPISODE Insulin resistance and cardiovascular disease: DeFronzo et al., "Insulin Resistance and Atherosclerosis: Implications for Insulin-Sensitizing Agents," Endocrine Reviews, 2019. https://academic.oup.com/edrv/article/40/6/1447/5482541 [https://academic.oup.com/edrv/article/40/6/1447/5482541] Alzheimer's as "type 3 diabetes": de la Monte & Wands, "Alzheimer's Disease Is Type 3 Diabetes, Evidence Reviewed," Journal of Diabetes Science and Technology, 2008. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2769828/ [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2769828/] GLP-1 cardiovascular protection: Lincoff et al., "Semaglutide and Cardiovascular Outcomes in Obesity without Diabetes," New England Journal of Medicine, 2023. https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2307563 [https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2307563] GLP-1 and liver fat: Sanyal, Newsome et al., "Phase 3 Trial of Semaglutide in Metabolic Dysfunction Associated Steatohepatitis," New England Journal of Medicine, 2025. https://www.nejm.org/doi/10.1056/NEJMoa2413258 [https://www.nejm.org/doi/10.1056/NEJMoa2413258] GLP-1 and alcohol craving (emerging research): Hendershot et al., "Once Weekly Semaglutide in Adults With Alcohol Use Disorder: A Randomized Clinical Trial," JAMA Psychiatry, 2025. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11822619/ [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11822619/] GLP-1 and mitochondrial function (emerging research): Old et al., "The Effects of GLP-1 Receptor Agonists on Mitochondrial Function Within Skeletal Muscle: A Systematic Review," Journal of Cachexia, Sarcopenia and Muscle, 2025. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/jcsm.13677 [https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/jcsm.13677] Leptin resistance and satiety signaling: "Leptin signaling and its central role in energy homeostasis," Frontiers in Neuroscience, 2023. https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/neuroscience/articles/10.3389/fnins.2023.1238528/full [https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/neuroscience/articles/10.3389/fnins.2023.1238528/full] Reverse T3 and impaired T4 to T3 conversion: Halsall & Oddy, "Clinical and laboratory aspects of 3,3',5'-triiodothyronine (reverse T3)," Annals of Clinical Biochemistry, 2021. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0004563220969150 [https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0004563220969150] Muscle loss with age and muscle as the site of insulin sensitivity: Cleasby et al., "Insulin resistance and sarcopenia: mechanistic links between common co-morbidities," Journal of Endocrinology, 2016. https://joe.bioscientifica.com/view/journals/joe/229/2/R67.xml [https://joe.bioscientifica.com/view/journals/joe/229/2/R67.xml] ABOUT Biohacking Autism with Nadia Elkhatib explores evidence informed, integrative health for autism families: functional medicine, peptides, metabolic health, hormones, caregiver longevity, and the science of feeling well. New episodes weekly. MEDICAL DISCLAIMER This episode is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice. Always consult with a qualified healthcare provider before making changes to your health protocol or your child's protocol. This episode shares Nadia's personal experience under the supervision of licensed clinicians. The medications, peptides, and hormone therapies described, including GLP medications, retatrutide, semaglutide, tirzepatide, thyroid T4, T3, and T2, bioidentical hormone replacement, injectable testosterone, and progesterone, are prescription items, some used off label, and are not appropriate for everyone. They should never be used without a qualified prescribing physician monitoring your labs and your response.