Functional Medicine Reality Podcast
The Functional Medicine Reality Podcast exposes the truth about what really happens in healthcare and why so many patients with complex, chronic conditions are left searching for answers. Hosted by Dr. Mark Su, founder & leader of RootSeek’s nationwide virtual care team, this show goes beyond quick fixes to uncover the root causes of illness—like Lyme disease and co-infections, mold toxicity, gut dysbiosis, hormone imbalances, hidden infections, and heavy metal exposure.
Each episode reveals real patient journeys and expert clinician reasoning, showing you how functional medicine tackles chronic fatigue, autoimmune flares, brain fog, cardiovascular risk, and hard-to-solve cases where conventional medicine often stops short. From environmental toxins to stress-driven inflammation, from gut repair to longevity hacks, you’ll learn how to advocate, decide, and heal on your terms—with practical, next-step strategies you can trust. If you’ve ever wondered how to navigate “mystery symptoms,” controversial treatments, or cutting-edge testing, this podcast will be your compass.
Episode highlights:
- Goes “behind the curtain.” We invite clinicians to think out loud, showing the decision-making process most patients never see.
- Spotlights real patient journeys. Raw stories reveal the triumphs and trade-offs of navigating chronic illness, performance optimization, preventive care, and more.
- Asks the hard, patient-centered questions. We challenge experts on controversies, practical constraints, and emerging evidence—so you can separate trustworthy insight from trend-driven noise.
- Delivers actionable clarity. Whether you’re rehabbing an injury, hacking longevity, or just trying to sleep better, you’ll leave with next-step strategies backed by clinical reasoning.
The team at RootSeek (nationwide virtual care) is ready to empower you to advocate, decide, and heal, on your terms!
If you’re asking any of the following questions (or something similar), this podcast is for you:
- Can functional medicine help with chronic Lyme disease, co-infections, or post-treatment symptoms?
- How do I know if mold toxicity or environmental toxins are making me sick?
- What’s the best way to detox from heavy metals, pesticides, or hidden chemical exposures?
- Are my fatigue, brain fog, or joint pains linked to gut health or hidden infections?
- How do functional medicine doctors diagnose and treat autoimmune conditions differently?
- What advanced tests uncover root causes that standard labs miss?
- Can functional medicine address chronic inflammation, histamine intolerance, or mast cell activation?
- What are the most effective protocols for gut repair, microbiome balance, and leaky gut?
- How do I separate real solutions from false hope when dealing with complex chronic illness?
- What steps can I take now to reclaim energy, hormone balance, and overall vitality?
Tune in for transparent conversations that turn complicated science into practical truth and put the power of informed choice back where it belongs: with you.
Episodes
24 episodes
24. ADHD, Stimulants, and Real Results with Dr. Mark Su
Once a month I open up one hour to five people only. Real questions, real answers, real direction. Grab your spot at go.rootseekhealth.com/askdrmark.
23. Hype or Hope? How to Spot Mold Misinformation with Mike Schrantz
If you've ever Googled "mold illness treatment" at midnight, desperate for answers, you already know how overwhelming it gets. The supplements, the sprays, the lab reports with pages of frightening health warnings, it can feel like you're drown...
22. Pharmaceuticals vs. Supplements: What Your Doctor Isn't Telling You
If you've ever stood in the supplement aisle wondering whether any of it actually works, or sat across from a doctor who handed you a prescription without explaining why, this conversation is for you.The question of pharmaceuticals versu...
21: How to Choose Supplements You Can Actually Trust, with Leah Habjan
Got Lab Results But No Real Answers? Download your free guide: rootseekhealth.com/labsYou've probably stood in a supplement aisle, or scrolled past an influencer...
20: Hair Loss, Peptides, and Taking Ownership of Your Health with Luigi
Got Lab Results But No Real Answers? Download your free guide: rootseekhealth.com/labsIf you've ever walked out of a doctor's office feeling like you were handed a prescription ins...
19: Alcohol, Self-Awareness, and Root Cause Health: A Real Conversation with Dr. Su & MaryJo
Got Lab Results But No Real Answers? Download your free guide: rootseekhealth.com/labsReady to find out what's actually going on in your body? Book a consult at rootseekhealth.com....
18. Sick Home, Sick Body: A Real Mold Remediation Case Unpacked with a Dr. Su & Michael Schrantz, Mold Remediation Expert
Got lab results but no real answers? Download your free guide and finally understand what your body is trying to tell you: rootseekhealth.com/labsEpisode ...
17. Statin Side Effects, Muscle Pain, and Brain Fog: How to Make a Smarter Cholesterol Decision
What if the knee pain you've been blaming on age is actually a statin side effect?That's a question worth sitting with. And it's one of the reasons I wanted to do this episode, because I see this pattern in real people, in real conversat...
