Thomas DeLauer Recap: Dr. Jon Schoeff on AMPK, Insulin Resistance and Why Strategy Beats Supplement Stacks

Takeaways and a chaptered guide to Thomas DeLauer's conversation with Dr. Jon Schoeff about insulin resistance and visceral fat: the AMPK 'repair' and mTOR 'growth' dials, why they say supplements should fix deficiencies rather than pile up, added sugar and effort, sweeteners, and peptides as signals.

By the GNOUP team · November 14, 2026 · 7 min read

The latest full video on Thomas DeLauer's official YouTube channel, "Insulin Resistance Doctor Rates Supplements for Blood Sugar and Visceral Fat", was posted on November 14, 2026 and runs about 48 minutes. DeLauer, a fitness and nutrition content creator, talks with Dr. Jon Schoeff (spelling from the video description and his social handle) about compounds people use for insulin resistance and belly ("visceral") fat. Despite the title, much of the conversation is a warning against piling up supplements: both men say the basics of food, movement, sleep and, in their view, fasting come first, and that any supplement should have a specific purpose. The title and framing are the channel's.

This is an independent summary written by GNOUP. It is not affiliated with, sponsored by or endorsed by Thomas DeLauer, Dr. Jon Schoeff or any brand mentioned in the video. The views and claims described below belong to the speakers, not to GNOUP. This article is general information, not medical advice. Talk to a doctor before changing your diet, starting a supplement or trying fasting, especially if you have a medical condition, take medications (including diabetes or blood pressure medications), are pregnant or breastfeeding, are under 18, or have a history of eating disorders. Supplements can interact with medications, so also check with a pharmacist.

Key takeaways

These are the speakers' opinions and health tips as they present them. We have left out all doses, amounts and schedules, and nothing here should be read as a plan to follow.

Two dials: repair and growth. Dr. Schoeff frames metabolic health around two cellular signals: AMPK, which he calls the "repair" side linked to fuel use, body composition and visceral fat, and mTOR, the "growth" side. His point is that neither should be cranked up all the time. Too much "repair" without growth, he says, can leave people frail as they age, while constant growth signaling without repair is a concern in the other direction. The goal, in his words, is harmony.
Supplements should fix a deficiency, not become a stack. His main complaint about supplements is the habit of adding one after another. He says supplements are meant to correct a deficiency confirmed by blood work, and that patients sometimes arrive with two-page supplement lists he works to cut down. His goal for most clients is five supplements or fewer, chosen for a clear reason. He also notes you can't always be sure you are getting what you paid for.
Food, movement and sleep move the dial too. Asked what moves AMPK besides supplements and fasting, he lists the basics: what, when and how you eat, regular exercise (not necessarily high intensity) and good sleep. He argues big swings in blood sugar go hand in hand with visceral fat, and calls insulin resistance the biggest obstacle to the whole "repair" system. DeLauer compares it to a dimmer switch that can't turn all the way up.
Added sugar and "dopamine without effort." Both say added sugar is mostly about pleasure, which they say is fine to enjoy. DeLauer's take is that pleasure with no effort is what makes things habit-forming, so if you have something sweet, pair it with some effort such as a walk. Dr. Schoeff describes parking farther away and biking with his kids to the gelato shop, and stresses this is about awareness, not "earning" food.
Don't fear growth. They push back on people so worried about mTOR that they avoid strength training and protein. Dr. Schoeff says real health lives in balance, not extremes.
Use food with intent, in seasons. He suggests adjusting diet and any supplements to the "season" of life, such as a reset phase versus a fine-tuning phase, rather than following one diet forever. DeLauer says he only experiments with a handful of things at a time once the basics are in place, and would not suggest that for someone dealing with serious insulin resistance.
Peptides are signals. Dr. Schoeff calls peptides "signals" and argues they behave differently in a body with high inflammation. DeLauer adds that many peptides are backed mainly by lab or animal studies. Their shared view: fix the "environment" first.

Newsworthy insights

These are claims and opinions from the video. GNOUP has not verified them, and GNOUP does not recommend any supplement or product mentioned.

Compounds they discuss. Dr. Schoeff calls urolithin A a "mitochondrial optimizer" and dihydroberberine the "workhorse" for AMPK, and says dihydroberberine is easier on the stomach than berberine. He claims that in a couple of head-to-head trials berberine performed as well as or better than the diabetes drug metformin on blood sugar markers; we have not checked those trials. Berberine-type products can interact with medications, including blood-sugar-lowering drugs, so never use one in place of a prescribed medication or without asking your doctor.
Glycine, TMG and methylation. They discuss glycine and trimethylglycine (TMG); DeLauer says many people may get too little glycine and suggests food sources first. Dr. Schoeff says the "methylation" conversation is "grossly overstated."
Allulose versus Splenda. They claim that adding allulose, a rare sugar used as a sweetener, to a sugary food may blunt the blood sugar response, while Splenda eaten with carbohydrates may make it worse. DeLauer says allulose can cause gas when combined with sugar. These are their readings of the research and individual responses vary.
Akkermansia. Dr. Schoeff singles out Akkermansia, a gut bacterium, as the one he would associate most with insulin and glucose regulation.
Most common deficiency. He says vitamin D deficiency is the most common he sees, while magnesium deficiency is rare in his practice, and he says to test rather than guess.

Watch the video

Insulin Resistance Doctor Rates Supplements for Blood Sugar and Visceral Fat on YouTube (official channel "Thomas DeLauer," @ThomasDeLauerOfficial, published November 14, 2026, about 48 minutes)

Episode guide

These chapters come from the video's own description (titles lightly reworded). Each link opens the video at that point.

About this summary

This recap was prepared from the video's title, description and chapter list, and a transcript of the video. We left out a paid sponsor segment for an electrolyte drink brand and its offer, all supplement and protein amounts, sweetener amounts, the names of sweetener brands and retailers mentioned in passing, and the guest's and host's social and newsletter links. We did not check the studies the speakers refer to. Transcripts can contain errors, so for the exact words and context, watch the video. This article is general information, not medical advice, and is not a substitute for guidance from a doctor or other qualified healthcare professional. It does not recommend any supplement, sweetener, fasting approach or medication change, and nothing here is a cure or treatment claim.