About Dr Mirkin
Sports medicine doctor, fitness guru and long-time radio host Gabe Mirkin, M.D. brings you news and tips for your healthful lifestyle. A practicing physician for more than 50 years and a radio talk show host for 25 years, Dr. Mirkin is a graduate of Harvard University and Baylor University College of Medicine. He is one of a very few doctors board-certified in four specialties: Sports Medicine, Allergy and Immunology, Pediatrics and Pediatric Immunology.
Dr. Mirkin hosted a popular call-in radio show on fitness and health that was syndicated in more than 120 cities. He has written 16 books including The Sportsmedicine Book, the best-selling book on the subject that has been translated into many languages. His latest book is The Healthy Heart Miracle, published by HarperCollins. He wrote the chapter on sports injuries for the Merck Manual (both lay and physicians’ editions), the largest selling book worldwide with over one million copies in print. His daily short features on fitness have been heard on CBS Radio News stations since the 1970’s.
He writes a free weekly email newsletter on the latest in fitness, nutrition and health.
Dr. Mirkin did his residency at the Massachusetts General Hospital and over the years he has served as a Teaching Fellow at Johns Hopkins Medical School, Assistant Professor at the University of Maryland, and Associate Clinical Professor in Pediatrics at the Georgetown University School of Medicine.
Dr. Mirkin has run many marathons and is now a serious tandem bike rider with his wife, Diana, often doing 30-60 miles in an outing.
Why DrMirkin.com is Unique
Dr. Mirkin and Diana Mirkin write every report on DrMirkin.com. Many of the largest health websites sell supplements and other products, and their articles are written to promote these products and generate sales. We do not sell anything on our website or in our weekly newsletter.
Health news often comes from press releases which are generated by organizations that can afford public relations. That means you may hear most about research studies that are funded by companies with something to sell. Dr. Mirkin doesn’t rely on press releases; he goes directly to the medical journals. He frequently finds studies or spots trends in research that are ignored by the popular media.
Dr. Mirkin has a 30-year track record of spotting breakthroughs and recommending effective treatments long before they become standard medical care. For example, his readers and listeners knew that most stomach ulcers are caused by bacteria, not stress, and can be cured with one week of treatment – 10 years before this became routine procedure. Dr. Mirkin recommended that his listeners and readers avoid fenfluramine (one of the components of the Fen-Phen diet regime) in 1991; it was withdrawn from the market in 1997.
Dr. Mirkin has strong opinions, and you may not agree with everything he says. But when you visit drmirkin.com, you never need to wonder whose ideas you are hearing, or whether there’s a hidden agenda of someone trying to sell you something. Dr. Mirkin always backs up his opinions with references from peer-reviewed scientific journals.
The Dr. Gabe Mirkin Show
The Dr. Gabe Mirkin Show is no longer in production, but you can listen to more than 200 archived hours of The Dr. Gabe Mirkin Show on your computer or mobile device. The program is a call-in radio show on fitness, nutrition and health that ran for more than 25 years and was syndicated in 120 cities throughout the United States and Canada.
About Diana Mirkin
Diana Mirkin, Dr. Gabe Mirkin’s wife, directed Dr. Gabe Mirkin’s Healthy Cooking School from 1995 to 2008. She has taught thousands of people how to make healthful foods taste delicious. She is co-author with Dr. Mirkin of The Healthy Heart Miracle, The Whole Grains Cookbook, The 20/30 Fat and Fiber Diet Plan, and Fat Free, Flavor Full. She has developed hundreds of recipes that follow Dr. Mirkin’s guidelines for healthy eating, featuring whole grains, beans, vegetables and fruit.
Diana is a graduate of Vassar College and has an MBA from Loyola College. When she’s not writing or inventing tasty new recipes, she’s usually out cycling, gardening or exercising her dogs.
