Compare experts › Mary Claire Haver vs Mark Hyman

Mary Claire Haver vs Mark Hyman

Mary Claire Haver (physician, ob-gyn) and Mark Hyman (physician, functional medicine) side by side: how they train, eat, supplement and sleep, how strong the evidence is, and how to build a plan from either or both.

Build a plan from bothSee the protocols
Words explained (11)
Zone 2
Steady cardio at a pace where you can still talk in full sentences, but not sing.
Intervals
Short hard efforts with easy recovery in between, such as 30 seconds fast, 90 seconds slow.
Loaded carry
Walking while holding something heavy, like shopping bags or dumbbells.
Mobility
Moving your joints freely through their full range.
Creatine
A well-studied supplement that supports strength and muscle.
Omega-3 (EPA, DHA)
Healthy fats found mostly in oily fish such as salmon, herring and sardines.
Polyphenols
Natural plant compounds in foods such as berries, tea, coffee, cocoa and olive oil.
Fibre
The part of plant foods you don't digest. It feeds healthy gut bacteria and keeps you full.
Time-restricted eating
Eating all your meals within a set window of the day, for example 8am to 6pm.
Perimenopause
The years of changing hormones before periods stop for good.
Hormone therapy (HRT, MHT)
Medicine that replaces hormones that fall at menopause. Only a doctor can prescribe it.

At a glance

MeasureMary Claire HaverMark Hyman
BackgroundPhysician, OB-GYNPhysician, functional medicine
Training split55% strength · 40% aerobic · 0% intervals · 5% mobility30% strength · 25% aerobic · 30% intervals · 15% mobility
Signature habitFibre 25 g+ a dayPegan diet
Protein80–120 g a day30–50 g shake after training
Training styleWomen 40+Food as medicine
Overall evidenceStrongMixed
FollowingInstagram 3.6M · YouTube 688KInstagram 3.8M · YouTube 1.5M

Training splits are our estimates from each expert’s published routine. Following checked October 2026.

The key differences

  • Haver puts more of the week into strength: about 55% against 30%.
  • Haver puts more of the week into aerobic base (zone 2): about 40% against 25%.
  • Hyman puts more of the week into intervals: about 30% against 0%.
  • Hyman puts more of the week into mobility and stability: about 15% against 5%.
  • In plans in their style, both use 1-minute intervals for hard sessions.
  • We rate the evidence behind Haver's protocol higher: strong, against mixed for Hyman.
  • Supplements that go into a plan: Haver, none (food first); Hyman, protein shake with creatine after training, omega-3 fish oil. Prescription items and personal stacks stay out of every plan.
  • Only Hyman has a mobility or movement routine of their own.

Protocols side by side

Each line is rated for the evidence behind it. “Doctor only” items never go into a plan.

Training

Mary Claire Haver

  • Full-body weight training at least 2 days a week (she does 3–4), progressing gradually, ideally with a trainerStrong evidence
  • Walk at least 3 days a week; beginners start with 5–10 minutes a dayStrong evidence
  • To progress: add a weighted vest to walks, more steps, or a third lifting dayPersonal habit
  • No exercise types need to be avoided in menopause; strength, cardio, stretching and mind-body work all matterNote

Mark Hyman

  • Strength training 3–4 times a week, about 30 minutes, mainly resistance bands and moderate weightsStrong evidence
  • Aerobic or interval training 4–6 days a week, about 30 minutes (cycling, tennis, hiking, swimming)Strong evidence
  • Yoga a couple of times a week plus a little stretching most daysSome evidence
  • Avoids very heavy lifting as he ages to limit injury riskPersonal habit
  • Hypoxia (low-oxygen) training with a machine or maskPersonal habit

Eating

Mary Claire Haver

  • Protein about 1.5 g per kg of healthy body weight a day, with about 1.8 g/kg as a stretch goalSome evidence
  • Fibre at least 25 g a day, building slowly towards 30–45 gStrong evidence
  • Eat about 30 different plant foods a week (vegetables, fruit, nuts, seeds, grains, herbal teas)Some evidence
  • Anti-inflammatory, Mediterranean-style eating: limit added sugar and processed carbohydrate, add leafy greens, olive oil, berries, nuts and fermented foodsStrong evidence
  • Spread protein across meals and snacks, each paired with a healthy fat and a healthy carbohydratePersonal habit
  • She originally promoted 16:8 intermittent fasting but has pulled back, saying it can make enough protein hard to reachNote

Mark Hyman

  • Pegan diet: about 75% of the plate from plants, mostly non-starchy vegetablesStrong evidence
  • Cut sugar, refined flour and ultra-processed foodsStrong evidence
  • 1–2 cups of cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cabbage etc.) a daySome evidence
  • Healthy fats from olive oil, avocado, nuts, seeds and small oily fishStrong evidence
  • Avoid gluten and most dairy, even without intolerancePersonal habit
  • Daily overnight fast of 12–16 hoursSome evidence

Supplements

Mary Claire Haver

  • Omega-3, vitamin D and vitamin K among the supplements she takes; she does not give general dosesPersonal habit
  • Fibre supplement if diet alone falls short of the daily targetPersonal habit
  • Check with your doctor before starting any new supplementNote
  • She sells her own supplement line ('Pause), so weigh her product recommendations with that in mindNote

