We wrap up the year with a new case challenge. A 38-year-old radiology technician has a strange rash just above… his buttocks! Who's to blame?

Was it the dog? Was it his job? Or is it the special person in his life?

Also: Chris learns about socks!

Yet also: we say the phrase "ass crack." We had to!

And also also: an important announcement.

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Assistant researcher: Aigul Zaripova, MD

Theme music: "Fall of the Ocean Queen" by Joseph Hackl

Rod of Asclepius designed by Kamil J. Przybos

Chris' book, Does Coffee Cause Cancer?: https://ecwpress.com/products/does-coffee-cause-cancer

Obviously, Chris is not your doctor (probably). This podcast is not medical advice for you; it is what we call information.

Pain. Sometimes it's acute, sometimes it's chronic. It may come from an injury or just from wear and tear. Chris and Jonathan sit down to speak to Dr. Leon Tourian, who specializes in pain psychiatry at McGill University.

Can we objectively measure pain? Is there such a thing as normal pain? And what happens when chronic pain in our extremities is left untreated and our brain takes over?

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Assistant researcher: Aigul Zaripova, MD

Theme music: "Fall of the Ocean Queen" by Joseph Hackl

Rod of Asclepius designed by Kamil J. Przybos

Chris' book, Does Coffee Cause Cancer?: https://ecwpress.com/products/does-coffee-cause-cancer

Obviously, Chris is not your doctor (probably). This podcast is not medical advice for you; it is what we call information.

What does the body of evidence say about rabies? Well, for one, it is the human disease with the worst case-fatality rate. Once you develop the symptoms, your outlook isn't good. But its long incubation period makes it easy to do something that may not be intuitive: to give the infected person a vaccine… after they've been bit.

Special guest star: Tobi.

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Assistant researcher: Aigul Zaripova, MD

Theme music: "Fall of the Ocean Queen" by Joseph Hackl

Rod of Asclepius designed by Kamil J. Przybos

Chris' book, Does Coffee Cause Cancer?: https://ecwpress.com/products/does-coffee-cause-cancer

Obviously, Chris is not your doctor (probably). This podcast is not medical advice for you; it is what we call information.

References:

1) Information on the rabies vaccine: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/publications/healthy-living/canadian-immunization-guide-part-4-active-vaccines/page-18-rabies-vaccine.html

2) WHO expert consultation on rabies: https://iris.who.int/bitstream/handle/10665/272364/9789241210218-eng.pdf?sequence=1

It's a pseudoscience that seemed to work at first, but now the same researcher who "proved" that it worked has proven that it doesn't. Do we need to purge people of heavy metals to make sure they don't have heart attacks? No… but you won't believe the price tag we've had to pay to gain this wisdom.

Become a supporter of our show today either on Patreon or through PayPal! Thank you!

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Assistant researcher: Aigul Zaripova, MD

Theme music: "Fall of the Ocean Queen" by Joseph Hackl

Rod of Asclepius designed by Kamil J. Przybos

Chris' book, Does Coffee Cause Cancer?: https://ecwpress.com/products/does-coffee-cause-cancer

Obviously, Chris is not your doctor (probably). This podcast is not medical advice for you; it is what we call information.

References:

1) Editorial expressing concerns about TACT1: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/1672219

2) Results from the TACT2 trial: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/2822472

3) Editor's note on the whole saga: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/2822475

4) Dr. Stephen Barrett's commentary on TACT1: https://quackwatch.org/chelation/research/tact/

Can cranberry juice help prevent UTIs… or will any liquid do? Also: a new drug has been tested to treat the symptoms of menopause and it looks pretty good. As Chris and Jonathan appraise these studies, you will learn about the importance of placebo arms in clinical trials.

Correction: it turns out that urine is not sterile. Even the bladder has bacteria in it! https://www.livescience.com/health/is-pee-sterile

Become a supporter of our show today either on Patreon or through PayPal! Thank you!

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https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=9QZET78JZWCZE

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Assistant researcher: Aigul Zaripova, MD

Theme music: "Fall of the Ocean Queen" by Joseph Hackl

Rod of Asclepius designed by Kamil J. Przybos

Chris' book, Does Coffee Cause Cancer?: https://ecwpress.com/products/does-coffee-cause-cancer

Obviously, Chris is not your doctor (probably). This podcast is not medical advice for you; it is what we call information.

References:

1) The network meta-analysis published in European Urology Focus on cranberries to prevent UTIs: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405456924001226

2) The 2023 meta-analysis on cranberries for UTIs: https://www.cochrane.org/CD001321/RENAL_cranberries-preventing-urinary-tract-infections

3) Write-up on the recent meta-analysis in Medscape: https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/its-juice-cranberries-uti-prevention-2024a1000ei4?ecd=mkm_ret_240814_mscpmrk-OUS_ICYMI_CA_etid6740662&uac=300018BV&impID=6740662

4) The OASIS 1 and 2 trials on elinzanetant for menopausal vasomotor symptoms: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2822766

The wellness industry has a very specific customer base in its crosshairs: women. And many journalists are covering this relationship in a dangerously superficial way. Underwater spinning? Fun! CBD-infused leggings? Why not? But there's a dark underbelly to the promises of wellness solutions, and journalist Rina Raphael has documented it diligently and with a great deal of compassion in her book, The Gospel of Wellness. Jonathan talks to her about how wellness is portrayed in the media and why women listen to its siren call.

Become a supporter of our show today either on Patreon or through PayPal! Thank you!

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Assistant researcher: Aigul Zaripova, MD

Theme music: "Fall of the Ocean Queen" by Joseph Hackl

Rod of Asclepius designed by Kamil J. Przybos

Chris' book, Does Coffee Cause Cancer?: https://ecwpress.com/products/does-coffee-cause-cancer

Obviously, Chris is not your doctor (probably). This podcast is not medical advice for you; it is what we call information.

Links:

1) Rina Raphael's Substack: https://welltodo.substack.com

2) Rina Raphael's book: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59808064-the-gospel-of-wellness

3) Rina Raphel's website: https://www.rinaraphael.com

What does the body of evidence have to say about kidney stones (and bladder stones)? You will learn about risk factors for stones; whether or not a low oxalate diet will help; and just exactly what insane stuff our ancestors used to do to help people pass their stones. There's mention of a "she-ass" and something invasive involving the bum. We're not even joking.

Become a supporter of our show today either on Patreon or through PayPal! Thank you!

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Assistant researcher: Aigul Zaripova, MD

Theme music: "Fall of the Ocean Queen" by Joseph Hackl

Rod of Asclepius designed by Kamil J. Przybos

Chris' book, Does Coffee Cause Cancer?: https://ecwpress.com/products/does-coffee-cause-cancer

Obviously, Chris is not your doctor (probably). This podcast is not medical advice for you; it is what we call information.

References:

1) Historical interventions for kidney and bladder stones: https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1464-410X.2002.02769.x

Risk factors for kidney/bladder stones:

2) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eururo.2012.03.052

3) DOI: 10.1016/j.eururo.2012.03.052

4) https://doi.org/10.1007/s00240-020-01210-w 

5) https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare11030424

6) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.juro.2010.11.073

7) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.euf.2023.10.001

8) DOI: 10.1089/end.2019.0557 

9) https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-04251-2

10) What a staghorn calculus looks like: https://radiopaedia.org/articles/staghorn-calculus-kidney

11) CUA guidelines on how to manage kidney stones: https://www.cua.org/sites/default/files/Flipbooks/Guidelines/G40_en/mobile/index.html

You thought your toddler was a handful. Have you heard of the She-Hulk toddler? You will learn what GPA means in a patient chart and how menstruation can be used to judge the health of a country, while Chris tries to figure out what is wrong with this tiny but ferocious patient.

Also: an announcement that will change The Body of Evidence forever….

Warning: this episode contains medical discussion of genitals.

A Block: The Case of the She-Hulk Toddler

(0:58) She has the strength of two toddlers! Also, puberty seems to have kicked in. What is going on with her?

B Block: Announcement

(32:29) Chris and Jonathan announce something.

* Theme music: "Fall of the Ocean Queen" by Joseph Hackl

* Assistant researcher: Aigul Zaripova

To contribute to The Body of Evidence, go to our Patreon page at: http://www.patreon.com/thebodyofevidence/.

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Jonathan and Chris speak to Dr. Andrea Love, a microbiologist, immunologist, science communicator, and the director of the American Lyme Disease Foundation. The tick-borne illness known as Lyme disease is everywhere: on the news, on social media… but is it really near you? Dr. Love separates facts from fiction when it comes to Lyme disease, both the acute infection and the alleged chronic condition.

Correction (2024/07/24): Dr. Love wanted to correct a statement she made. She said that tick-borne relapsing fever does not occur in the U.S., but she meant that it did not occur in the eastern U.S. It does occur in western U.S. states but is caused by a different Borrelia species and spread by different ticks, so there is no overlap with Lyme disease. 

