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Robert H. Lustig, MD, MSL

@robertlustigmd.bsky.social
722 followers 1 following 600 posts

Robert H. Lustig, M.D., M.S.L. is Professor emeritus of Pediatrics, Division of Endocrinology at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). He is a global leader in advancing #MetabolicHealth.

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Robert H. Lustig, MD, MSL @robertlustigmd.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
Credit to Metabolica for running this piece from Dr Andreas Kornstädt. They're doing what the food system needs: reframing it, not just reporting on it. Policy, science, and the business of food, all in one place. Read it below. Then check your pantry. 🔗 metabolica.global/a-food-label...
metabolica.global
The app that decodes 250 names for sugar in a snap
Perfact CEO Dr Andreas Kornstädt on how his food-label decision engine turns confusing food labels into a simple thumbs-up, and what that means for shoppers, retailers and manufacturers.
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Robert H. Lustig, MD, MSL @robertlustigmd.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
The food industry has spent decades making the label tough to read, then told you it's your job to read it. Perfact flips that. Scan the product and get a thumbs-up or thumbs-down in a second, with no PhD required. You pick the criteria (keto, allergens, whatever matters to you).
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Robert H. Lustig, MD, MSL @robertlustigmd.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
There are 250+ names for sugar on a food label. That's camouflage. The food industry has spent decades making the label tough to read, then told you it's your job to read it. Perfact flips that. Scan the product and get a thumbs-up or thumbs-down in a second, with no PhD required.
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Robert H. Lustig, MD, MSL @robertlustigmd.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
This study found that eating sugar while on antibiotics made gut damage worse and fueled the growth of a harmful bacterium. Feed the garden, not the weeds? (via Nature) www.nature.com/articles/s41...
nature.com
Sugar-rich foods exacerbate antibiotic-induced microbiome disruption - Nature
Avoiding a diet rich in simple sugars during treatment with antibiotics may mitigate microbiota disruption.
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Robert H. Lustig, MD, MSL @robertlustigmd.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
I'm all for fixing the food supply. That includes environmental toxins. But if you think that will fix the problem, I have a bridge to sell you. www.theguardian.com/business/202...
theguardian.com
A ‘freaked out’ US food industry is hitting back at Maha – with social media influencers
Cross-partisan support in Washington on issues like pesticides and food additives pose a threat to the industry’s bottom line
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Robert H. Lustig, MD, MSL @robertlustigmd.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
But infections also cause mitochondrial dysfunction. And RFK isn't even interested in handling that, quite the opposite (e.g. raw milk). And most importantly, specific foods cause mitochondrial dysfunction. In particular, sugar and heated fats. He pays lip service to sugar, but nothing substantive.
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Robert H. Lustig, MD, MSL @robertlustigmd.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
RFK is right. And he's wrong. Yes, dyes and pesticides and toxins damage health, because they cause mitochondrial dysfunction. He's right to focus on that.
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Robert H. Lustig, MD, MSL @robertlustigmd.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
It's a start... www.sfgate.com/food/article...
sfgate.com
New warning sign coming to Calif. fast food menus after Newsom signs law
The law is expected to add better transparency for customers.
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Robert H. Lustig, MD, MSL @robertlustigmd.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
He calls it what it is: privatized profits and socialized costs. It might not show on the supermarket receipt, but somebody always pays. We've been worried about the price of food. We should be worried about its cost. Read the details here: metabolicmatrix.info/2026/09/the-...
metabolicmatrix.info
The False Economy of Big Food - Analysis - metabolicmatrix.info
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Robert H. Lustig, MD, MSL @robertlustigmd.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
Jackson cites my work and asks whether Big Food is selling food at all. Real food protects the liver, feeds the gut, and supports the brain. Ultra-processed products strip out the fiber, load in the sugar, and are not engineered for your metabolism.
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Robert H. Lustig, MD, MSL @robertlustigmd.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
Is Big Food really selling food? Professor Tim Jackson has analyzed the updated report called The False Economy of Big Food, and the numbers are worse than two years ago. The hidden health cost of Britain's diet has gone from £268 billion to £298 billion a year.
