On this episode of Root Cause Medicine, we’re honored to share the story of Dr. Emlah Tubuo, PharmD, MS, an integrative pharmacist who came to the U.S. in 2003 with $300 in her wallet and built what many of us wish existed in every community: a pharmacy designed around whole person care. Dr. Emlah explains how growing up around infectious disease in Cameroon shaped her prevention-first mindset, and how arriving in the U.S. revealed a different challenge: chronic disease that silently progresses for years before symptoms demand urgent intervention.
Building an Integrative Pharmacy Practice with Dr. Emlah Tubuo, PharmD
On this episode of Root Cause Medicine, we’re honored to share the story of Dr. Emlah Tubuo, PharmD, MS, an integrative pharmacist who came to the U.S. in 2003 with $300 in her wallet and built what many of us wish existed in every community: a pharmacy designed around whole person care. Dr. Emlah explains how growing up around infectious disease in Cameroon shaped her prevention-first mindset, and how arriving in the U.S. revealed a different challenge: chronic disease that silently progresses for years before symptoms demand urgent intervention.
Together, we unpack what it looks like to practice evidence-informed integrative pharmacy: counseling on “drug–food interactions,” recognizing drug–nutrient depletion, creating space for 45-minute medication + supplement reviews, and using biomarker-driven, HIPAA compliant clinical decision support (including AI-powered planwriting) to personalize care. This is a must-listen for clinicians building integrative care models that support metabolic health, inflammation balance, and sustainable lifestyle medicine - true whole person pharmacotherapy.
Clinical Takeaways from This Episode
- Whole person integrative pharmacy workflow: 45-minute consults that reduce pill burden and improve supplement safety
- Dr. Tubuo describes a structured visit where patients bring every bottle in their medicine cabinet (including prescription and supplements) to review for relevance, timing, and potential interactions—an approach that can support safety, simplification, and adherence.
- Drug–nutrient depletion and medication counseling that goes beyond “drug–drug interactions”
- Dr. Emlah highlights real-world examples (metformin → B vitamins, long-term PPIs → bone/nutrient considerations, statins → CoQ10 conversations) and models how clinicians can educate with connection, kindness and humor.
- Advanced cardiovascular and inflammation lab testing: why LDL alone may miss risk
- Dr. Emlah teaches pharmacists to think beyond the standard lipid panel by considering ApoB, Lp(a), homocysteine, and hs-CRP—plus using “lie detector” biomarkers like HDL, body composition, and movement patterns to connect lifestyle interventions to measurable outcomes.
Guest Introduction
Dr. Emlah Tubuo, PharmD, MS, BS is an integrative pharmacist, entrepreneur, and founder of Powell Pharmacy, an independent integrative pharmacy practice built on intentional living and lifestyle medicine principles. She trained at The Ohio State University (PharmD), has experience in retail and hospital pharmacy. She now mentors pharmacy students and teaches clinicians how to confidently incorporate evidence-informed supplement guidance, nutrient monitoring, and biomarker-driven preventive strategies into practice.
FAQ: Integrative Pharmacy Labs, Nutrition, and Lifestyle Support
What advanced cardiovascular risk labs and inflammation markers should pharmacists consider for preventive care?
- Standard lipid panel: baseline context, not the whole story
- ApoB: atherogenic particle burden
- Lp(a): genetically influenced risk marker; discussed as especially important for awareness in practice
- hs-CRP (high-sensitivity C-reactive protein: for inflammatory risk context
- Homocysteine: cardiovascular + cognitive risk context discussed (White-Al Habeeb, 2023.
- Consider APOE discussion/testing when clinically appropriate and aligned with patient goals and counseling capacity (Marais, 2019)
What biomarkers can integrative pharmacists use to help clients see if their lifestyle efforts are having an impact on their health beyond their blood labs?
- HDL as Dr. Emlah’s movement “truth-teller” (her memorable framework: movement is the main lever)
- Body composition / muscle mass + body fat mass (InBody-style measurement referenced)
- Habit tracking tools: workout checklists and simple “report card” accountability
What foundational supplements should integrative pharmacists be prepared to counsel their clients about in an evidence-informed, interaction-aware way?
- Omega-3 fish oil (EPA/DHA) – Positioned as a commonly taught inflammation-support tool; caution and interaction awareness emphasized particularly in regards to anticoagulant considerations and peri-procedure planning. (Custodero, 2018).
- Turmeric/curcumin – Discussed as another inflammation-support staple, with interaction awareness as part of counseling (Tabrizi, 2019).
- Probiotics (strain + CFU-aware) – She emphasizes gut-brain and gut-skin connections and the importance of quality/strain selection (Custodero, 2018).
- Magnesium (form matters) – Highlighted for broad cofactor roles, sleep support, muscle relaxation, and cardiometabolic context; also framed as a practical intervention for people with mild sleep or stress issues (Zhang, 2022).
- Vitamin D – Discussed as especially relevant in low-sunlight regions; framed as a “check and personalize” nutrient (Demay, 2024).
- Methylated B-complex – Emphasized for synergy across B vitamins and low interaction risk; practical counseling tip: “take in the morning” (Fairfield, 2002).
What are Dr. Emlah’s “Pillars of intentional living”?
- Nutrition: food-first counseling and practical “80/20” sustainability approach
- Movement: daily movement as a non-negotiable lever (especially for HDL and cardiometabolic resilience)
- Inner alignment: grounding practices + biomarker feedback (gratitude journaling + labs as a two-pronged model)
- Positive social connections: relationships and community as health infrastructure
Are there AI-powered lab interpretation tools that allow integrative practitioners to provide personalized reports to their clients?
- Dr. Emlah uses practitioner-designed, AI-powered tools like Fullscript’s Journeys for symptom + lab interpretation can support clinician efficiency and consistency. She describes leveraging AI-enabled reporting so clinicians can spend more time in relationship-based care.
Timestamps (Key Moments)
- 01:09 – Arriving in the U.S. in 2003 with $300 and pursuing PharmD training
- 03:07 – From infectious disease to chronic disease: why prevention became the mission
- 05:18 – The PPI case that changed everything: osteopenia risk and “we weren’t trained to think that way”
- 07:02 – Practicing integrative care inside a conventional system: “drug–food interactions” in real life
- 10:28 – What care looks like at Powell Pharmacy: the four legs of intentional living
- 12:24 – The 45-minute consult: bring all meds and supplements
- 13:48 – Foundational supplements pharmacists should know: fish oil, turmeric, probiotics
- 16:12 – Magnesium as the “favorite supplement child”: forms, sleep, and practical counseling
- 36:13 – Labs that matter: Lp(a), ApoB, homocysteine, hs-CRP, and the HDL “lie detector test”
Want to elevate your practice?
This episode is sponsored by Fullscript, a comprehensive care delivery platform designed to support whole-person, integrative healthcare. Fullscript allows clinicians to streamline supplement dispensing, lab ordering, and patient education in one free, centralized system—helping reduce administrative burden while supporting clinical decision-making. For practitioners, Fullscript offers access to professional-grade supplements, evidence-informed protocols, and lab integrations that can support more efficient treatment planning and follow-up. For patients, it provides a clear, organized way to receive recommendations, manage refills, and stay engaged in their care. The goal is not to replace clinical judgment, but to make it easier for clinicians to focus on what matters most: thoughtful, individualized patient care.
Disclaimer
The views expressed on this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and don’t necessarily reflect those of Fullscript or any affiliated organizations. This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and is not intended to be medical advice. For your safety, always check with your doctor or healthcare provider before making changes to your health routine.
Sources
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