* Theme music: "Fall of the Ocean Queen" by Joseph Hackl.

To contribute to The Body of Evidence, go to our Patreon page at: http://www.patreon.com/thebodyofevidence/.

Patrons get a bonus show on Patreon called "Digressions"! Check it out!

1) Andrea Love's Substack, Immunologic: https://www.immunologic.org

2) American Lyme Disease Foundation website: https://aldf.com

What does the body of evidence say on malaria? Your favourite travel destination may be a malaria hot zone: we discuss how to prepare. Plus: a strange FDA application to use MDMA to treat PTSD, and have statins been overprescribed?

A Block: Malaria

(0:58) History; the parasite's life cycle; how many people are affected by malaria; symptoms; how to diagnose it; how to treat it; prevention.

B Block: Ecstasy for PTSD

(35:46) An advisory committee for the FDA has raised many concerns about a company's application to use MDMA (ecstasy, molly) as part of psychotherapy for post-traumatic stress disorder.

C Block: Statin Overprescription

(46:08) A new risk calculator is classifying fewer people as needing statins.

* Theme music: "Fall of the Ocean Queen" by Joseph Hackl

* Assistant researcher: Aigul Zaripova

To contribute to The Body of Evidence, go to our Patreon page at: http://www.patreon.com/thebodyofevidence/.

To make a one-time donation to our show, you can now use PayPal! https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=9QZET78JZWCZE

Patrons get a bonus show on Patreon called "Digressions"! Check it out!

Chris' book, Does Coffee Cause Cancer?: https://ecwpress.com/products/does-coffee-cause-cancer

References:

1) WHO fact sheet on malaria: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/malaria

History of malaria:

2) https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph7020675

3) https://doi.org/10.1007/s11230-004-6354-6

4) DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2141.2008.07085.x

5) https://doi.org/10.1179/135100003225002952

6) https://doi.org/10.1038/hdy.2011.16

7) doi: 10.1038/s41598-018-19554-0 

8) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK215638/ 

9) Plasmodium parasite life cycle: https://www.cdc.gov/dpdx/malaria/index.html 

Malaria epidemiology:

10) https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/catmat/canadian-recommendations-prevention-treatment-malaria/chapter-1-introduction.html 

11) https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/malaria 

12) https://apps.who.int/malaria/maps/threats/#

13) https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240086173 

14) DOI: 10.15585/mmwr.mm7236a1  

15) https://emergency.cdc.gov/han/2023/han00496.asp 

16) https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/catmat/appendix-1-malaria-risk-recommended-chemoprophylaxis-geographic-area.html 

How to diagnose malaria:

17) https://www.cdc.gov/dpdx/resources/pdf/benchAids/malaria/Pfalciparum_benchaidV2.pdf 

18) https://www.cdc.gov/dpdx/resources/pdf/benchAids/malaria/Pvivax_benchaidV2.pdf 

19) https://www.cdc.gov/dpdx/resources/pdf/benchAids/malaria/Povale_benchaidV2.pdf 

20) https://www.cdc.gov/dpdx/resources/pdf/benchAids/malaria/Pmalariae_benchaidV2.pdf 

How to prevent malaria:

21) https://www.who.int/groups/vector-control-advisory-group/summary-of-new-interventions-for-vector-control/lethal-house-lures 

22) DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(24)00004-7

23) https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-68037008

24) DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa2026330

25) DOI: 10.1016/S1473-3099(23)00368-7

26) DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S1473-3099(22)00442-X

27) Dr. Andrea Love's article about DEET and insect repellents for Immunologic: https://immunologic.substack.com/p/essential-oils-are-not-chemical-free?publication_id=2109759&post_id=145493032&isFreemail=true&r=5o22t

28) Ada McVean's article about insect repellents for the McGill OSS: https://www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/health-technology/why-mosquitos-bite-you-and-how-make-them-stop

29) FDA advisers vote against medical use of ecstasy: https://www.science.org/content/article/fda-advisory-panel-rejects-mdma-ptsd-treatment

30) Elizabeth Conney's STAT article on new cardiovascular risk calculator for statin prescriptions: https://www.statnews.com/2024/06/10/cardiovascular-disease-statins-aha-guidelines/

It's Not Twitter But It'll Do:

1) Jonathan's interview on the Rethinking Wellness podcast: https://rethinkingwellness.substack.com/p/why-you-probably-dont-have-a-leaky

Chris and Jonathan speak to Dr. Ian Hussey, the Chief Recommender for the ERROR project. It turns out that scientific papers are not flawless: they can contain mistakes. What happens when people are paid to go and find these mistakes? You're about to find out!

* Theme music: "Fall of the Ocean Queen" by Joseph Hackl.

To contribute to The Body of Evidence, go to our Patreon page at: http://www.patreon.com/thebodyofevidence/.

Patrons get a bonus show on Patreon called "Digressions"! Check it out!

1) The ERROR project website: https://error.reviews/

What does the body of evidence say on LASIK, the use of lasers to correct vision? Plus: many men on PreP are abandoning condoms as STIs are becoming more common, and Chris tells us if krill oil can cure arthritis of the knee. Also, Jonathan briefly imitates Alex Jones.

A Block: LASIK

(0:59) How lasers are used in medicine; LASIK and its cousins; how to choose; effectiveness, satisfaction, and side effects.

B Block: HIV PrEP and STIs

(28:18) How does pre-exposure prophylaxis against HIV works, and what is simultaneously happening with condom use (going down) and rates of STIs (going up). Also, what is Doxy-PEP?

C Block: Krill Oil for Knee Osteoarthritis

(44:45) An Australian trial of krill oil for arthritis of the knee came to the conclusion that… well, what do you think?

* Theme music: "Fall of the Ocean Queen" by Joseph Hackl

* Assistant researcher: Aigul Zaripova

To contribute to The Body of Evidence, go to our Patreon page at: http://www.patreon.com/thebodyofevidence/.

To make a one-time donation to our show, you can now use PayPal! https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=9QZET78JZWCZE

Patrons get a bonus show on Patreon called "Digressions"! Check it out!

References:

Comparisons of LASIK and its related techniques:

1) DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0174810 

2) DOI: 10.1016/j.jcrs.2007.07.026 

3) DOI: 10.1136/bjo.2007.131748 

4) DOI: 10.1016/j.ajo.2017.03.013 

5) DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD012687.pub2 

Outcomes from LASIK:

6) DOI: 10.1016/s0161-6420(99)00148-7 

7) DOI: 10.1016/s0161-6420(00)00528-5 

8) doi:10.1001/jamaophthalmol.2016.4587

UpToDate entries pertaining to HIV, PrEP, and Doxy-PEP:

9) https://www.uptodate.com/contents/hiv-pre-exposure-prophylaxis

10) https://www.uptodate.com/contents/primary-care-of-gay-men-and-men-who-have-sex-with-men

11) https://www.uptodate.com/contents/prevention-of-sexually-transmitted-infections

12) https://www.uptodate.com/contents/hiv-infection-risk-factors-and-prevention-strategies

13) Statistics Canada survey of sexually active 15-to-24-year-olds: https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/82-003-x/2020009/article/00001-eng.htm

14) Increased rates of STIs according to Public Health Agency of Canada: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/publications/diseases-conditions/report-sexually-transmitted-infection-surveillance-canada-2019.html

15) Systematic review and meta-analysis on sexual risk behaviour in men who use PrEP: https://doi.org/10.1093/cid/ciy182

16) Australian trial on krill oil for knee osteoarthritis: https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2024.6063

It's Not Twitter But It'll Do:

1) Jonathan's article about Lumina to avoid dental cavities: https://www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/medical-critical-thinking-technology/reports-death-dental-cavities-are-greatly-exaggerated

2) The Skeptics' Dictionary: https://www.skepdic.com/

What does the body of evidence say about mold? Or if you're part of the Commonwealth, mould? Some mould can make you sick, especially by triggering allergic symptoms, but beware of people selling you a service to detect mould in your home because there is no established "safe" threshold yet. How can you prevent mould from growing where you live? And how do you take care of it once you've spotted it?

Become a supporter of our show today either on Patreon or through PayPal! Thank you!

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Assistant researcher: Aigul Zaripova, MD

Theme music: "Fall of the Ocean Queen" by Joseph Hackl

Rod of Asclepius designed by Kamil J. Przybos

Chris' book, Does Coffee Cause Cancer?: https://ecwpress.com/products/does-coffee-cause-cancer

Obviously, Chris is not your doctor (probably). This podcast is not medical advice for you; it is what we call information.