Mark Hyman

  • Protein shake after training: 30–50 g whey (goat) plus 5 g creatineStrong evidence
  • Vitamin D, fish oil, a multivitamin and magnesium at nightSome evidence
  • NMN (about 900 mg a day), urolithin A, quercetin, curcumin and similar 'longevity' compoundsPersonal habit
  • His own branded gut supplement (prebiotics, probiotics, polyphenols)Personal habit

Sleep & recovery

Mary Claire Haver

  • Menopausal hormone therapy, chosen with a doctor; she calls it the most effective treatment for hot flushes and night sweatsDoctor only
  • Prefers non-oral (patch, gel, spray) oestrogen, which carries a lower clot risk than tablets; progesterone for women with a uterusDoctor only
  • Magnesium (L-threonate) and a sleep supplement in her own routinePersonal habit

Mark Hyman

  • 7–8 hours of sleep with a regular bedtime around 10 pmStrong evidence
  • Dark, quiet bedroom with eye mask and earplugsSome evidence
  • Blue-light-blocking glasses in the eveningPersonal habit
  • Steam or sauna and cold plunge most daysPersonal habit
  • Red light therapy at homePersonal habit

Stress & mind

Mary Claire Haver

  • Journal for a few minutes every dayPersonal habit
  • Add meditation, using an app or free guided sessionsSome evidence
  • Prepare questions before midlife health check-ups and push for proper care of symptomsPersonal habit

Mark Hyman

  • Meditation once or twice a day plus breathworkSome evidence
  • As much time in nature as possibleSome evidence
  • Regular time with friends and familySome evidence
  • Regular massagePersonal habit

Brain health

Mary Claire Haver

  • Points to observational data linking longer lifetime oestrogen exposure, including hormone therapy, with better cognition; not a licensed reason to start hormonesDoctor only
  • Creatine for possible memory and mood benefits; most of this evidence is from small or non-menopausal studiesSome evidence
  • Strength training, protein and fibre as part of reducing long-term risks such as dementia, heart disease and diabetesSome evidence

Mark Hyman

No specific guidance in what we reviewed.

Weak spots to know

Mary Claire Haver

  • Several menopause specialists, quoted in a 2024 New York Times report, said she promotes hormone use beyond official guidelines; one said patients now ask for hormones to prevent heart disease or dementia, or testosterone for general wellbeing.
  • Commercial ties, stated neutrally: she owns The 'Pause Life (a multimillion-dollar business selling supplements, programmes and online courses) and a cash-pay menopause clinic. The Menopause Society discourages doctors from selling their own products, and the advertising watchdog Truth in Advertising flagged some product claims; according to the New York Times, she then hired a consultant to review the claims on her website.
  • An independent review by ConsumerLab found some of her supplements costly for what they contain, with creatine claims that overstate the evidence and a vitamin D dose at the upper safe limit.

Mark Hyman

  • Functional medicine as a field lacks randomised trial evidence; surgeon and blogger David Gorski (Science-Based Medicine, 2014; Respectful Insolence, 2019) argues its useful parts (diet, exercise, sleep) are not unique and its unique parts (broad testing, supplements, 'detox') are not proven.
  • A 2021 Red Pen Reviews analysis of Eat Fat, Get Thin scored its scientific accuracy 1.2 out of 4, finding the claim that saturated fat does not cause heart disease conflicts with most controlled studies.
  • Commercial ties are large: he co-founded and is chief medical officer of Function Health (direct-to-consumer lab testing) and sells supplements through his own online shop; nutrition scientist Adrian Chavez (Katie Couric Media, 2026) noted one of his supplement stacks supplies 7,000 IU of vitamin D a day, above the usual 4,000 IU upper limit.

Build a plan from Haver, Hyman or both

Your free plan shows a week of gym sessions, cardio, a day of eating, supplements and mobility, fitted to your age, time and health.

Plan in Haver's stylePlan in Hyman's styleMix both

Questions

What is the main difference between Mary Claire Haver and Mark Hyman?

Their training split differs most in intervals: Haver about 0%, Hyman about 30% (our estimate from their published routines). Haver's signature habit is Fibre 25 g+ a day; Hyman's is Pegan diet.

How much protein do Haver and Hyman recommend?

Haver: 80–120 g a day. Hyman: 30–50 g shake after training.

Whose advice has stronger evidence?

We rate the evidence behind Haver's protocol higher: strong, against mixed for Hyman.

Do Haver and Hyman disagree?

Not directly in what we reviewed. Their differences are in emphasis: haver puts more of the week into strength: about 55% against 30%.

Can I combine Haver and Hyman?

Yes. In Build my mix you choose one expert per area, for example one for strength and another for eating. Your free plan shows the result straight away.

More comparisons

Peter Attia vs Mary Claire HaverAndrew Huberman vs Mary Claire HaverAndy Galpin vs Mary Claire HaverGabrielle Lyon vs Mary Claire HaverRhonda Patrick vs Mary Claire HaverLayne Norton vs Mary Claire HaverPeter Attia vs Mark HymanAndrew Huberman vs Mark HymanAndy Galpin vs Mark HymanGabrielle Lyon vs Mark HymanRhonda Patrick vs Mark HymanLayne Norton vs Mark HymanAll comparisons →

Full sources are on each profile: Mary Claire Haver · Mark Hyman. Reviewed October 2026.