Gabe Mirkin, M.D., Curriculum Vitae
Board Certification by Examination
American Board of Allergy and Immunology 1972
American Board of Pediatrics 1967
Sub-Board in Allergy of the American Board of Pediatrics 1969
American Board of Sports Medicine 1991
Fellowship in Professional Societies
American College of Allergists
American Association of Certified Allergists
American Association for Clinical Immunology and Allergy
American Academy of Pediatrics
American Academy of Allergy and Immunology
Education and Professional Employment
High School : Boston Latin School, 1948-1953
College: Harvard University, 1953-1957
Medical School: Baylor University College of Medicine, 1957-1961
Residency: Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, 1961-1963 (pediatrics)
Fellowship: Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, MD, 1963-1965 (allergy, immunology and dermatology)
Medical Practice: Allergy, Immunology, Dermatology and Sports Medicine, Silver Spring, MD, 1966-1968
Military Service: United States Army, 1969-1970
Medical Practice: Allergy, Immunology, Dermatology, Sports Medicine and consultations for difficult-to-diagnose medical conditions, Kensington, MD (301-942-7900), 1970-2008; retired to The Villages, FL
Teaching Appointments
Teaching Fellow in Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, 1962-1963
Teaching Fellow in Allergy and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Medical School, 1963-1965
Assistant Professor in the Department of Physical Education, University of Maryland, appointed 1976
Associate Clinical Professor in Pediatrics, Georgetown University School of Medicine, appointed 1984
Activities and Awards
Founder, Run for Your Life program, 1963
Founder and first National Chairman, Age Group Long Distance Running Committee of the AAU; Age Group Long Distance Running Committee of the Road Runners Club of America
National Chairman, AAU Long Distance Running Committee, Age Group Program, 1971-1974
Coach, National AAU Ladies Cross Country Championship, second place team, 1965
Director, Montgomery County Health Department Heart Attack Prevention Program, 1966-1968
Chairman, Sports Medicine Committee of the Montgomery County Medical Society, 1979
Sports Medicine Subcommittee of the Medical and Chirurgical Faculty of the State of Maryland, 1989
Hall of Fame of the Road Runners Club of America, elected 1983; fewer than 100 people have received this honor
1985 Runner’s World All-Star Team Award for Sports Medicine
1990 Healthy American Fitness Leaders Award, presented by the United States Junior Chamber of Commerce, the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Allstate Insurance
Member, Board of Examiners for The American Board of Sports Medicine, Inc., 1991-present
Books
Note: Dr. Mirkin’s books are available through Amazon.com
The Sportsmedicine Book, Little, Brown and Company, 1978
Getting Thin, Little, Brown and Company, 1983
The Complete Sportsmedicine Book for Women, with Shangold, M.M., Simon and Schuster, 1985
Dr. Gabe Mirkin’s Fitness Clinic, Contemporary Books, 1986
Women and Exercise: Physiology and Sports Medicine, with Shangold, M.M., F.A. Davis Company, 1988
Fat Free, Flavor Full, with Diana Rich Mirkin, Little, Brown and Company, February, 1995
The 20-Gram Diet, Linx Corporation, 1995
The 20/30 Fat and Fiber Diet Plan, with Barry Fox and Diana Rich Mirkin, Harper Resource, 1998
The Healthy Heart Miracle, with Diana Mirkin, Harper Resource, 2003
Chapters in Medical Textbooks
“Nutrition for Sports,” a chapter on sports nutrition in Women and Exercise, Physiology and Sports Medicine, edited by Shangold, M.M., and Mirkin, G.B., F. A. Davis Company, 1988; 1993
“Sportsmedicine: The Prevention and Treatment of Sports Injuries,” a chapter that organizes the causes of sports injuries into a useful set of guidelines and treats injuries by correcting the causes, in The Merck Manual (for physicians), edited by Berkow, R., Merck and Company, 1992; 1999
“Basic Sports Nutrition,” a chapter on sports nutrition in A Colour Atlas of Sports Medicine in Childhood and Adolescence, edited by Maffulli, N., Wolfe Publishing Limited, London, 1994
“Medical Problems in Athletes,” a chapter on the medical problems confronting athletes and exercisers in Sports Injuries: Mechanisms, Prevention and Treatment, edited by Fu, F. and Stone, Williams and Wilkens, 1994
“Sports Medicine: The Prevention and Treatment of Sports Injuries.” A chapter on sports injuries; and “Basic Principles of Exercise Training” A chapter on how to start your exercise program; in the Merck Manual (lay edition), Merck and Company, 1997.