References:

1) Health Canada's Guide to addressing moisture and mould indoors: https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/publications/healthy-living/addressing-moisture-mould-your-home.html

2) Guidance for Clinicians on the Recognition and Management of Health Effects Related to Mold Exposure and Moisture Indoors: https://health.uconn.edu/occupational-environmental/wp-content/uploads/sites/25/2015/12/mold_guide.pdf

3) The EPA's Course on mold: https://www.epa.gov/mold/mold-course-chapter-1

Jonathan and Chris speak to Dr. Matthew Cameron, a local anesthesiologist who does a lot more than local anesthesias! They discuss the ins and outs of putting people to sleep; how safe epidurals really are; and whether or not you need to worry about waking up paralyzed in the middle of an operation (spoiler alert: no). Also, Jonathan is told about "blood patches" for the first time and can't believe this is a real thing.

* Theme music: "Fall of the Ocean Queen" by Joseph Hackl.

To contribute to The Body of Evidence, go to our Patreon page at: http://www.patreon.com/thebodyofevidence/.

Patrons get a bonus show on Patreon called "Digressions"! Check it out!

What does the body of evidence say on lupus, the autoimmune disease that famously imitates so many other illnesses? Plus: a new study shows that Tylenol in pregnancy is not associated with neurodevelopmental problems, and Chris revisits the topic of red meat following a listener's question.

A Block: Lupus

(0:57) How common lupus is; what may be causing it; what lupus looks like; how complicated its diagnosis is; what treatment options exist

B Block: Tylenol in Pregnancy

(34:27) Is Tylenol use in pregnancy really responsible for autism, ADHD, and intellectual disability? A new study says no.

C Block: Red Meat

(50:13) Are the harms of eating red meat regularly nowhere near as bad as we were told?

* Theme music: "Fall of the Ocean Queen" by Joseph Hackl

* Assistant researcher: Aigul Zaripova

To contribute to The Body of Evidence, go to our Patreon page at: http://www.patreon.com/thebodyofevidence/.

To make a one-time donation to our show, you can now use PayPal! https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=9QZET78JZWCZE

Patrons get a bonus show on Patreon called "Digressions"! Check it out!

References:

Lupus epidemiology:

1) https://www.lupuscanada.org/living-with-lupus/what-is-lupus/

2) https://doi.org/10.1177/096120339500400303

3) https://doi.org/10.1038/s41584-021-00668-1

Causes of lupus:

4) DOI: 10.1002/art.22510 

5) DOI: 10.7326/0003-4819-142-12_part_1-200506210-00004

6) https://doi.org/10.1097/bor.0b013e32833c6297

7) https://doi.org/10.1016/0190-9622(90)70020-i

8) https://doi.org/10.1136/ard.2007.084582

9) DOI: 10.1177/0961203306069346

What lupus looks like in a patient:

10) https://dermnetnz.org/topics/cutaneous-lupus-erythematosus

11) https://dermnetnz.org/topics/discoid-lupus-erythematosus

12) doi: 10.2147/CCID.S269288 

13) https://dermnetnz.org/topics/raynaud-phenomenon

14) DOI: 10.1097/01.md.0000091181.93122.55 

15) DOI: 10.1002/art.39070 

How to manage lupus:

16) DOI: 10.1136/annrheumdis-2015-207726

17) https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12784392/

18) DOI: 10.1016/j.jaad.2014.12.025

19) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.autrev.2017.02.005

20) DOI: 10.1191/096120398678919778

21) https://doi.org/10.1136/ard.2008.101766

22) DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa035471

23) https://doi.org/10.1191/0961203305lu2039oa

24) DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD010668.pub2 

25) DOI: 10.1002/art.27233

26) DOI: 10.1002/art.34359

27) DOI: 10.1136/lupus-2018-000284

28) DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa1912196

29) https://ash.confex.com/ash/2023/webprogram/Paper180547.html

30) https://doi.org/10.1016/C2009-0-02062-5

31) Study on Tylenol in pregnancy: https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2024.3172

It's the case of the woman who was too tired to "par-tay!" What is afflicting her? It's something that we don't about enough. Plus: what is happening with avian flu and should you keep using Q-tips in your ears to remove earwax?

A Block: The Case of the Woman Who Was Too Tired to Party

(0:58) A woman falls asleep at work and has a constant headache. It also took her much longer than four years to complete her undergrad. What could be causing this?

B Block: Avian Flu

(25:36) An update on the avian flu situation

C Block: Earwax

(36:03) What should you do about your earwax? Use it as lip balm? Actually….

* Theme music: "Fall of the Ocean Queen" by Joseph Hackl

* Assistant researcher: Aigul Zaripova

To contribute to The Body of Evidence, go to our Patreon page at: http://www.patreon.com/thebodyofevidence/.

To make a one-time donation to our show, you can now use PayPal! https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=9QZET78JZWCZE

Patrons get a bonus show on Patreon called "Digressions"! Check it out!

References:

1) Inspection Canada webpages on avian flu: https://inspection.canada.ca/animal-health/terrestrial-animals/diseases/reportable/avian-influenza/facts-about-avian-influenza/eng/1356193731667/1356193918453 & https://inspection.canada.ca/animal-health/terrestrial-animals/diseases/reportable/avian-influenza/latest-bird-flu-situation/hpai-in-livestock/eng/1711895796746/1711895797730

2) Nature News Explainer on avian flu: https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-01036-1

3) WHO surveillance page on avian flu: https://www.who.int/westernpacific/wpro-emergencies/surveillance/avian-influenza

4) Case report on the man who caught H5N1: https://www.cdc.gov/ncird/whats-new/human-infection-H5N1-bird-flu.html

What does the body of evidence say on measles, that scourge we thought we'd gotten rid of? Plus: do you need to drink AG1 every day for the rest of your life, and Chris explains what doctors do and don't control when you see them at the clinic.

A Block: Measles

(0:57) How many people have measles; how measles is transmitted; how the disease progresses; complications; vaccination; treatments

B Block: AG1

(34:27) AG1 by Athletic Greens: what it contains and whether or not there's good evidence that you need it

C Block: A Day in the Life of a Doctor

(50:13) Do doctors decide how many patients they see in a day? The answer may surprise you!

* Theme music: "Fall of the Ocean Queen" by Joseph Hackl

* Assistant researcher: Aigul Zaripova

To contribute to The Body of Evidence, go to our Patreon page at: http://www.patreon.com/thebodyofevidence/.

To make a one-time donation to our show, you can now use PayPal! https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=9QZET78JZWCZE

Patrons get a bonus show on Patreon called "Digressions"! Check it out!

References:

Origin of the measles virus:

1) https://virologyj.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1743-422X-7-52

Measles epidemiology:

2) https://www.cdc.gov/measles/hcp/index.html

3) https://www.cdc.gov/measles/downloads/measlesdataandstatsslideset.pdf

4) https://www.cdc.gov/measles/downloads/IntroToMeaslesSlideSet.pdf

5) https://doi.org/10.1086/368114

6) https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.o2844

7) https://www.cdc.gov/globalhealth/measles/news/covid-impact-on-measles-vaccination.html

8) https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/66/wr/mm6642a6.htm

Clinical progression of the disease:

9) https://dermnetnz.org/topics/measles

10) https://jidc.org/index.php/journal/article/view/22421609

11) https://dermnetnz.org/topics/measles-images

12) https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(21)02004-3

Atypical measles:

13) https://www.nature.com/articles/nm918

Complications from measles:

14) https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.aay6485

State of measles in Canada:

15) https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/measles/surveillance-measles/measles-rubella-weekly-monitoring-reports.html

State of measles in the United States:

16) https://www.cdc.gov/measles/cases-outbreaks.html

17) Jonathan's article on AG1: https://www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/critical-thinking-health-and-nutrition/you-probably-dont-need-green-ag1-smoothie

It's Not Twitter, But It'll Do:

1) Jonathan's article on leaky gut syndrome: https://www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/medical-critical-thinking/you-probably-dont-have-leaky-gut

2) Appearances on CTV Montreal News: https://montreal.ctvnews.ca/video?binId=1.1332485

3) Chris will be in Ottawa on April 13: https://allevents.in/ottawa/dr-labos-live-in-person/200026332496559?ref=eventlist-cat

4) Jonathan will be at WeCanReason on May 4: https://wecanreason.com/

It's episode 100! For this very special episode, Jonathan and Chris do the Wired autocomplete interview; they answer listeners' personal and health-related questions; and they make an announcement that will forever change the face of the podcast.

A Block: The Wired Interview

(1:14) What happens when you google "Jonathan Jarry" and "Christopher Labos," and why do so many people want to know if Chris is married (and is he? Is he, though? Can we know, please?)

B Block: Listeners' Questions

(22:42) Health-related questions

(47:55) Personal questions

C Block: The Future Is Here

(1:26:15) Chris has no idea what he's about to hear.

* Theme music: "Fall of the Ocean Queen" by Joseph Hackl

* Assistant researcher: Aigul Zaripova

To contribute to The Body of Evidence, go to our Patreon page at: http://www.patreon.com/thebodyofevidence/.

To make a one-time donation to our show, you can now use PayPal! https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=9QZET78JZWCZE

Patrons get a bonus show on Patreon called "Digressions"! Check it out!

