Dr. Jasmina Dedic-Hagan

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Australia
Turramurra, NSW
Dr. Jasmina Dedic-Hagan

Functional Medicine Doctor | CMO & Founder, Vitality360 | Helping Women Reclaim Their Energy & Health | PhD Molecular Biology

As Co-Founder & Chief Medical Officer of Vitality360, I help people reclaim their energy, optimise their health, and achieve long-term vitality through evidence backed functional medicine. My approach identifies and addresses the root causes of fatigue, hormonal imbalances, stubborn weight, and metabolic dysfunction, delivering practical, science-based solutions for long-term health. With a backgr

ound in functional medicine and molecular biology, I bridge the gap between cutting-edge research and real-world application, with a strong focus on women’s health. In my clinical practice, I take a comprehensive approach - integrating nutrition, lifestyle, fitness, and, when necessary, targeted supplementation or medication - to help women feel their best at every stage of life. I am passionate about making complex medical science accessible and actionable. With extensive teaching experience, I specialise in translating the latest research into practical strategies through workshops, content, and expert guidance. At Vitality360, my mission is to empower women to take control of their health, restore their energy, and build long-term resilience.

29/04/2026

This is NOT an anti-supplement post. I use targeted, evidence-based supplementation and recommend them.

But you deserve to know how this industry actually operates.

Most supplements sold in Australia carry an AUST L number - listed medicines. The TGA does not assess listed medicines for efficacy before they go to market.

Manufacturers are required to hold evidence that their products work, but that evidence is not reviewed pre-market. It may be audited after the fact, randomly. By then the product has already been sold to thousands.

The dose, form, and quality source all determine whether any of the research behind supplementation will actually work when its in your hand.

When I recommend a supplement I know the mechanism, the dose, the bioavailable form, and the quality standard. That is a very different process to choosing the most appealing (or cheapest) product on a shelf or the one with the largest advertising budget.

This is just another reason why it's so important to make sure you are seeing a qualified health practitioner who can help you source the best quality supplements.

23/04/2026

There is one number that longevity researchers say predicts lifespan more powerfully than almost any other metric - it's VO2 Max.

VO2 max is your body's maximum capacity to use oxygen during exercise.

A landmark JAMA Network Open study of 122,000 participants (PMID: 30646252) found that people in the lowest fitness category had a fivefold greater risk of dying over the following decade compared to those in the elite category. The same research confirmed that having low cardiorespiratory fitness carries a comparable mortality risk to having coronary artery disease or type 2 diabetes - meaning being unfit is not simply a lifestyle issue, it is a clinical risk factor.

One that, unlike most diagnoses, is entirely modifiable.

The majority of your weekly cardio should sit at a low, sustainable intensity - Zone 2, where you can just hold a conversation - complemented by one to two weekly sessions of higher intensity effort.

This combination consistently produces the greatest improvements across all age groups, including women in their 40s and 50s.

In clinic, VO2 max is a functional marker I now consider essential rather than optional. If you don't have a starting number, most modern fitness wearables will give you a reasonable estimate to track over time.

15/04/2026

Have you ever considered that the "intensity" at which you do exercise can shape your gut?

What the research clarifies is this exact question, but from a gut health perspective, which I don't personally see many people discussing.

High-intensity training shows variable results for gut diversity, particularly in women with elevated or dysregulated cortisol, which is common during the menopausal transition.

Endurance-style exercise - walking, cycling, swimming at a sustained pace - shows the most consistent beneficial microbial shifts. Regularity across the week outperforms occasional intense sessions by a significant margin.

The combination that produces the greatest synergistic microbiome benefit is:

Consistent moderate movement plus 30 or more different plant foods weekly.

Neither alone matches what both together achieve for microbial diversity and function.

PMID: 28357027
PMID: 39978410
PMID: 39991125
PMID: 41320950

14/04/2026

Research now shows that the menopausal transition itself can trigger an acceleration in epigenetic ageing - a measurable spike in the rate at which your cells accumulate age-related changes. (PMID: 27457926).

This makes the window around perimenopause one of the most significant opportunities for lifestyle intervention in a woman's life. What you do in your 40s and early 50s is actively shaping your cellular trajectory into your 60s, 70s, and beyond.

The mechanism sits in DNA methylation - tiny chemical tags on your genes that switch them on or off. These methylation patterns are profoundly influenced by diet, sleep, stress, movement, and environmental exposures. They can be measured through what are called epigenetic clocks, and they can be shifted.

The protocol is built on methylation-supportive nutrition - dark leafy greens, cruciferous vegetables, eggs, liver, colourful produce - alongside sleep targets, structured movement, and stress reduction practices.

No extreme fasting.
No expensive biohacking.

I find this research deeply empowering for women who feel like their body is "falling apart" in midlife. Your biology is responsive and it's never too late to start giving it better information.

