Longevity Optimization with Kayla Barnes-Lentz

When cellular energy production is impaired, no diet, supplement, or health protocol can work as intended.
In this episode, Dr. Chris Masterjohn, nutrition scientist and expert in micronutrients and metabolism, explains why mitochondrial function is the limiting factor behind stalled progress, persistent fatigue, and supplements that stop working over time.
He breaks down why vitamin D supplementation often creates new problems when it is taken without proper nutrient balance, how high doses can disrupt other systems in the body, and why sunlight has biological effects that vitamin D pills alone cannot replicate.
Join the most comprehensive *female-specific community for health and longevity optimization.* After over a decade dedicated to human performance and women’s health, I created this space to share everything you need to know to optimize health and lifespan. Inside, you’ll get access to exclusive protocols, live Q&As, the latest female longevity science, and a private, supportive community of like-minded women.https://kayla-barnes-lentz.circle.so/checkout/become-a-member
This conversation explores:
Why mitochondrial bottlenecks explain most energy and health plateaus

How micronutrient deficiencies undermine supplements and biohacks

When creatine supports cellular energy and why it works differently than most supplements

Why vitamin D supplementation can backfire without context and balance

Why sunlight affects biology in ways supplements cannot replace

How diet, fasting, and exercise interact with mitochondrial capacity

Why optimizing one system often breaks another without proper foundations

Connect with Kayla:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kaylabarnes/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@femalelongevity
Twitter:https://x.com/femalelongevity
Website:https://www.kaylabarnes.com/
Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/4OLWWn22...
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...
Follow Her Female Protocol: https://www.protocol.kaylabarnes.com
Learn more about Dr Chris Masterjohn’s work:
Website: https://www.chrismasterjohn-phd.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chrismasterjohn/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@chrismasterjohn

In this episode, Dr. Jessica Shepard, board-certified OB/GYN and Chief Medical Officer of Hers, shares that the FDA just removed the black box warning on hormone replacement therapy after 23 years.
We discuss what actually happened with the WHI study that created all the fear around estrogen and breast cancer, and why the research never actually supported that narrative.
Dr. Shepard explains why you shouldn't wait until menopause to start the HRT conversation and how starting in your perimenopausal years can make all the difference for long-term health. Dr. Shepard shares the essential labs she runs on patients including ApoB, HbA1c, and thyroid optimization, plus the longevity metrics women should be tracking.
We also get into supplement recommendations including why she recommends 10 grams of creatine daily, the role of inflammation in aging, and how estrogen is naturally anti-inflammatory which is why women see increased cardiovascular risk and metabolic dysfunction after menopause.

Kayla's social + website:
Instagram:  kaylabarnes
TikTok:  femalelongevity
Twitter: https://x.com/femalelongevity
Website: https://www.kaylabarnes.com
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4OLWWn2...
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...
Follow Her Female Protocol: https://www.protocol.kaylabarnes.com
Dr. Jessica Shepherd's social + website:
Website: https://www.jessicashepherdmd.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jessicashepherdmd/
Transform Your Health: https://eudemonia.net/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=kayla-podcast&utm_campaign=jessica-shepherd

What if your blood is what’s making you sick and the key to reversing it is removing it?
In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Khanh Nguyen, a regenerative and anti-aging physician, to explore therapeutic plasma exchange and the rising use of young plasma. We talk detox, autoimmune disease, aging, peptides, and why your blood might be holding you back.

Join the most comprehensive *female-specific community for health and longevity optimization.* After over a decade dedicated to human performance and women’s health, I created this space to share everything you need to know to optimize health and lifespan. Inside, you’ll get access to exclusive protocols, live Q&As, the latest female longevity science, and a private, supportive community of like-minded women.
https://kayla-barnes-lentz.circle.so/...
Kayla's social + website:
Instagram:  kaylabarnes
TikTok:  femalelongevity
Twitter: https://x.com/femalelongevity
Website: https://www.kaylabarnes.com
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4OLWWn2...
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...

Follow Her Female Protocol: https://www.protocol.kaylabarnes.comDr. Khanh's social + website:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/regenwithdrnguyen/
Website: Austin Regenerative Therapy

Is your environment silently sabotaging your fertility?
Dr. Ann Shippy joins the show to reveal how hidden toxins, mold, and overlooked cellular damage may be accelerating ovarian aging and how to reclaim your fertility before it’s too late. From infertility misdiagnoses to rising autism rates, we dive deep into the tests most doctors never run, and the real impact your body’s toxic load has on future generations. 

Kayla's social + website:

Instagram:  kaylabarnes
TikTok:  femalelongevity
Twitter: https://x.com/femalelongevity
Website: https://www.kaylabarnes.com
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4OLWWn2...
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...
Follow Her Female Protocol: https://www.protocol.kaylabarnes.com
Dr. Ann Shippy social + website:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/annshippymd/
Website: https://annshippymd.com/

Ashley Koff is a registered dietitian and author who spent 20 years discovering that weight and health aren't separate issues, they're connected through "weight health hormones." After her own struggles with restrictive eating despite doing everything "right," a functional medicine doctor helped her understand what was actually broken, and that was, her body's natural hormone function.
In this episode, Ashley explains why GLP-1 medications like Ozempic work, who actually needs them, and the critical foundational work required to avoid devastating rebounds. She reveals why current dietary guidelines fail women, shares her free weight health hormone assessment, cuts through the seed oil controversy, and offers practical strategies for eating healthy on any budget.
If you're confused about nutrition, frustrated that eating healthy isn't working, or curious about GLP-1 medications, this conversation provides the clarity you've been missing.

Guest’s socials + website:
Instagram: @ashleykoffapproved
Website: https://thebetternutritionprogram.com/ 
Kayla's social + website:
Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/kaylabarnes/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@femalelongevity
Twitter: https://x.com/femalelongevity
Website: https://www.kaylabarnes.com
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4OLWWn22RGB0argbRPvAaQ
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/longevity-optimization-with-kayla-barnes-lentz/id1591130227
Follow Her Female Protocol:  https://www.protocol.kaylabarnes.com
Become a Member of Kayla's Female Longevity Membership: https://kayla-barnes-lentz.circle.so/checkout/become-a-member