What does the body of evidence say on acne and how to treat it? Plus: you're going to want to pay attention to this latest study if you have food allergies, and Chris answers listeners' questions about when to exercise, whether spinal cord stimulators work, and why some older adults are told that surgery would mess with their brain.

A Block: Acne

(0:59) Who gets acne; what causes acne; what are the risk factors for acne; how to treat both mild and moderate-to-severe acne.

B Block: New Food Allergy Drug

(34:16) A drug already approved to treat asthma, omalizumab (Xolair), can work against food allergies, including peanut allergy.

C Block: Answering Emails

(47:32) Questions about when is the best time to exercise (and whether or not you should be fasting); the benefits of spinal cord stimulators for people dealing with chronic pain; and why some older adults are being denied surgery.

* Theme music: "Fall of the Ocean Queen" by Joseph Hackl

* Assistant researcher: Aigul Zaripova

To contribute to The Body of Evidence, go to our Patreon page at: http://www.patreon.com/thebodyofevidence/.

To make a one-time donation to our show, you can now use PayPal! https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=9QZET78JZWCZE

Patrons get a bonus show on Patreon called "Digressions"! Check it out!

References:

Prevalence of acne

1) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaad.2007.06.045

2) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5788264/

Genetics as a cause of acne

3) https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1523-1747.2002.19621.x

Psychological toll of acne

4) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaad.2008.07.013

5) https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2133.1997.18131897.x

Diet and acne: the impact of milk

6) https://doi-org/10.1016/j.jaad.2004.08.007

7) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaad.2007.08.049

8) https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17083856/

9) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaad.2016.04.030

10) https://doi.org/10.1111/jdv.13835

Diet and acne: the role of carbohydrates (or glycemic load)

11) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaad.2007.01.046

12) https://doi.org/10.1111/ced.12673

13) https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-4632.2009.04002.x

14) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaad.2009.07.043

15) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaad.2009.07.043

Stress and acne

16) https://doi.org/10.1001/archderm.139.7.897

Overview of acne treatments

17) https://doi.org/10.1067/mjd.2003.618

18) The clinical trial of Xolair for food allergies: https://www.nejm.org/doi/10.1056/NEJMoa2312382

19) The Nature News Explainer on Xolair and food allergies: https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-00586-8

It's Not Twitter, But It'll Do:

1) Jonathan on The Current to talk about wellness and skepticism: https://www.cbc.ca/listen/live-radio/1-63-the-current/clip/16040098-how-tell-wellness-trends-wrong

It's the case of the injured water-skier, which gets Chris to talk about painkillers (NSAIDs, opioids, and Tylenol) and how quickly you lose muscle mass when you're injured. Plus: a cancer update! Should you pay thousands of dollars for a full-body scan to make sure you don't have cancer? Can you legally send poop through the mail? And how can we make Pap smears obsolete?

Jonathan couldn't speak much, so Aigul stepped up as co-host!

A Block: The Case of the Injured Water-Skier

(0:58) A man survives a water-skiing accident with two fractures, but he's still in pain two months later. Is this normal or is he malingering?

B Block: Cancer Update

(28:24) Full-body MRIs promoted by Kim Kardashian: should you pay for one?

(36:29) Colorectal cancer screening test available for free in Quebec

(41:22) Is cervical cancer coming to an end?

* Theme music: "Fall of the Ocean Queen" by Joseph Hackl

* Assistant researcher: Aigul Zaripova

To contribute to The Body of Evidence, go to our Patreon page at: http://www.patreon.com/thebodyofevidence/.

To make a one-time donation to our show, you can now use PayPal! https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=9QZET78JZWCZE

Patrons get a bonus show on Patreon called "Digressions"! Check it out!

Episode 100 will be an "Ask Us Anything" special. Email us your questions at: thebodyofevidence@gmail.com.

References:

1) La Presse's report on full-body MRIs (in French): https://www.lapresse.ca/actualites/sante/un-examen-a-2500-qui-seme-le-doute/2024-02-10/vante-par-des-influenceurs-critique-par-le-corps-medical.php

2) Montreal Gazette coverage of free colorectal screening tests in Quebec: https://montrealgazette.com/news/local-news/quebec-to-make-free-home-based-test-available-for-colorectal-screening

3) Chris' article about cervical cancer: https://montrealgazette.com/opinion/columnists/christopher-labos-we-can-now-envision-the-end-of-cervical-cancer

What does the body of evidence say on microplastics and their impact on our health? Plus: we talk about what we have learned about long COVID since 2020, and we discuss the very first approval for a clinical application of the gene-editing technology known as CRISPR.

A Block: Microplastics

(0:58) What are micro- and nanoplastics; microplastics in the environment and in our bodies; how they get into humans and animals; the infamous study that was retracted; occupational exposure to microplastics versus casual exposure; eating microplastics by consuming seafood; can they cause infertility; BPA and BPS; the latest study on microplastics; are plastic water filters bad; should you avoid bottled water; alternatives to single-use plastic bottles.

B Block: Long COVID Update

(37:55) The problems with diagnosing it; how to treat it; the involvement of the mitochondria; probiotics for long COVID; should people with long COVID exercise; the COVID vaccine protects against long COVID; direct-to-participant digitized clinical trials.

C Block: CRISPR Therapy Approved

(56:22) CRISPR therapy approved in the UK and US for sickle cell disease and transfusion-dependent beta thalassemia. Jonathan initially mischaracterizes the therapy as repairing the mutation. Chris corrects him. Don't email us, thank you!

* Theme music: "Fall of the Ocean Queen" by Joseph Hackl

* Assistant researcher: Aigul Zaripova

To contribute to The Body of Evidence, go to our Patreon page at: http://www.patreon.com/thebodyofevidence/.

To make a one-time donation to our show, you can now use PayPal! https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=9QZET78JZWCZE

Patrons get a bonus show on Patreon called "Digressions"! Check it out!

References:

1) Background on micro- and nanoplastics: https://montrealgazette.com/opinion/columnists/christopher-labos-is-bottled-water-bad-for-your-health

2) The recent study published in PNAS: https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2300582121

3) The retracted study: https://www.nature.com/articles/nature.2017.21929

4) The WHO 2022 report on microplastics: https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240054608

5) What kind of reusable bottle is best: https://wapo.st/3O1yy3R

6) Review article on long COVID from a Chinese team: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41392-023-01640-z

7) Mitochondria are involved in long COVID: https://doi.org/10.1126/scitranslmed.abq1533

8) Dr. Eric Topol's commentary on the mitochondria paper: https://erictopol.substack.com/p/long-covid-mitochondria-the-big-miss

9) The positive clinical trial on probiotics for long COVID: https://doi.org/10.1016/S1473-3099(23)00685-0

10) Exercising can be bad for long COVID: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-023-44432-3

11) At least 3 doses of the COVID vaccine seem to provide a 70% reduction in the risk of getting long COVID: https://erictopol.substack.com/p/sotp-state-of-the-pandemic

12) What happened to the NIH RECOVER Long COVID initiative funds: https://erictopol.substack.com/p/long-covid-mitochondria-the-big-miss

13) Direct-to-participant digitized clinical trials: https://erictopol.substack.com/p/long-covid-mitochondria-the-big-miss

14) Information on CASGEVY: https://pi.vrtx.com/files/patientpackageinsert_exagamglogene_autotemcel.pdf

It's Not Twitter, But It'll Do:

1) Jonathan's article on mindfulness meditation: https://www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/critical-thinking-health-and-nutrition/mindfulness-meditation-often-fails-scientific-test

2) Jonathan's article on the graveyard of skeptical projects: https://www.skeptic.org.uk/2024/01/the-graveyard-of-skeptical-projects-suggests-its-funding-not-talent-that-were-lacking/

3) Chris featured at Darwin Day on February 10th for the Humanist Association of Toronto: https://www.humanisttoronto.ca/events-1/hat-forum-240127-g3ja3-3g8g9

4) Chris being interviewed at Indigo Pointe-Claire by Ken Connors on February 17: https://www.facebook.com/drlabos/posts/926877516110207

A limited series on sport science hosted by student athlete Sophie and featuring two experts: Dr. Christopher Labos, cardiologist and regular co-host of this podcast, and Nick Tiller, who holds a doctorate in exercise physiology. Together, they will answer Sophie's questions while dispelling myths that athletes—and anybody getting into fitness—are likely to hear.

This is part 4 of 4. The topic: fitspiration. Influencers on social media showing off their toned bodies and posing on a beach can encourage you to go to the gym, but how can you judge if what they say is based on solid evidence… or if it's all lies, exaggerations, and undeclared sponsored content?

(0:29) Intro

(1:03) Influencers are not your friends

(5:12) What credentials should I look for in a fitness influencer?

