Datis Kharrazian

Datis Kharrazian is currently an ACTIVE Harvard Medical School research fellow, an associate clinical professor at the Loma Linda University School of Medicine, a preventive medicine clinician, and an author.

His contributions to the medical literature include publications in Journal of Applied Toxicology, Autoimmune Disease, Journal of Thyroid Research, World Journal of Gastroenterology, Journal of Diabetes Research, and Nutrients.

His first book, Why Do I have Thyroid Symptoms When My Lab Tests Are Normal? was published in 2010 and promoted a paradigm shift on how hypothyroidism is managed with diet, nutrition, and lifestyle medicine. Patients suffering from hypothyroid disease who were helped by his book went on to develop two thyroid patient-advocacy organizations, Hey Hashi’s and Hashimoto’s 411.

His second book, Why Isn’t My Brain Working?, was published in 2013 and serves as a functional neurochemistry reference for both lay readers and practitioners.

Early life and career

Kharrazian was born in Tehran, Iran in 1974. His family migrated to Del Mar, California in 1979 during the Iranian Revolution. Kharrazian served on the Institute for Functional Medicine curriculum advisory committee from 2011–2014 and was appointed a faculty member of the Institute for Functional Medicine in 2012. He was an adjunct professor at Bastyr University, where he taught neuroscience and human brain dissection from 2012-2015. He was appointed to the Department of Preventive Medicine at Loma Linda University School of Medicine in 2014. He was appointed as a research fellow to the Department of Neurology at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School in 2016.

Kharrazian has developed a clinical model of functional medicine that has been taught to thousands of health care providers throughout the United States and Europe.

Awards

Kharrazian was awarded the Researcher of the Year Award in 2017 by the International Association of Functional Neurology. He received in Award of Recognition by the Institute for Clinical Ergonomics and Applied Neuroscience in 2011, and the Clinical Trailblazer Award by the International Association of Functional Neurology in 2010.

Personal interests

Kharrazian was inducted into the Kenpo Hall of Fame in 2009. Kharrazian was promoted to 9th degree black belt in Karazenpo-Go ShinJitsu and Kenpo by Julian Generalao. He is a 7th degree black belt in Kajukenbo by the Kajukenbo Self-Defense Institute (KSDI), and he earned a 6th degree black belt in Kenpo from Al Tracy. Kharrazian is also an instructor in Jeet Kune Do Concepts and Filipino Martial arts by Thomas Cruse and Paul Vunak.

Bibliography

  • Why Do I Still Have Thyroid Symptoms When My Lab Tests Are Normal? A Revolutionary Breakthrough in Understanding Hashimoto’s Disease and Hypothyroidsism., by Datis Kharrazian, Elephant Press 2010, .
  • Why Isn’t My Brain Working?: A Revolutionary Understanding of Brain Decline and Effective Strategies to Recover Your Brain’s Health., by Datis Kharrazian, Elephant Press 2013, .