What one change from this list could you begin this week? Tell me below. 👇

PMID: 33844651
PMID: 36947707

09/04/2026

Emerging longevity research has identified a consistent microbiome signature in centenarians: higher microbial diversity, greater abundance of short-chain fatty acid-producing bacteria, and lower levels of pro-inflammatory species.

This gut ecology is directly linked to reduced chronic inflammation - the common thread behind virtually every age-related disease from cardiovascular disease to dementia to metabolic dysfunction.

Your microbiome is one of the most responsive systems in your body.

Often within two to four weeks of targeted dietary changes, measurable shifts in bacterial diversity and composition are detectable.

The research consistently points to the same interventions:

- Dietary fibre variety (30+ plant foods weekly is the current benchmark)
- Daily fermented foods
- Prebiotic-rich vegetables
- Stress regulation
- Removing highly processed foods

In my clinic, addressing gut health is always part of my protocols because the research makes it clinically irresponsible to ignore.

Hormonal health, brain health, metabolic health, immune resilience - they all run through the gut.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mad.2019.02.001
PMID: 35675542

07/04/2026

Not all collagen research is created equal, a lot of the studies showing dramatic results are funded by supplement companies, and independent trials tell a more nuanced story.

Here's what the better evidence actually supports: hydrolysed collagen peptides, types I and III, at 5-10g daily, paired with adequate vitamin C, do show genuine benefits for skin and joints. But peptide quality, bioavailability, and third-party testing matter enormously.

PMID: 34491424
DOI:10.1093/asjof/ojag018/8446510
PMID: 18044179

05/04/2026

Here are 5 evidence-backed interventions that actually move the needle on liver function, hormone clearance, and metabolic health - and most women have never heard of any of them. 🍋

1. TUDCA - a water-soluble bile acid with a remarkable clinical track record. Human trials show it lowers liver enzymes significantly, while improving liver and muscle insulin sensitivity by 30% in just four weeks. For women with metabolic dysfunction or sluggish bile, this is deeply underutilised.

2. Glycine - the amino acid your liver uses as a direct substrate for Phase II detoxification via the glycine conjugation pathway. Research confirms glycine deficiency - extremely common in stressed, perimenopausal women - impairs this pathway and contributes to fatty liver development. It also feeds glutathione synthesis. Bone broth, collagen, and 3-5g daily supplementation are practical starting points.

3. Taurine - essential for bile acid conjugation in the liver, making bile thinner, less toxic, and more effective at eliminating hormones and fat-soluble waste. Taurine supplementation increases bile flow and significantly improves cholesterol elimination. It is also one of the most chronically depleted amino acids in stressed women - and it is the "tauro" in TUDCA, which tells you everything.

4. Castor oil packs - applied over the right upper abdomen, ricinoleic acid activates EP3 prostaglandin receptors, reducing local inflammation and stimulating lymphatic drainage directly over the liver. The compression component activates the parasympathetic nervous system - the state your liver actually needs to do its overnight work.

5. Your liver operates on a circadian rhythm, with many metabolic and detoxification processes increasing during the overnight fasting period while you sleep.

Eating late at night can disrupt these rhythms- shifting liver gene expression, glucose metabolism, and fat processing in ways linked to poorer metabolic outcomes.

Allowing a gap of a few hours between your last meal and sleep supports this natural overnight metabolic shift and has been associated with improved glucose regulation and metabolic health markers.

30/03/2026

These are the stats linked to ultra-processed food consumption. 🍟➡️😔

The research on this relationship is now undeniable.
Findings show that high ultra-processed food consumption was associated with:
▪️ 22% higher risk of depression
▪️ 48% higher risk of anxiety
▪️ 41% higher risk of poor sleep quality

The gut-brain axis is central to this conversation.

Around 90% of serotonin is produced in the gut - and ultra-processed foods are catastrophic for the microbial diversity required for that production.

When your microbiome suffers, your mood follows.

And the evidence for reversal is equally powerful. The SMILES trial demonstrated that a dietary intervention focused on whole foods produced a 32% greater reduction in depression scores than social support alone.

Food is not a soft recommendation, it is first-line clinical medicine - and it's one of the most powerful tools available to you right now.

28/03/2026

We spend enormous energy talking about what the liver is doing with estrogen - but the gut's role in this system is equally significant.

The estrobolome is a subset of gut bacteria that produce an enzyme called beta-glucuronidase. When functioning optimally, these bacteria help maintain a healthy estrogen balance. When dysbiosis is present, beta-glucuronidase activity rises - and estrogens that your liver has already metabolised and packaged for elimination are unwrapped and reabsorbed into circulation.

The clinical implications are significant:

▪️ Oestrogen dominance symptoms despite "normal" blood tests
▪️ Worsening of perimenopausal symptoms following antibiotic use
▪️ Hormonal symptoms that persist despite dietary and lifestyle changes
▪️ PMS, breast tenderness, heavy bleeding, and mood instability that fluctuates with digestive health

The evidence-based approach to restoring estrobolome health includes:

- Diverse prebiotic fibre - aim for 30 different plant foods weekly
- Regular fermented foods to introduce beneficial bacterial populations
- Calcium D-glucarate to directly inhibit excess beta-glucuronidase
- Reducing ultra-processed food intake, which feeds inflammatory gut populations

Have you ever had your gut microbiome tested?