“Sports Medicine,” three chapters in The Complete Runner, World Publications, 1976
“Nutrition in Sports,” a scientific chapter on nutrition for athletes in The Medicine of Exercise, edited by Bove, A. and Lowenthal, Academic Press, 1983
“The Adolescent Athlete,” with Shangold, M.M., a scientific chapter on the effects of exercise on the young adolescent female, in Pediatric and Adolescent Obstetrics and Gynecology, edited by Lavery, J.P. and Sanfilippo, J.S., Saunders, 1984
“Nutrition and the Young Athlete,” a chapter describing how nutrition affects the athletic performance of young children, in Sports Medicine, A Guide for Youth Sports,edited by Hawkins, Jerald, Sports Studies Foundation, 1984
“La Fisiopatologia della Nutrizione nell’Atleta,” a chapter describing how nutrition affects sports performance in Progressi in Medicina dello Sport, edited by Lubich, T., Aulo Gaggi Editore, 1984
“Eating for Competing,” a chapter describing how diet affects ability to exercise and compete in sports, in the Medical and Health Annual of the Encyclopaedia Britannica, 1985
“Zur Ernahrung des Hochleistungssportlers,” a chapter on eating for competing, in Frauen-Leichtathletik (Offizieller Kongressbericht), edited by Muller, N., Augustin, December., and Hunger, B., Niederhausen/Taunus, 1985
“Food and Nutrition for Sports,” a chapter on sports nutrition in Endokrine Regulation und Frauen-Hochleistungssport, edited by Wurster, K.G., and Keller, E., Springer-Verlag, 1985
Newsletters
The Mirkin Report, a monthly review of the latest breakthroughs in health, fitness and nutrition, 1990-2003
Dr. Mirkin’s eZine , a weekly email newsletter on fitness, nutrition and health, 2004-present
Radio
The Dr. Gabe Mirkin Show, syndicated in the United States and Canada, 1996-2003
Daily 90-second spots on fitness for CBS Radio Stations News Service, 1979-2003
The Dr. Gabe Mirkin Show, WRC Radio in Washington, D.C., 1982-1998
Sporadic talk show host and guest, KMOX Radio in St. Louis, 1982-2008
Weekly two-hour talk show on fitness and nutrition on WEEI, Boston 1993-1995
Nightly talk show host on health, fitness and nutrition, WCAU, Philadelphia, 1979-1982
Television
Weekly show on Fox Noon News in Washington, D.C. 1995-1996.