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Robert H. Lustig, MD, MSL @robertlustigmd.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
It includes more than 250 names for sugar used in processed foods and beverages. Check it out: robertlustig.com/added-sugar-...
robertlustig.com
Added Sugar Repository | Robert Lustig Website
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Robert H. Lustig, MD, MSL @robertlustigmd.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
The Added Sugar Repository (ASR) was originally made by the Eradicate Childhood Obesity Foundation (EChO), in collaboration with Perfact, to serve as a public reference for the many names of added sugar used in the U.S. food industry. This list of extends beyond the information provided by the FDA.
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Robert H. Lustig, MD, MSL @robertlustigmd.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
I want to once again highlight the amazing work happening at Eat Real, the organization already reaching school cafeterias of over 1,000,000 students: youtu.be/09fcalAQxHA?...
youtu.be
Tips for healthy school lunches your kids will actually eat
YouTube video by CBS Mornings
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Robert H. Lustig, MD, MSL @robertlustigmd.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
Long-form podcasts are one of the last places this kind of nuance gets room to breathe. If the title got your attention, good. Listen to the whole thing at the link below, then turn to Metabolical to read the footnotes. www.youtube.com/watch?v=4DWK...
youtube.com
The Glucose Expert: The Only Proven Way To Lose Weight Fast! Calorie Counting Is A Load of BS!
YouTube video by The Diary Of A CEO
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Robert H. Lustig, MD, MSL @robertlustigmd.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
Two years ago, I sat down with Steven Bartlett for almost two hours. Here's the part that clips leave out: a calorie of glucose and a calorie of fructose are not metabolized the same way. Count them the same, and you're doing bad math...
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Robert H. Lustig, MD, MSL @robertlustigmd.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
Long-form podcasts are one of the last places this kind of nuance gets room to breathe. If the title got your attention, good. Listen to the whole things, then turn to Metabolical to read the footnotes. www.youtube.com/watch?v=4DWK...
youtube.com
The Glucose Expert: The Only Proven Way To Lose Weight Fast! Calorie Counting Is A Load of BS!
YouTube video by The Diary Of A CEO
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Robert H. Lustig, MD, MSL @robertlustigmd.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Is sugar a primary driver of Alzheimer's Disease? There's data to support it, plus there are several clear mechanisms. But is it causative? Dr. Rick Johnson and talked it out, circa 2023: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/2...
podcasts.apple.com
#214 - Is fructose a driver of Alzheimer’s disease? | Dr. Richard Johnson & Dr. Rob Lustig
Podcast Episode · LEVELS – A Whole New Level · May 25, 2023 · 1h 7m
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Robert H. Lustig, MD, MSL @robertlustigmd.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Real food is alive and complex.
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Robert H. Lustig, MD, MSL @robertlustigmd.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
Sugar ages you. How come? Want to live longer? Here is the skinny with Julia Bradbury : www.youtube.com/watch?v=ung6...
youtube.com
Sugar Is Ageing You | Dr Robert Lustig
YouTube video by Julia Bradbury
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Robert H. Lustig, MD, MSL @robertlustigmd.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
Back in 2022 I wrote that the way to stand up to Silicon Valley starts with refusing to buy the thing they just told you that you need. It was true then, and it's been true with every iPhone launch since: qz.com/1075265/dont...
qz.com
Want to stop letting Silicon Valley control our lives? Refuse to buy the new iPhones
Today marks the debut of Apple’s iPhone 8 and iPhone X—the latter a $1,000 piece of equipment rumored to deliver a stunning augmented reality experience. As a technological feat, the phone’s augmented...
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Robert H. Lustig, MD, MSL @robertlustigmd.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
The problem is: if you don’t fix the leak in the roof, you won’t have a house.
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Robert H. Lustig, MD, MSL @robertlustigmd.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
Building new things is only half the battle. Then comes translating innovation into better care, better outcomes, and ultimately, better health for patients. I look forward to being part of the conversation. More info & register online here: 2026.worldmedicalinnovation.org
2026.worldmedicalinnovation.org
Home - 2026 World Medical Innovation Forum
World Medical Innovation Forum
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Robert H. Lustig, MD, MSL @robertlustigmd.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
In case you missed it: I’m looking forward to speaking at the World Medical Innovation Forum in Boston, September 22nd–23rd. The Forum brings together leaders across healthcare, life sciences, and investment to examine what is driving innovation.
