2026 Pauling Award Winner Reveals the Truth About Hormones & GLP-1s

2026 Pauling Award Winner Reveals the Truth About Hormones & GLP-1s

Author: Functional Forum August 24, 2026 Duration: 24:59

What does it take to earn functional medicine's highest honor?

In this live episode from the Institute for Functional Medicine's 33rd Annual International Conference, host James Maskell sits down with Joel Evans, MD, FMCP-M, recipient of the 2026 Linus and Ava Helen Pauling Award in Functional Medicine — awarded to Joel Evans, MD, FMCP-M in recognition of his career-long contributions to the field.

Joel Evans, MD, FMCP-M shares the story of his journey from OB-GYN to functional medicine leader, crediting Jeff Bland and Bethany Hayes for pulling him into the field early on. He discusses why women's health has reached a tipping point — driven by demographic shifts in menopause and perimenopause and the fading of old prohibitions against hormone therapy — and why he's concerned about the wave of unvetted hormone-health advice flooding social media.

Joel Evans, MD, FMCP-M also breaks down the three hottest areas in women's health right now: metabolic flexibility, mitochondrial health, and the judicious use of GLP-1s, plus a cutting-edge use of FSH testing to fine-tune hormone dosing.

Whether you're a practitioner, patient, or simply curious about where women's health is headed, this episode offers a firsthand look at the wisdom behind this year's Pauling Award win.

- - - - -

About the Guest:

Joel Evans, MD, FMCP-M is the recipient of the 2026 Linus and Ava Helen Pauling Award in Functional Medicine, awarded at The Institute for Functional Medicine's 33rd Annual International Conference. Joel Evans, MD, FMCP-M is an OB-GYN and longtime leader in functional medicine's approach to women's health, having served on the scientific advisory board of Metagenics and led hormone health education for IFM.

- - - - -

Social Handles:

Website: https://www.jamesmaskell.com/

X: https://x.com/mrjamesmaskell

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mrjamesmaskell

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jamesedwardmaskell/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesmaskell

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/FunctionalForum

- - - - -

Evolution of Medicine™ Mission Partners:

TrueNeura: https://truneura.com/trunuera

Fullscript Journeys: https://fullscript.com/lp/journeys-james-maskell

Big Boost Marketing: https://goevomed.com/bigboost

Freedom Practice Training: https://goevomed.com/fpc

Genova Diagnostics: https://goevomed.com/genova

- - - - -

PODCAST

Thank you for listening.

Please subscribe and share.

This podcast is produced by DrTalks.com

https://drtalks.com/podcast-service/


Hosted by the Functional Forum, Evolution of Medicine Podcast sits at the intersection of health, fitness, and alternative approaches to well-being. It’s a space for conversations that go beyond conventional treatment, exploring the ideas and practitioners actively reshaping how we think about care. Each episode features in-depth discussions with clinicians, researchers, and thought leaders who are redefining the patient journey. You’ll hear practical insights into functional medicine, preventative strategies, and the nuanced connections between lifestyle, nutrition, and long-term health. This podcast digs into the real-world application of these evolving principles, offering listeners a forward-looking perspective on what it means to truly support the body's innate capacity for healing. Tune in for a thoughtful exploration of the systems, science, and stories driving this shift, providing a valuable resource for both healthcare professionals and anyone invested in taking a more active role in their own wellness. The dialogue here is dedicated to understanding the full spectrum of what modern medicine can become.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

Evolution of Medicine Podcast
Podcast Episodes
Grokipedia Deep Dive and More! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 25:03
Last week, I shared the differences in entries between Wikipedia and Grokipedia and why that shift represents a turning point for functional medicine. This week on The Evolution of Medicine Podcast, we take a deeper dive…
Everyone's Brain Needs Primary Prevention [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:21
This week on the Evolution of Medicine Podcast, we dive into primary prevention – and why it's the future of health. Dr. Eric Topol recently published an article lamenting medicine's lack of progress in the big three kil…
The Consumer Lab Wars [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 54:45
The Evolution of Medicine podcast returns with a deep dive into the seismic shifts reshaping healthcare – from the explosion of direct-to-consumer lab testing to the most disingenuous pharmaceutical commercial ever made.…
Network Sufficiency [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:29
The Evolution of Medicine podcast is back – weekly, longer-form, and laser-focused on giving practitioners the news, tools, and frameworks to reverse chronic disease at scale. In this premiere of "season two," host James…
Reclaiming Kidney Health: A Functional Medicine Journey [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:42
When experienced integrative physician Dr. Robin Rose discovered she had a kidney tumor and early signs of kidney disease, she was shocked—but determined. What followed was a deep dive into an often-overlooked aspect of…
How Foodom Is Transforming Healthcare: Chef-Powered Food as Medicine [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:18
What if health plans could cover in-home chef services to improve patient outcomes? In this episode, James Maskell sits down with Renata Jenik, founder of Foodom.com, to explore how her company is pioneering a powerful n…
The Global Transformation of Functional Medicine [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:40
In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Javier Galvis, the first Latin American physician certified by the Institute for Functional Medicine (IFM), to explore the remarkable rise of functional medicine across Latin America…
Scaling Health Practice Theory [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:52
What does it take to build a thriving, scalable functional medicine practice in today's healthcare landscape? In this episode of the Evolution of Medicine podcast, we're joined by Seth Conger, a seasoned entrepreneur and…