16: Parasites, Lyme Disease & Cellcore: What Actually Heals Chronic Illness with Dr. Todd Watts
I'll be upfront. I walked into my first encounter with Dr. Todd Watts as a full-on skeptic.I'm an MD. I like data. I've literally told vendors at conference booths, hey, I'm not buying anything, fair warning. That's just who I am....
15. What Causes Autoimmunity? A Deep Dive into Viruses, Inflammation, and Aging with Dr. Jessica Lasky Su
Hey friends, what if we stopped fighting over labels and actually started treating the mechanisms behind what's making people sick? That's the question driving today's conversation with Dr. Jessica Lasky-Su from Harvard Medical School and Brigh...
14. Part 3: Living with Chronic Lyme Disease - Resilience, Recovery, and Reclaiming Life After 7 Years of Illness | Mary Jo's Journey
What does “I feel good” mean after years of chronic Lyme and a major surgery that reshapes your body and your identity? We sit down with Mary Jo to unpack a tender, determined third chapter: living well after treatment, navigating a post-hyster...
13. Gut Health, Mental Clarity, and the Search for Balance: A Real Talk with the Next Generation
In this episode, I sit down with Sebastian, a family friend and college student, for an open and thoughtful conversation about health, food, mental clarity, and the overwhelm of modern wellness information. This is a rare and refreshing look at...
12. Functional Medicine and Mold: A Deep Dive into Mycotoxin Testing with Mike Schrantz
In this episode of the Functional Medicine Reality Podcast, I sit down again with my friend and colleague Mike Schrantz, an Indoor Environmental Professional I often call the “Doctor of Homes.” I’m the “Doctor of People,” and together ...
11. Unveiling the Truth: Financial Incentives in Healthcare
One of the questions I am asked most often by patients is this:“Don’t doctors get paid to prescribe medications?”It is a fair question. And if you have ever left a medical visit feeling rushed, unheard, or confused about why a pre...
10. Understanding Your Symptoms: The Critical Role of Differential Diagnosis with Mihaela
Hey friends. This is one of those foundational conversations that quietly shapes everything we do in healthcare, yet it’s rarely talked about outside medical training.In this episode, I walk you through the concept of differential dia...
09. Exercise as Medicine VO2 Max, Zone 2, and the Future of Longevity with Cooper Paul
Welcome back to the Functional Medicine Reality Podcast. I'm Dr. Mark Su, and today we're pivoting from the chronic inflammation world into the longevity space. I'm here with Cooper Paul, a pulmonary hypertension specialist at a major academic ...
08. Part 2: Living with Lyme - Mary Jo’s Journey from Diagnosis to Resilience
Welcome back to the Functional Medicine Reality Podcast. I'm Dr. Mark Su, and this is part two of my conversation with Mary Jo Anderson. If you caught our first episode together, you know we covered the long, painful road to getting a Lyme dise...
07. Understanding Mold: Myths, Realities, and Treatment Options
Alright, so here's one I get asked constantly: Do I really need to throw out all my belongings if there's mold in my house?If that question's been keeping you up at night, or if you're stuck wondering whether dealing with mold means goin...
06. Understanding Your Symptoms: The Critical Role of Differential Diagnosis
Hey friends, this one's for both practitioners and patients who've been around the functional medicine world for a while.Here's the thing. When you've been dealing with chronic symptoms for months or years, it's really easy to fall into ...
05. From GI Struggles to Stability: Anti-Aging in Real Life
From GI Struggles to Stability: Anti-Aging in Real LifeA Patient Conversation with JeanIn this episode, I’m joined by Jean, a long-time patient who generously shares her real-life health journey, not from a pl...
04. Humanity in Healthcare: A Candid Talk with Dr. George Papanicolaou
In this episode, I sit down with Dr. George Papanicolaou, long-time mentor, colleague, and friend, for one of the most honest conversations we’ve ever had publicly about medicine, humanity, and what it really means to care for people.
03. Part 1: Unmasking the Journey - Mary Jo's Story of Resilience and Hope
This is a deeply personal and meaningful episode.In this conversation, I’m joined by Mary Jo Anderson, who courageously shares her health journey for the first time publicly. This episode marks the beginning of a longer, unfolding...
02. Mold, Health, And The Middle Ground
Mold is a real issue, but the conversation around it has become increasingly extreme and overwhelming.In this episode, I’m joined by Mike Schrantz, an indoor environmental professional and long-time colleague, for an honest, groun...
01. Kickoff Episode: Functional Medicine Reality Podcast
I’m Dr. Mark Su, a conventionally trained physician, functional medicine practitioner, and lifelong student of the why behind symptoms.This podcast was born out of real-life questions, real patient stories, and a deep sense that...