24/03/2026

Here are 5 evidence-backed interventions that actually move the needle on liver function, hormone clearance, and metabolic health - and most women have never heard of any of them. 🍋

1. TUDCA - a water-soluble bile acid with a remarkable clinical track record. Human trials show it lowers liver enzymes significantly, while improving liver and muscle insulin sensitivity by 30% in just four weeks. For women with metabolic dysfunction or sluggish bile, this is deeply underutilised.

2. Glycine - the amino acid your liver uses as a direct substrate for Phase II detoxification via the glycine conjugation pathway. Research confirms glycine deficiency - extremely common in stressed, perimenopausal women - impairs this pathway and contributes to fatty liver development. It also feeds glutathione synthesis. Bone broth, collagen, and 3-5g daily supplementation are practical starting points.

3. Taurine - essential for bile acid conjugation in the liver, making bile thinner, less toxic, and more effective at eliminating hormones and fat-soluble waste. Taurine supplementation increases bile flow and significantly improves cholesterol elimination. It is also one of the most chronically depleted amino acids in stressed women - and it is the "tauro" in TUDCA, which tells you everything.

4. Castor oil packs - applied over the right upper abdomen, ricinoleic acid activates EP3 prostaglandin receptors, reducing local inflammation and stimulating lymphatic drainage directly over the liver. The compression component activates the parasympathetic nervous system - the state your liver actually needs to do its overnight work. Simple, affordable, and deeply effective when used consistently.

5. Meal Timing - Eating late at night can disrupt liver gene expression, glucose metabolism, and fat processing in ways linked to poorer metabolic outcomes. Allowing a gap of a few hours between your last meal and sleep supports this natural overnight metabolic shift and has been associated with improved glucose regulation and metabolic health markers.

19/03/2026

Endocrinologists confirm that metabolic rate isn't simply a product of ageing. It's shaped by a complex interplay of insulin dynamics, cortisol patterns, sleep quality, movement habits, and muscle mass - all of which shift dramatically during perimenopause.

1. The insulin piece alone is eye-opening.

When we consistently consume refined carbohydrates and ultra-processed foods, insulin levels stay chronically elevated. Because insulin is fundamentally a fat storage hormone, this creates a self-perpetuating cycle: higher insulin slows metabolic rate, which means less energy burned, which means more fat stored, which drives insulin even higher.

2. Then there's the cortisol connection.

Chronic stress - whether emotional, work-related, or from poor sleep - keeps cortisol elevated, which directly pushes up glucose and insulin. It also drives those 10pm sugar cravings that feel impossible to resist. And when sleep is compromised, cortisol doesn't drop overnight the way it should, meaning you start each day already metabolically behind.

3. Perhaps the most striking research: depriving healthy individuals of quality sleep for just 1-3 nights shifts their energy metabolism dramatically closer to what we see in type 2 diabetes.

That's how powerful sleep is for metabolic function.
The muscle conversation matters enormously too. As estrogen declines through perimenopause, we lose both muscle mass and bone density. Resistance training addresses both - and because muscle is metabolically active tissue, preserving it directly supports your resting metabolic rate.

These aren't inevitable consequences of ageing. They're modifiable factors you can start addressing today.

What's your biggest metabolic challenge right now?

18/03/2026

This is a conversation I have regularly in clinic, and it almost always surprises people. We spend so much time focusing on what we eat, how we move, and which supplements to take, but rarely consider the chemical load we're absorbing through our skin every single day.

Your skin is your largest organ, and it absorbs approximately 60% of what you apply to it, delivering compounds directly into your bloodstream. When those products contain endocrine disruptors like phthalates (hidden under "fragrance"), parabens (preservatives that mimic estrogen), and other xenoestrogens, they interact directly with your hormonal system.

During perimenopause, your body is already navigating significant hormonal recalibration. Estrogen is fluctuating, progesterone is declining, your liver is working to metabolise and clear these shifting hormones efficiently.

When you add a daily chemical burden on top of that; through skincare, haircare, makeup, and personal care products - you're asking an already-taxed system to process even more.

You can make meaningful improvements in hormone-related symptoms simply by reducing their topical chemical exposure.

- Start with the products that stay on your skin longest: moisturiser, sunscreen, and deodorant.
- Look for genuinely fragrance-free formulations.
-Check ingredient lists for anything ending in -paraben.
- Swap gradually as things run out rather than discarding everything at once.

Small, consistent reductions in your environmental chemical load can make a genuine difference to how your body navigates this hormonal transition.

Address

Turramurra, NSW
2074

Website

http://www.lindenhealth.com.au/, https://v360.health/

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