Host of “Calling Dr. Mirkin” on The Learning Channel, Cable TV (monthly show on health, fitness and nutrition), 1991-1992
Weekly appearance on “House Party”, a one-hour television program syndicated nationally by NBC Television, 1990
Weekly spot on fitness for “P.M. Magazine” on WDVM-TV, Washington, D.C., 1987
Newspaper Columns
Weekly syndicated column on sports medicine, Washington Times, 1994-2008
Weekly syndicated column on sports medicine, United Features, 1989-1994
Weekly syndicated column on sports medicine, New York Times, 1978-1989
Periodicals
Amateur Dancer, Contributing Columnist, 1990-2008
American Skating World, Contributing Editor, 1981-2008
American Running and Fitness, Contributing Editor, 1983-2008
Backpacker Magazine, Contributing Columnist, 1983
Cross Country Journal, Contributing Editor, 1984-2008
Health Magazine, Contributing Editor, 1980-1988
Mature Outlook, Contributing Columnist, 1984-1991
Medincs, Contributing Columnist, 1984
Nation’s Business, Contributor, 1978, 1983-1985
National Geographic Traveler, Contributing Columnist, 1990
Runner and Triathlete News, Contributing Columnist, 1992-1994
Runners’ World, Medical Editor, 1984-1986; Contributing Editor, 1968-1974
Running Times, Medical Editor, 1976-1978, 1986-1988, 1991-1993
Sports Fitness, Contributing Editor, 1984-1985
Sports Mirror, Contributing Columnist, 1984-1985
Sportswise, Contributing Editor, 1983-1984
Starting Line Magazine, Medical Editor, 1969-1998
Swim Magazine, Contributing columnist,1992-1994
The Jogger, Contributing Medical Editor, 1978-1982
The Runner, Medical Editor, 1978-1984
U.S. Roller Skating Magazine, Columnist 1992-1994
Book and Manuscript Reviewer
The Journal of the American Medical Association, 1983-present
The Journal of the American Medical Writers Association, 1983
Memberships
American College of Sports Medicine American Medical Writers Association
American Medical Association
Med Chi of the State of Maryland
The Montgomery County Medical Society3
Scientific Publications
1. Mirkin, G. B.: Insensible weight loss of infants with fever. The Society for Pediatric Research 1962(May):52.
2. Mirkin, G. B.: The incidence of coronary artery disease. Montgomery County Medical Society Bulletin 1966(Dec):223-5.
3. Mirkin, G. B.: The coronary artery benefits of exercise. Montgomery County Med. Soc. Bulletin 1967(Jan):13-14.
4. Mirkin, G. B.: Does exercise protect against coronary artery disease? Montgomery County Med. Soc. Bulletin 1967(Feb):28-9.
5. Mirkin, G. B.: Labile serum cholesterol values. NEJM, 1968(Oct 31);279(18):1001.
6. Mirkin, G. B.: Carbohydrate loading in athletes: a dangerous practice. JAMA, 1973(March 26);223(13):1511-1512.
7. Mirkin, G. B.: The care of running injuries. Consultant 1975(Feb);15:104-110.
8. Mirkin, G. B.: The prevention and treatment of running injuries. J. Am Podiatry Assoc. 1976(Nov);66(11):880-884.
9. Shore, R. N. and Mirkin, G. B.: The use of fluorinated steroids on the face. Arch. of Derm. 1978(Sept);14(9):1403.
10. Mirkin, G. B.: A theory to explain the causes of running injuries. Modern Medicine 1980(April);48(8):30-37.
11. Mirkin, G. B.: Sexual activity prior to athletic competition. Medical Aspects of Human Sexuality 1980(Jan);14:4.
12. Mirkin, G. B. and Shore, R. N.: The Beverly Hills Diet: dangers of the newest weight loss fad. JAMA, 1981(Nov);246(19):2235-2237.
13. Shangold, M. M. and Mirkin, G. B.: Treatment of common gynecologic-endocrinologic symptoms by allergy management procedures. Ob/Gyn 1983(May);61(5):671-2.
14. Mirkin, G. B.: Zur Ernahrung des Hochleistungs-sportlers. Chapter in Frauen-Leichtathletik, ed. von Muller, N., Augustin, December., and Hunger, B.: Neiderhausen/Taunus, 1985.
15. Mirkin, G. B.: La Fisiopatologia della Nutrizione nell’Atleta. Chapter in Progressi in Medicina dello Sport, ed. Lubich, T., Aulo Gaggi Editore, 1984.
16. Mirkin, G. B.: Assailing vitamin abuse: facts about mega and pseudovitamins, Contemporary Ob/Gyn, 1985(May special issue);27:86-96.
17. Mirkin, G. B. and Shangold, M. M.: Muscle cramps during exercise. JAMA, 1985(March);253(11):1634.
18. Mirkin, G. B. and Shangold, M. M.: Recent advances in sports medicine. JAMA, 1985(Oct);254(16):2340-2343.
19. Shangold, M. M. and Mirkin, G. B.: Delayed puberty in athletic girls. Med. Asp. of Hum. Sex. 1985(May);19(5):227-228.