(8:43) Sponsorships not disclosed

(9:50) Looks beget credibility

(13:44) How to read a scientific paper

(20:47) What to do to protect yourself from fitness misinformation

Opening music: "Energetic Upbeat" by WinnieTheMoog

Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/6033-energetic-upbeat

Licensed under CC BY 4.0: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

End title music: "Fall of the Ocean Queen" by Joseph Hackl.

To contribute to The Body of Evidence, go to our Patreon page at: http://www.patreon.com/thebodyofevidence/.

A limited series on sport science hosted by student athlete Sophie and featuring two experts: Dr. Christopher Labos, cardiologist and regular co-host of this podcast, and Nick Tiller, who holds a doctorate in exercise physiology. Together, they will answer Sophie's questions while dispelling myths that athletes—and anybody getting into fitness—are likely to hear.

This is part 3 of 4. The topic: supplements. Which dietary supplements have been proven beneficial through scientific studies? Is caffeine a fat burner? And are supplements even safe to take?

(0:29) Intro

(1:09) Vox pop

(4:28) The 5 or 6 dietary supplements supported by science

(6:20) What outcome are you interested in improving?

(7:32) Will caffeine help you burn fat?

(8:56) The food first approach

(13:28) Chris wants to bench-press 10 lbs, which supplements should he take?

(15:33) The quick fix mentality of supplements

(16:08) Supplements are sometimes contaminated or adulterated

(19:55) How supplements are regulated (or not)

(25:05) Can supplements burn fat?

(29:20) L-carnithine

(30:21) Boosting your immune system with vitamin C

(32:05) Can you boost your metabolism?

Opening music: "Energetic Upbeat" by WinnieTheMoog

Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/6033-energetic-upbeat

Licensed under CC BY 4.0: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

End title music: "Fall of the Ocean Queen" by Joseph Hackl.

To contribute to The Body of Evidence, go to our Patreon page at: http://www.patreon.com/thebodyofevidence/.

It's not the "blues" you're having, but the "mean reds." It can be hard to spot the signs of an impending burnout, and Dr. Emma Jones knows all about it. As a medical student, she started being depressed and she never fully got over it, which resulted in a burnout as a practicing physician caring for children with cancer. But she found a way out and the means to prevent a future burnout from happening so that she can act as a lighthouse for others.

Become a supporter of our show today either on Patreon or through PayPal! Thank you!

http://www.patreon.com/thebodyofevidence/

https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=9QZET78JZWCZE

Email us your questions at thebodyofevidence@gmail.com.

Assistant researcher: Aigul Zaripova, MD

Theme music: "Fall of the Ocean Queen" by Joseph Hackl

Rod of Asclepius designed by Kamil J. Przybos

Chris' book, Does Coffee Cause Cancer?: https://ecwpress.com/products/does-coffee-cause-cancer

Obviously, Chris is not your doctor (probably). This podcast is not medical advice for you; it is what we call information.

Links:

1) Emma Jones' website: https://www.emmajonesmd.com

2) Emma Jones' book, The Phoenix Blueprint, about burnout: https://www.amazon.com/Phoenix-Blueprint-Emerging-Stronger-Healthcare/dp/1957255358/

A limited series on sport science hosted by student athlete Sophie and featuring two experts: Dr. Christopher Labos, cardiologist and regular co-host of this podcast, and Nick Tiller, who holds a doctorate in exercise physiology. Together, they will answer Sophie's questions while dispelling myths that athletes—and anybody getting into fitness—are likely to hear.

This is part 2 of 4. The topic: recovery. Are ice baths useful to recover from a workout? What about stretching and massages? And what three simple recommendations will do most of the heavy lifting when it comes to exercise recovery?

(0:30) Intro

(1:31) Vox pop

(4:06) How do we measure recovery?

(6:54) Ice baths

(11:53) Whole-body cryotherapy

(14:36) Contrast baths and compression garments

(19:38) Stretching, massages, TheraGun

(27:44) Three simple recommendations to recover

Opening music: "Energetic Upbeat" by WinnieTheMoog

Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/6033-energetic-upbeat

Licensed under CC BY 4.0: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

End title music: "Fall of the Ocean Queen" by Joseph Hackl.

To contribute to The Body of Evidence, go to our Patreon page at: http://www.patreon.com/thebodyofevidence/.

A limited series on sport science hosted by student athlete Sophie and featuring two experts: Dr. Christopher Labos, cardiologist and regular co-host of this podcast, and Nick Tiller, who holds a doctorate in exercise physiology. Together, they will answer Sophie's questions while dispelling myths that athletes—and anybody getting into fitness—are likely to hear.

This is part 1 of 4. The topic: wearables. Should you be monitoring your heart rate variability, your sleep, and how many steps you walk in a day? Is all this information useful or is it just a distraction?

(0:58) Intro

(3:08) Vox pop

(5:24) Heart rate monitoring

(17:22) Body battery and proprietary algorithms

(22:30) Sleep and the limitations of the data

(27:35) Should we aim for 10,000 steps a day? 

Opening music: "Energetic Upbeat" by WinnieTheMoog

Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/6033-energetic-upbeat

Licensed under CC BY 4.0: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

End title music: "Fall of the Ocean Queen" by Joseph Hackl.

To contribute to The Body of Evidence, go to our Patreon page at: http://www.patreon.com/thebodyofevidence/.

As the year comes to an end, Jonathan recruits three doctors—Chris, Niko, and Aigul—and invites them to solve two perplexing cases.

These mysteries involve a lot of (necessary?) rectal exams; the blood of witches; activated charcoal; farting patients; controversial diagnoses; tales from the ER that border on true crime; and diagnosing brain injuries through the bum!

The take-home lesson here is always check sphincter tone on a patient, even if they are barely conscious! Or something like that.

Correction: Niko was speaking off the cuff about activated charcoal possibly binding iron. We are told that it does not do it well and should not be used in the event of iron poisoning!

* Theme music: "Fall of the Ocean Queen" by Joseph Hackl.

To contribute to The Body of Evidence, go to our Patreon page at: http://www.patreon.com/thebodyofevidence/.

Patrons get a bonus show on Patreon called "Digressions"! Check it out!

It's Not Twitter But It'll Do!

1) The Fern documentary on the Healy that Jonathan was interviewed for (part 1): https://youtu.be/A_Y5kdEpcu4?si=GJpqn1seZ0A7JJWB

2) Dr. Jonathan Howard's new podcast, We Want Them Infected: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/we-want-them-infected-podcast/id1716215618

3) WeCanReason conference 2024 in Calgary: https://wecanreason.com/

4) 502 Conversations with Dr. Christopher Labos: https://youtu.be/3opqhZgcNjU?si=V2TbVeRbqUgwOclT

5) The Skeptic Zone podcast with Dr. Christopher Labos: https://youtu.be/r_eRVOTUv6I?si=EYa2GTVu7-JfTGBx&t=255

6) Chris' appearance at the Whodunit bookstore in Winnipeg on January 21: https://whodunitbooks.ca/events/32868

Chris and Jonathan speak to Joey Fox, an engineer and the chair of the Indoor Air Quality Advisory Group for the Ontario Society of Professional Engineers. COVID-19 is not over, as both Jonathan and Chris can testify. How can we better protect ourselves from the coronavirus and other respiratory viruses? By improving our air! Joey Fox explains the difference between HEPA and MERV filters, why "UV in a box" is not a good idea, and how to make sense of the different air cleaners you can buy (and make yourself!). We all care about clean drinking water. It's time we cared about clean air as well.

(2:12) Aerosols vs. droplets

(4:49) How long can respiratory particles linger in the air?

(6:41) Medical dogma and the COVID-19 pandemic

(17:20) How Joey dodged COVID when his daughter got sick

(19:40) Air quality in schools

(22:11) HEPA vs. MERV filters: what to looks for

(24:45) Don't say it's airborne! or the politicization of public health

(27:29) UV light to disinfect the air

(32:09) Is the air in your kid's school good enough?

(33:52) Which CO2 monitor to buy

(34:20) Improving air quality at home

(37:42) Corsi-Rosenthal boxes and PC fan box air cleaners 

* Theme music: "Fall of the Ocean Queen" by Joseph Hackl.

 To contribute to The Body of Evidence, go to our Patreon page at: http://www.patreon.com/thebodyofevidence/.

Patrons get a bonus show on Patreon called "Digressions"! Check it out!

Links:

1) Joey Fox's blog: https://itsairborne.com/

2) Clean Air Stars: https://cleanairstars.com/

3) The Ontario Society of Professional Engineers' Indoor Air Quality website: https://ospe.on.ca/indoor-air-quality/

Chris, Jonathan, and a mystery guest get together for an old-fashioned radio play. Are hot dogs and other red meat really as bad for your health as cigarettes? A doctor without a name boards an airplane and is soon asked to answer this question. It involves risk, hazard, and a budding romance.

* Theme music: "Fall of the Ocean Queen" by Joseph Hackl.

* Assistant researcher: Aigul Zaripova

To contribute to The Body of Evidence, go to our Patreon page at: http://www.patreon.com/thebodyofevidence/.