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Robert H. Lustig, MD, MSL @robertlustigmd.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
Diet sweeteners might trick your tongue, but they don’t trick your body.
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Robert H. Lustig, MD, MSL @robertlustigmd.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
Easy. Sugar is addictive. Price fixing guarantees an inflated cost and greater profit for a commodity we can't say no to. There are still some naysayers out there who think that sugar isn't addictive. Well, this is just one more log on the fire. www.foodnavigator.com/Article/2026...
foodnavigator.com
General Mills, Kellanova, Mars and McKee Foods sue sugar producers over alleged price-fixing
General Mills, Kellanova, Mars and McKee Foods allege US sugar producers coordinated sensitive information to inflate granulated-sugar prices.
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Robert H. Lustig, MD, MSL @robertlustigmd.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
With so many sugar producers out there, and with sugar tariffs in place (since about 1790 — one of the oldest pieces of legislation in US history), how can there be sugar price fixing?
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Robert H. Lustig, MD, MSL @robertlustigmd.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
Believe it or not, I spoke to Alec Baldwin back in 2012 (back when Bloomberg was NYC's mayor). We talked about, among other things, explosive popularity of sugar alternatives. 28 minutes and you can listen for free: www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/her...
wnycstudios.org
Robert Lustig | Here's the Thing | WNYC Studios
According to Lustig, sugar is as addictive as cocaine, heroin and crack, and it is producing the fattest, least-healthy Americans yet.  
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Robert H. Lustig, MD, MSL @robertlustigmd.bsky.social · 13/09/2026
The good news? We've entered an era where technology and science may finally allow us to ask better questions... metabolica.global/we-know-much...
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Robert H. Lustig, MD, MSL @robertlustigmd.bsky.social · 13/09/2026
Another expert piece from Metabolica, this time from Dr Tracy Shafizadeh. We like to think we understand food. We know what’s “healthy”, we know what’s “unhealthy.” We know what we should eat. But the deeper we look, the more complicated the picture becomes.
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Robert H. Lustig, MD, MSL @robertlustigmd.bsky.social · 13/09/2026
The good news? We've entered an era where technology and science may finally allow us to ask better questions... metabolica.global/we-know-much...
metabolica.global
Food Composition Science: Understanding Nutrients Deeply - Metabolica
A deep dive into food composition with Dr Tracy Shafizadeh, and why mapping food compounds could reshape nutrition, farming and medicine.
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Robert H. Lustig, MD, MSL @robertlustigmd.bsky.social · 12/09/2026
Metabolism is as efficient as its fuel.
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Robert H. Lustig, MD, MSL @robertlustigmd.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
Because innovation in healthcare is not simply about what we can build. It’s about whether we can translate that innovation into better health, better care, and better outcomes for patients. More info & register online here: 2026.worldmedicalinnovation.org
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Robert H. Lustig, MD, MSL @robertlustigmd.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
I’m pleased to be speaking at the World Medical Innovation Forum, September 22–23, in Boston. The Forum brings together leaders across healthcare, life sciences, and investment to examine what’s driving innovation.
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Robert H. Lustig, MD, MSL @robertlustigmd.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
Enjoy Professor Barry M. Popkin's article via Metabolica - a space where science, policy, industry, and investment converge around lasting metabolic health. metabolica.global/big-food-des...
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Robert H. Lustig, MD, MSL @robertlustigmd.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
We examine not just what the research says, but the economic incentives shaping what we eat... and, ultimately, our health. youtu.be/OeltyHXwyNA?...
youtu.be
Everything You Know About Calories Is Wrong | Dr. Robert Lustig
YouTube video by Return on Health
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Robert H. Lustig, MD, MSL @robertlustigmd.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
Niko, Miguel, and I unpack the science and the systems driving our metabolic health - from sugar restriction and controlled feeding trials to ultra-processed food, agricultural subsidies, and the food industry’s influence on nutrition science.
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Robert H. Lustig, MD, MSL @robertlustigmd.bsky.social · 05/09/2026
Food system updates and top-notch insights, all in one place. Check out Metabolica, a new platform: metabolica.global
metabolica.global
Homepage - Metabolica
A space where science, policy, industry, and investment converge around a single, urgent question: how do we build a sustainable food system that supports lasting metabolic health?