20. Mirkin, G. B.: Bee pollen. The Phys. and Sptsmed. 1985(July);13(7):159-160.
21. Shangold, M. M. and Mirkin, G. B.: Fitness in post menopausal women: How to motivate the patient. Human Sexuality. 1987(Feb);21(2):23-29.
22. Mirkin, G. B.: Food and Nutrition for Sports. Chapter in Endokrine Regulation und Frauenhochstungssport, ed. Wurster, K. G. and Keller, E., Springer-Verlaug, 1985, p89-102.
23. Mirkin, G. B.: Dietary fat abets coronary artery disease. Contemporary Ob/Gyn 1985(August special issue);28:115-125.
24. Mirkin, G. B.: Tennis wrist. JAMA, 1986(August);256(7):920.
25. Mirkin, G. B. and Shangold, M. M.: Medicine du sport. JAMA, Edition Francaise 1986(15 Jan);11(115):54-57.
26. Mirkin, G. B. and Shangold, M. M.: Sports medicine. JAMA, Japanese Edition 1986 (Dec 12);255(4):122-123.
27. Mirkin, G. B.: Marketing a nutritional “revolutionary breakthrough”: science or scam? Omega-3 unsaturated fatty acids and coronary artery disease. NEJM, 1987(May 7);316(19):1220-1221.
28. Mirkin, G. B.: Tests for mononucleosis and chronic daytime sleepiness. Arch. of Int. Med. 1987 (Feb);147(2): 211.
29. Mirkin, G. B.: Sports nutrition – eating for competing. Clinical Journal, North Shore University Hospital 1987(March);10(1):67-79.
30. Mirkin, G. B.: Eating for competing. Seminars in Adolescent Medicine 1987 (June); 3(3): 177-184.
31. Mirkin, G. S and Mirkin, G. B.: The diagnosis and treatment of sports injuries that are due to errors in training. J. of Current Pod. Medicine 1988 (May); 37(5): 10-15.
32. Dietz, W. H., Mirkin, G. B., Schmidt, B. D. and Scott, L.: Feeding strategies for children. Patient Care 1989 (March 15);23(5):131-160.
33. Mirkin, G. B.: A dietary approach to preventing coronary artery disease. The Female Patient 1989 (May); 14: 114-122.
34. Mirkin, G. B.: Can bee pollen benefit health? JAMA, 1989(Oct );262(13): 1854.
35. Mirkin, G. B.: Blue green algae. JAMA, 1990 (Jan 26); 263(4): 588.
36. Mirkin, G. B.: Sportsmedicine: The Prevention and Treatment of Athletic Injuries. Chapter in The Merck Manual, Merck and Co., Inc., 1993.
37. Mirkin, G. B.: Yams as a source of estrogen. JAMA, 1991 (Feb 20); 265(7): 912.
38. Mirkin, G. B.: Exercise-associated anaphylaxis. JAMA, 1991 (Feb 6); 265(5): 650.
39. Mirkin, G. B.: Raw honey. JAMA, 1991(November 20); 266(19):2766.
40. Mirkin, G. B.: No value in doing stool analysis to evaluate asthma. JAMA. 1993(May 26);269(20):2609
41. Mirkin, G. B.: Nuts do not prevent heart attacks. Archives of Internal Medicine. 1993(Jan 11);153(1):125
42. Mirkin, G.B.: Vasectomies have not been shown to cause prostate cancer. JAMA, 1993(August 11);270(6):708
43. Mirkin, G.B.: Vegetarians who eat nuts have lower cholesterols because they are less likely to eat dairy products and eggs. NEJM, 1993(July 29);329(5):358
44. Mirkin, G.B.: The treatment of sports injuries. Chapter in the Merck Manual, Merck and Co.,Inc., 1996
45. Mirkin, G.B.: Basic principles of exercising. Chapter in the Merck Manual, Merck and Co.,Inc.,1996
