Episode 29 - The Better Question: Are You Measuring Disease—or Measuring Health?
In this episode of The Resiliency Method® Podcast, Dr. Erika Schultz is joined by Dr. Darren Schmidt, a doctor of chiropractic and founder of the Nutritional Healing Center of Ann Arbor, to discuss the MVX Plus blood test—a new and affordable way to measure cellular health and predict longevity.
Dr. Schmidt walks through the origins of the test, which came out of over 10 years of NIH research on more than 30,000 people, later validated by a UK Biobank study of 270,000 participants. Researchers tracked blood markers until participants passed away, ultimately identifying six key indicators most predictive of mortality: GlycA (inflammation/infection), small HDL particle count (toxicity), citrate (mitochondrial function), and three branched-chain amino acids (valine, leucine, isoleucine) tied to diet and digestion. These combine into three composite scores—the Metabolic Vulnerability Index (MVX), Inflammation Vulnerability Index (IVX), and Metabolic Malnutrition Index (MMX)—giving practitioners a low-cost, trackable snapshot of a patient's health trajectory.
The conversation turns to Dr. Schmidt's Seven Step Blueprint to Optimal Health, a clinical framework he developed that closely mirrors the MVX Plus markers, covering diet, mitochondrial support, detox preparation, gut healing, pathogen clearing, metal and chemical detoxification, and cellular repair. He shares a personal turning point: after a nearly fatal, undiagnosed gas leak in his home, he discovered high-dose thiamine (B1) and experienced rapid improvement—leading him to recognize B1 deficiency as one of the most under-tested and overlooked issues in chronic illness care.
Dr. Schultz and Dr. Schmidt also explore the broader toxic burden many people carry—from mold and parasites to heavy metals and microplastics, citing studies showing microplastics now present in nearly all tested placentas. They reference NHANES data showing that a subset of just six toxins (out of 42 studied) accounts for the greatest chronic disease burden.
The episode closes with an important reminder: testing provides direction, not treatment. Real healing requires an individualized, sequenced approach—and the better question every patient should ask isn't "how do I get rid of this symptom?" but "what do I need to improve my health?"
Three Key Takeaways
1. Your Blood Can Predict How Long You'll Live—And You Can Change the Outcome The MVX Plus test, developed from over a decade of NIH research on 30,000+ people and validated on 270,000 more through the UK Biobank, identifies six biomarkers that predict five-year mortality. Dr. Schmidt explains that a high score isn't a life sentence—it's a starting point for improvement, and patients can track their progress over time.
2. Thiamine (B1) Deficiency Is More Common—and More Impactful—Than Most Doctors Realize Dr. Schmidt shares his own health scare from an undetected gas leak and how high-dose B1 (benfotiamine and TTFD) transformed his recovery. He explains that four of the six MVX Plus markers are directly tied to B1 status, making it one of the most overlooked nutrients in chronic illness care.
3. Testing Should Guide Treatment, Not Replace It While MVX Plus offers an affordable, trackable way to monitor toxicity, inflammation, and mitochondrial function, Dr. Schultz and Dr. Schmidt agree: lab results provide direction, but real healing still requires individualized, sequenced care—not a one-size-fits-all protocol.
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