Patrons get a bonus show on Patreon called "Digressions"! Check it out!

Music:

Jazzy Comping 2 by Agnese Valmaggia

Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/8550-jazzy-comping-2

Licensed under CC BY 4.0: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Links:

1) To buy Chris' book: https://doescoffeecausecancer.com/

What does the body of evidence say on Ozempic and its impact on diabetes and obesity? Plus: can you trade in your antidepressant for a jog, and Chris returns to the hot seat to diagnose a teenage boy who fell during a baseball game!

Block 1:

(2:22) Ozempic/Wegovy: GLP-1 receptor agonists; the difference between them; Mounjaro; Trulicity; diabetes biology; glucagon-like peptides 1 and 2; the problem with GLP-1; DPP4 inhibitors

Block 2:

(12:33) Ozempic/Wegovy: The venom of the Gila monster; how semaglutide became a blockbuster drug; weight loss; the numerous clinical trials; the impact on the stock prices of dialysis companies; downsides; the Internet craze

Block 3:

(27:03) Is running as beneficial for depression as medication?

Block 4:

(36:42) The case of the baseball player's heart

* Jingle by Joseph Hackl

* Theme music: "Fall of the Ocean Queen" by Joseph Hackl

* Assistant researcher: Aigul Zaripova

To contribute to The Body of Evidence, go to our Patreon page at: http://www.patreon.com/thebodyofevidence/.

To make a one-time donation to our show, you can now use PayPal! https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=9QZET78JZWCZE

Patrons get a bonus show on Patreon called "Digressions"! Check it out!

References:

1) History of GLP-1 receptor agonists: https://www.statnews.com/2023/09/30/weight-loss-ozempic-nobel-prize-science/

2) Liraglutide vs. exenatide: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(12)61267-7

3) Meta-analysis of GLP-1 receptor agonists: https://doi.org/10.1111/dom.12849

4) A brief summary of the SUSTAIN studies, all 11 of them, which demonstrated the efficacy of semaglutide and its cardiovascular benefit: https://diabetes.medicinematters.com/semaglutide/type-2-diabetes/a-quick-guide-to-the-sustain-trials/12206922

5) A brief summary of the STEP trials, all 10 of them, which tested semaglutide as a weight loss medications even in non-diabetics: https://diabetes.medicinematters.com/semaglutide/obesity/quick-guide-step-trials/18854832

6) Announcement that the FLOW trial is being stopped prematurely: https://www.novonordisk.com/news-and-media/news-and-ir-materials/news-details.html?id=166327 & https://www.investors.com/news/technology/novo-nordisk-stock-pops-after-hinting-weight-loss-drug-treats-kidney-disease/

7) GI side effects of GLP-1 receptor agonists: https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2023.19574

8) Gid M-K's Slate article: https://slate.com/technology/2023/10/exercise-depression-anxiety-treatment-effectiveness-ssris-research.html

9) Study on running to treat depression: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0165032723002239?via%3Dihub#s0065:~:text=https%3A//doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2023.02.064

10) Details on the DEA-Quebec app to find an AED near you: https://www.jacquesdechamplain.com/en/major-update-to-the-dea-quebec-application/

11) Government of Canada's definition of a pesticide: https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/environmental-workplace-health/reports-publications/environmental-contaminants/human-biomonitoring-resources/glyphosate-in-people.html

It's Not Twitter, But It'll Do:

1) Jonathan's article on how natural health products and dietary supplements are regulated: https://www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/critical-thinking-health-and-nutrition/false-reassurance-dietary-supplement-regulation

2) Jonathan's article on fentanyl: https://www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/medical-critical-thinking/you-wont-die-touching-fentanyl

3) Chris' article in Medscape about the COSMOS study: https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/996926

4) Chris' Gazette article on coated vs. uncoated aspirin: https://montrealgazette.com/opinion/columnists/christopher-labos-the-bare-facts-about-coated-aspirin

Jonathan and Chris talk to David Scales, MPhil, MD, PhD, an assistant professor of medicine at Weill Cornell and the chief medical officer at Critica. Misinformation is everywhere and it is causing actual harm. But what can we do about it beyond recognizing the problem? Dr. Scales mentions a scientific solution that transposes to social media what we know can work in an in-person setting.

(3:34) Infodemiology

(8:54) Will artificial intelligence create a "fake news" problem?

(13:06) Vaccine hesitancy post-COVID

(17:59) Is misinformation a "disease" or a symptom?

(22:20) Top-down vs. grassroots approaches

(28:23) Social media vs. misinformation

(33:54) A scientific solution

(51:15) AI bots to the rescue?

* Theme music: "Fall of the Ocean Queen" by Joseph Hackl.

To contribute to The Body of Evidence, go to our Patreon page at: http://www.patreon.com/thebodyofevidence/.

Patrons get a bonus show on Patreon called "Digressions"! Check it out!

Links:

1) The book Dr. Scales mentioned: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/51152447-caste

2) The Victor Pickard paper on public media funding in different countries: https://doi.org/10.1177/19401612211060255

3) The EMMIE program: https://www.quebec.ca/en/health/advice-and-prevention/vaccination/motivational-interviewing-in-maternity-for-the-immunization

4) Critica's proposed protocol for countering scientific misinformation online: https://criticascience.org/the-critica-protocol/

5) The Critica website: https://criticascience.org/

6) David Scales on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/tnfalpha.bsky.social

What does the body of evidence say on age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and how to treat the #1 cause of blindness in North America? Plus: which vaccines are available this fall to prevent respiratory tract infections, and a look at whether blue-light-blocking glasses will make a difference in your life!

Block 1:

(2:15) AMD: how common it is, what happens in the eye, risk factors

Block 2:

(9:20) AMD: dry AMD versus wet AMD, how to diagnose it, how to prevent it, AREDS supplements, VEGF inhibitors, lasers, rehabilitation

Block 3:

(25:54) Fall vaccines: COVID, influenza, and RSV

Block 4:

(40:19) Blue-blocking glasses

* Theme music: "Fall of the Ocean Queen" by Joseph Hackl

* Assistant researchers: Aigul Zaripova and Ali Baghirov

To contribute to The Body of Evidence, go to our Patreon page at: http://www.patreon.com/thebodyofevidence/.

To make a one-time donation to our show, you can now use PayPal! https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=9QZET78JZWCZE

Patrons get a bonus show on Patreon called "Digressions"! Check it out!

References:

1) General background on AMD: https://www.nei.nih.gov/learn-about-eye-health/eye-conditions-and-diseases/age-related-macular-degeneration & https://www.aao.org/eye-health/diseases/amd-macular-degeneration

2) Prevalence of AMD by age: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0161642000005807

3) Rotterdam study: https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.294.24.3101

4) EYE-RISK consortium about the Mediterranean diet: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ophtha.2018.08.006

5) The Beaver Dam Eye Study on smoking and AMD: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ophtha.2014.04.040

6) A Prospective Study of Cigarette Smoking and AMD in Women: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/409082

7) AREDS study: https://doi.org/10.1001%2Farchopht.119.10.1417

8) AREDS 2 study: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/1684847

9) Study linking beta-carotene to cancer in smokers: https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/62.6.1427s

10) Omega-3s in the VITAL study: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaophthalmology/fullarticle/2772366

11) Background on anti-VEGF therapies: https://sciencebasedmedicine.org/anti-vegf-treatment-of-macular-degeneration-science-based-success/

12) NEJM paper comparing ranibizumab to bevacizumab: https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa1102673

13) 10-year outcomes of anti-VEGF therapy in AMD: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjophth-2023-001328

14) Cochrane review of monthly versus as-needed treatment: https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD012208.pub2

15) Cochrane review on complement inhibitors for AMD: https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.cd009300.pub3

16) Pegcetacoplan for AMD: https://sciencebasedmedicine.org/pegcetacoplan-a-new-treatment-for-macular-degeneration/

17) Cochrane review on photodynamic therapy for AMD: https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD002030.pub3

18) Stem cells for AMD: https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1609583 & https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/this-clinics-experimental-stem-cell-treatment-blinded-patients-four-years-later-the-government-is-still-trying-to-shut-it-down/2019/04/03/432d6d04-ff2f-11e8-83c0-b06139e540e5_story.html & https://sciencebasedmedicine.org/patients-blinded-by-stem-cells-update/

19) Jonathan's article on blue-blocking glasses: https://www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/medical-critical-thinking/feeling-blue-about-evidence-blue-blocking-glasses

It's Not Twitter, But It'll Do:

1) Jonathan's article on current trends in pseudoscience: https://www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/critical-thinking-pseudoscience/whats-trending-world-pseudoscience

2) Jonathan quoted in the New York Times about RFK Jr.: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/12/technology/rfk-jr-campaign-vaccines.html

3) Annual meeting of the Association des communicateurs scientifiques du Québec: https://www.acs.qc.ca/activite/2171-.html?month=&year=&tri=H&page=1

4) Chris' book, on sale now: http://doescoffeecausecancer.com/

5) Chris' upcoming panel at Concordia University: https://icare.mbmc-cmcm.ca/events-media-coverage/cafe-scientifique/

Chris and Jonathan talk to Michelle Cohen, MD, CCFP, FCFP, an assistant professor at Queen University's Department of Family Medicine and a staff physician at Lakeview Family Health Team. Dr. Cohen provides gender-affirming care and is here to dispel myths surrounding trans people, especially the panic around the mistaken idea that children are being rushed to transition. If you have a child who is questioning their gender identity, make sure to listen to this episode before reading what the media typically reports on trans issues.

