Aaron Chacon

BS Nutritional Science, MS Nutritional Education, PhD Pharmacology.

Focuses: Nutritional Guidance

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My journey into the field of nutrition began with a Bachelor of Science in Nutritional Science from the University of Texas at Austin. My practical experience as a clinical nutritionist in Charlotte, NC, further solidified this theoretical foundation. In this role, I was responsible for diet planning, blood work analysis, and IV nutrition therapy. As a former competitive bodybuilder, I was intensely interested in working with anyone with a physique goal – athletes and non-athletes. To further hone my skills, I concurrently worked alongside several personal training facilities, helping clients achieve their goals. 

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Driven to learn more, I pursued a master’s in nutrition education. Utilizing what I had learned and my clinical resources, I developed a diabetes prevention and treatment plan implemented in several corporations around the Charlotte uptown area. 

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I continued my academic trajectory and am finishing my PhD at The University of Kentucky’s College of Medicine in the Department of Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences. My research stands out here as it delves into the intersection between type 2 diabetes, cardiometabolic health, and the often-overlooked circadian rhythm. This internal clock is intricately tied to our metabolic health and uniquely influences our nutritional goals. For instance, insulin secretion is most sensitive upon awakening. If, for example, you consumed a meal at this time and an identical one before bed, you would have a vastly different insulin response and, thus, postprandial glucose. This is one of many examples of how timing over the day impacts health and our goals. In a diabetic state, circadian rhythm disruptions are common at a physiological and molecular level.

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My work focuses on rescuing these perturbations primarily through chronopharmacology – a method of utilizing the timed administration of therapeutics. 

My approach towards a client’s health or physique goals is based on optimizing four fundamentals: 1) nutrition, 2) physical activity, 3) sleep quality and quantity, and 4) gut health, each being intricately linked. Take, for example, the goal of weight loss. There are only three ways to lose weight – lower caloric intake, increase caloric expenditure, and optimize nutrient partitioning. There are, however, a multitude of variables that influence each of these. We can guarantee success by leveraging these four fundamentals and their role in weight loss.