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Robert H. Lustig, MD, MSL @robertlustigmd.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
The food industry cannot be given carte blanche.
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Robert H. Lustig, MD, MSL @robertlustigmd.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
In case you missed it, I sat down with Dr. Rachel Gow on the Nutritious Minds Podcast to talk about, among other things, the systems that shape our health. What happens when these systems are under pressure? open.spotify.com/episode/7Hll...
open.spotify.com
The Metabolic Mind: Sugar, Addiction & Ultra-Processed Food with Guest, Dr Robert Lustig
Nutritious Minds Podcast · Episode
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Robert H. Lustig, MD, MSL @robertlustigmd.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
Real food is whole food with a minimum number of ingredients and no “food-like” additives. While most of us probably know what real food is, the sophisticated marketing engine of the processed food industry loves to manipulate the idea to justify selling you more junk.
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Robert H. Lustig, MD, MSL @robertlustigmd.bsky.social · 30/08/2026
There’s a lot to think about, and I’m excited to be part of the conversation. Get your Early Bird tickets here: mindhealth360.acemlnb.com/lt.php?x=4lZ...
mindhealth360.acemlnb.com
IMMH 2026 - IMMH
Secure your spot with IMMH 2026 Early Access. Join us for world-class speakers and topics in mental health care.
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Robert H. Lustig, MD, MSL @robertlustigmd.bsky.social · 30/08/2026
We’ll take an integrative look at both substance and behavioral addictions, exploring how root-cause, personalized, and precision approaches may help us better understand vulnerability, support recovery, and build long-term resilience.
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Robert H. Lustig, MD, MSL @robertlustigmd.bsky.social · 30/08/2026
Addiction is incredibly complex; its development and recovery can be influenced by an interplay of factors. At the Integrative Medicine for Mental Health (IMMH) Conference 2026, I’ll be joining an incredible panel of experts for “Rethinking Addiction: An Integrative Mental Health Panel.”
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Robert H. Lustig, MD, MSL @robertlustigmd.bsky.social · 30/08/2026
When are they gonna dump the sugar? www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news...
nbcnews.com
Lucky Charms and Trix go au naturel as General Mills ditches artificial colors
The Minneapolis company has shifted to fruit- and vegetable-based dyes, as well as colors derived from spices like turmeric and paprika, to give its cereals their customary bright colors.
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Robert H. Lustig, MD, MSL @robertlustigmd.bsky.social · 28/08/2026
In this interview with my long-time friend and colleague, Dr. Rachel Gow, we dissect the connections between each of these sectors and the primacy of food in the pathogenesis of what is called the "polycrisis" (also the primacy of food to get us out of it). open.spotify.com/episode/7Hll...
open.spotify.com
The Metabolic Mind: Sugar, Addiction & Ultra-Processed Food with Guest, Dr Robert Lustig
Nutritious Minds Podcast · Episode
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Robert H. Lustig, MD, MSL @robertlustigmd.bsky.social · 28/08/2026
To understand the linkage between our systemic, mental, societal, and planetary health crises, you have to understand the mitochondria. How they work, what makes them crash and burn.
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Robert H. Lustig, MD, MSL @robertlustigmd.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
This problem is not going away until Section 230, which says that social media platforms are not responsible for content posted by others, is repealed. Congress had better get to work — BEFORE the election. www.nytimes.com/2026/08/26/t...
nytimes.com
Meta to Pay Up to $17.1 Billion in Landmark Settlement Over Social Media Addiction Claims
The social media giant settled with 47 states, the District of Columbia and U.S. territories, and agreed to make major changes to its products over claims its platforms endangered children.
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Robert H. Lustig, MD, MSL @robertlustigmd.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
Meta settled because they knew what they had done. And now, everyone knows it. Social media shows behavioral addictions are as dangerous as chemical addictions. Cocaine and heroin are illegal, but Instagram is the preferred method of communication for young people.
nytimes.com
Meta to Pay Up to $17.1 Billion in Landmark Settlement Over Social Media Addiction Claims
The social media giant settled with 47 states, the District of Columbia and U.S. territories, and agreed to make major changes to its products over claims its platforms endangered children.
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Robert H. Lustig, MD, MSL @robertlustigmd.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
The Western Diet is in the center aisles...
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