Of note, the "1 Million March for Children" is scheduled to take place on September 20th across Canada. It is part of our current anti-trans panic, with the organizers claiming to "peacefully protest against the push for LGBT ideology in schools."

(2:10) What is gender-affirming care and how easy is it to access?

(8:39) Gender vs. sex

(13:44) Estrogen is not just for women

(19:08) Children are not being rushed through trans medical care

(23:15) Puberty blockers are not just for trans teens

(28:27) Transition surgeries are not happening for teens under the age of legal majority

(31:31) Is "trans" the new "emo?"

(35:30) Intersex people and non-consensual surgeries

(37:24) The media fuels the trans panic, which has ties to the anti-vaccine movement

(42:46) Canadian transphobia: imported or homegrown?

(45:28) Your kid is questioning their gender. Now what?

* Theme music: "Fall of the Ocean Queen" by Joseph Hackl.

To contribute to The Body of Evidence, go to our Patreon page at: http://www.patreon.com/thebodyofevidence/.

Patrons get a bonus show on Patreon called "Digressions"! Check it out!

Links:

1) The anonymous National Post editorial: https://nationalpost.com/opinion/np-view-canada-must-slow-down-and-reform-transgender-treatments-for-minors

2) The San Francisco Chronicle article by Soleil Ho: https://www.sfchronicle.com/opinion/article/new-york-times-trans-18214925.php

3) Michelle Cohen on X (formerly known as Twitter): https://twitter.com/DocMCohen

4) Michelle Cohen on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/docmcohen.bsky.social

5) Michelle Cohen on Informed Opinions: https://informedopinions.org/view-expert-profile/?expert-id=45189

Is there a mysterious neurological syndrome harming the people of New Brunswick? And is the Government of New Brunswick suppressing the truth so as not to upset commercial interests? That is certainly the story strongly hinted at by the Canadaland podcast, which has featured a New Brunswick neurologist who now claims to have identified over 200 cases of this strange new sickness.

Jonathan and Chris are joined in their discussion of this story by Aigul Zaripova, a medical student who collaborates with them on the podcast. Together, they will unpack the official timeline of events and their thoughts on how diseases present in patients, and Jonathan will put forward an important hypothesis that seems to have been ignored by those pushing a conspiracy theory.

(2:55) The official timeline of events

(7:50) Chris' initial thoughts

(14:07) Aigul's initial thoughts

(16:18) The appeal of special diagnoses

(19:03) Canadaland's coverage of this alleged syndrome

(22:34) Conspiracy theories and the demonization of glyphosate

(28:45) The last neurologist standing

(32:16) Jonathan's theory

(38:28) Dr. Marrero vs. the government

(46:54) Concluding remarks

* Theme music: "Fall of the Ocean Queen" by Joseph Hackl.

* Assistant researcher: Aigul Zaripova

 To contribute to The Body of Evidence, go to our Patreon page at: http://www.patreon.com/thebodyofevidence/.

Patrons get a bonus show on Patreon called "Digressions"! Check it out!

Links:

1) The Government of New Brunswick's official timeline: https://www2.gnb.ca/content/gnb/en/departments/health/neuro-cluster.html

2) Final report on the situation: https://www2.gnb.ca/content/dam/gnb/Departments/h-s/neuro/final-report.pdf

3) Canadaland #746: Is New Brunswick Covering Up a Deadly Brain Disease? https://www.canadaland.com/podcast/746-is-new-brunswick-covering-up-a-deadly-brain-disease/

4) Canadaland #808: Is New Brunswick Covering Up a Deadly Brain Disease? Revisit. https://www.canadaland.com/podcast/808-is-new-brunswick-covering-up-a-deadly-brain-disease/

5) Canadaland #894: Mystery Brain Disease Cases Quadruple, Says New Brunswick Doctor. https://www.canadaland.com/podcast/894-mystery-brain-disease-patients-quadruple-says-new-brunswick-doctor/

Will Montreal soon lose what little fluoridated tap water it has? Why do we even put fluoride in the drinking water in the first place? And do the arguments voiced to take it away from citizens even… hold water?

Become a supporter of our show today either on Patreon or through PayPal! Thank you!

http://www.patreon.com/thebodyofevidence/

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Email us your questions at thebodyofevidence@gmail.com.

Assistant researcher: Aigul Zaripova, MD

Theme music: "Fall of the Ocean Queen" by Joseph Hackl

Rod of Asclepius designed by Kamil J. Przybos

Chris' book, Does Coffee Cause Cancer?: https://ecwpress.com/products/does-coffee-cause-cancer

Obviously, Chris is not your doctor (probably). This podcast is not medical advice for you; it is what we call information.

References:

1) The Montreal Gazette article about the proposal to stop adding fluoride to the West Island's tap water: https://montrealgazette.com/news/local-news/montreal-aims-to-stop-fluoridating-west-island-water-in-2025

What does the body of evidence say on air quality and how to protect ourselves from airborne pollution? Plus: a birth control pill becomes easier to access in the Republic of Gilead, and Chris returns to the hot seat to help a lawyer with blood-streaked loose stool!

Block 1:

(2:11) Air Quality: forest fires and their causes; major air pollutants; what causes air pollution; improvements in air quality

Block 2:

(8:56) Air Quality: what the air quality index is; why there are different indices in different countries; whether poor air quality leads to poor health outcomes; biomass air pollution; how we can protect ourselves

Block 3:

(24:03) An over-the-counter birth control pill in the USA

Block 4:

(33:15) Chris becomes House, MD. His patient: a lawyer with blood-streaked loose stool

•  
• Jingle by Jillian Correia of Roctavio Canada

* Theme music: "Fall of the Ocean Queen" by Joseph Hackl

To contribute to The Body of Evidence, go to our Patreon page at: http://www.patreon.com/thebodyofevidence/.

To make a one-time donation to our show, you can now use PayPal! https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=9QZET78JZWCZE

Patrons get a bonus show on Patreon called "Digressions"! Check it out!

References:

1) Basics of air quality: https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/air-pollution/research-science/about/air-quality-overview.html

2) Sources of air pollution: https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/environmental-indicators/air-pollutant-emissions.html

3) Quantifying the risk of air pollution: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/1104975

4) The WHO's estimates of premature deaths worldwide in 2019 due to poor air quality: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/ambient-(outdoor)-air-quality-and-health

5) The Air Quality Index: https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/air-quality-health-index/about.html & https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/air-quality-health-index/understanding-messages.html & https://www.epa.gov/outdoor-air-quality-data/how-aqi-calculated

6) Report on the health effects of air quality: https://www.rcplondon.ac.uk/news/reducing-air-pollution-uk-progress-report-2018

7) The Harvard Six Cities study: https://doi.org/10.1164/rccm.200503-443OC

8) Cochrane review on individual-level interventions to reduce exposure to air pollution: https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD013441.pub2

9) The case of the 36-year-old lawyer with blood-streaked loose stool: https://reference.medscape.com/viewarticle/993938_1

It's Not Twitter, But It'll Do:

1) Jonathan's article on transcranial direct current stimulation: https://www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/medical-critical-thinking-technology/brain-zapping-may-probably-appear-be-doing-something

2) Jonathan on the Conspirituality podcast to discuss Andrew Huberman: https://www.conspirituality.net/episodes/163-the-huberman-paradox-jonathan-jarry

3) Jonathan is now on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/jonathanjarry.bsky.social

4) Chris wrote a book called Does Coffee Cause Cancer? Pre-order it now! https://ecwpress.com/products/does-coffee-cause-cancer?_pos=1&_sid=e672b52c1&_ss=r

Jonathan and Chris speak to Anna Merlan, a senior reporter with Motherboard and the author of the book Republic of Lies: American Conspiracy Theorists and Their Surprising Rise to Power.

How has the anti-vaccine movement changed since the COVID-19 pandemic? Its influencers deny the "mainstream narrative" on vaccine safety, which makes them prone to embrace other conspiracy theories. And what happens when one of their leading figures makes a run for the American presidency?

(1:18) Today's anti-vaccine influencers

(7:09) Malice versus stupidity

(8:20) The anti-vaxx media ecosystem

(10:46) Doctors becoming anti-vaccine

(12:23) RFK Jr. for the presidency

(20:20) Contradictions in the conspiracy world

(23:50) How do you responsibly interview an anti-vaxxer (or a cholesterol-denying doctor)?

(29:44) Debating vaccine safety

(39:41) Are all anti-vaxxers conspiritualists?

(46:02) How profitable is the anti-vaccine industry?

(48:48) How much opposition to vaccines is due to the needle?

(53:59) Reconciling Pharma skepticism and a pro-vaccine stance

* Theme music: "Fall of the Ocean Queen" by Joseph Hackl.

 To contribute to The Body of Evidence, go to our Patreon page at: http://www.patreon.com/thebodyofevidence/.

Patrons get a bonus show on Patreon called "Digressions"! Check it out!

Links:

1) Anna Merlan on Twitter: https://twitter.com/annamerlan

2) Anna Merlan on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/annamerlan.bsky.social

3) Anna Merlan's Vice News author page: https://www.vice.com/en/contributor/anna-merlan

4) Anna Merlan's email address: anna(dot)merlan(a)vice(dot)com

What does the body of evidence say on the topic of bioidentical hormones? Plus: a new gene therapy troublingly gets approved by the FDA, and Health Canada finally changes how it regulates natural health products (a little).

Block 1:

(2:19) Bioidentical hormones: sex hormones, hormone replacement therapy, testosterone replacement therapy, and what "bioidentical hormone" means

Block 2:

(9:36) Bioidentical hormones: biosimilars, compounding pharmacies, regulation, the all-natural claim, why bioidentical hormones are not safer, and the individualization claim

Block 3:

(22:17) A controversial new gene therapy for Duchenne muscular dystrophy

Block 4:

(39:32) Health Canada is coming for your vitamins (or not)

* Jingle by Joseph Hackl

* Theme music: "Fall of the Ocean Queen" by Joseph Hackl

* Assistant researcher: Aigul Zaripova

To contribute to The Body of Evidence, go to our Patreon page at: http://www.patreon.com/thebodyofevidence/.

To make a one-time donation to our show, you can now use PayPal! https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=9QZET78JZWCZE

Patrons get a bonus show on Patreon called "Digressions"! Check it out!

References:

1) Our previous episode on menopause and hormone replacement therapy: https://bodyofevidence.ca/071-menopause-and-psychedelics

2) Our previous episode on testosterone: https://bodyofevidence.ca/028-testosterone-and-bad-food-science

3) Chris' article on the overprescription of testosterone therapy: https://montrealgazette.com/opinion/christopher-labos-many-men-prescribed-testosterone-dont-need-it

4) Jonathan's article on biosimilars: https://www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/general-science/when-living-things-make-our-drugs-us

5) A recent New England Journal of Medicine study about testosterone safety: https://doi.org/10.1056/nejmoa2215025

6) FDA review of compounded products: https://www.fda.gov/drugs/human-drug-compounding/report-limited-fda-survey-compounded-drug-products

7) Report of endometrial cancer in women using compounded hormonal therapy: https://doi.org/10.5694/j.1326-5377.2007.tb01210.x

8) Jonathan's article on Duchenne muscular dystrophy gene therapy: https://www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/medical/controversial-gene-therapy-duchenne-muscular-dystrophy

9) Health Canada's changes to the regulation of natural health products: https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/drugs-health-products/legislation-guidelines/protecting-canadians-unsafe-drugs-act-vanessa-law-amendments-food-drugs-act.html

It's Not Twitter, But It'll Do:

1) Jonathan's article on the milkmaid myth: https://www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/medical-critical-thinking-history/white-lie-heart-vaccine-history

2) Jonathan quoted in TIME magazine about Andrew Huberman: https://time.com/6290594/andrew-hubman-lab-podcast-interview/

3) Pre-order Chris' book! http://doescoffeecausecancer.com/

Chris and Jonathan speak to Ken Milne, the host of the Skeptics' Guide to Emergency Medicine and a physician who practices rural emergency medicine in Ontario.

What is it like treating patients away from major urban centres? It may actually be better in some ways! Also, the trio tackles the unfolding crisis in which Canadian emergency departments are temporarily closing due to a lack of proper resources. When doctors complain they lack beds, they don't mean furniture.

(2:06) The Batdoc and the Flash

(2:50) What is rural emergency medicine?

(19:52) ER vs. Scrubs vs. M*A*S*H vs. House, MD

(24:45) The crisis in Canada's emergency medicine departments

(48:48) The future of our healthcare system

* Theme music: "Fall of the Ocean Queen" by Joseph Hackl.

To contribute to The Body of Evidence, go to our Patreon page at: http://www.patreon.com/thebodyofevidence/.

Patrons get a bonus show on Patreon called "Digressions"! Check it out!

Links:

1) Ken's website: https://thesgem.com/

2) Ken's Twitter profile: https://twitter.com/TheSGEM

Exceptionally, we are releasing this month's patron-only bonus episode, Digressions, on the main feed. Chris answers a patron's question about fever delirium (is that really a thing or a Hollywood invention?), and we dig into a paper that claims to show that a cheap diabetes drug, metformin, can be used to prevent long COVID.

We do this type of bonus episode every month for our patrons. If you would like to contribute to the show and gain access to future Digressions (as well as our extensive back catalogue of patron-only bonuses), sign up at Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thebodyofevidence/overview

Thank you!

What does the body of evidence say on fevers and whether or not we should treat them? Plus: more and more children are getting invasive streptococcal disease, and Chris fulfills two dreams of his: to become Dr. House and to write a book!

Block 1:

(1:47) Fever: what a fever is; the role the hypothalamus plays; why we shiver

Block 2:

(7:36) Fever: why fevers start; whether high fevers mean a worse condition; whether fevers help you fight an infection; febrile seizures; whether you should treat a fever; what a normal body temperature is; where you should stick that thermometre

Block 3:

(22:32) A rise in cases of invasive streptococcal disease in children

Block 4:

(32:21) Chris becomes House, MD. Play along!

* Jingle by Jillian Correia of Roctavio Canada

* Theme music: "Fall of the Ocean Queen" by Joseph Hackl

* Assistant researcher: Nicholas Koziris

To contribute to The Body of Evidence, go to our Patreon page at: http://www.patreon.com/thebodyofevidence/.

To make a one-time donation to our show, you can now use PayPal! https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=9QZET78JZWCZE

Patrons get a bonus show on Patreon called "Digressions"! Check it out!

References:

1) XKCD cartoon on killing cancer cells: https://xkcd.com/1217/

2) Meta-analysis on the risks and benefits of fever reduction in adults: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35820685/

3) Prognosis of febrile seizures in children: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18692714/

4) The use of fever medication to prevent recurrent febrile seizures in children:

a) https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23702315/

b) https://publications.aap.org/pediatrics/article/142/5/e20181009/38533/Acetaminophen-and-Febrile-Seizure-Recurrences?autologincheck=redirected#

c) https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD003031.pub3/full

5) Normal variation in body temperature: https://www.bmj.com/content/359/bmj.j5468

6) Diagnostic accuracy of ear thermometers: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32398036/

7) CBC's report on streptococcal disease in Waterloo, Ontario: https://www.cbc.ca/amp/1.6847676

8) The Medscape Emergency Medicine Case Challenge: https://reference.medscape.com/viewarticle/855744

It's Not Twitter, But It'll Do:

1) Jonathan's article on the Big Pharma gambit: https://www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/medical-critical-thinking-health-and-nutrition/what-big-pharma-accusation-gets-right-and-wrong-about-drug-industry

2) Conspirituality: How New Age Conspiracy Theories Became a Public Health Threat: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.ca/books/713402/conspirituality-by-derek-beres-matthew-remski-and-julian-walker/9781039005532

3) Chris' Gazette article on coronary artery calcium: https://montrealgazette.com/opinion/columnists/christopher-labos-calcium-deposits-in-the-arteries-not-always-a-worry

4) Chris wrote a book called Does Coffee Cause Cancer? Pre-order it now! https://ecwpress.com/products/does-coffee-cause-cancer?_pos=1&_sid=e672b52c1&_ss=r

Jonathan and Chris speak to Julie Robitaille, a Ph.D. student investigating endocrine disruptors in waste water and the president of the student committee of the Intersectoral Centre for Endocrine Disruptors Analysis.

We've all heard of them: chemicals that mimic hormones and that are found in everyday products. What are they doing to human health? Many of these endocrine disruptors play important roles in the products we buy, but what we are learning about many of them makes us wonder why they have been so poorly studied given their ubiquity. Should you avoid BPA in plastic? What if its replacement is worse?

(1:11) What the endocrine system is

(6:06) What endocrine disruptors are

(7:00) Julie's academic background

(8:19) The role of plastic in our lives

(10:02) Why we use BPA and what we know about its risk

(14:38) The difficulty of studying the effects of endocrine disruptors in humans and other potential culprits of ill health

(16:58) What the contraceptive pill does to fish

(20:49) The public discourse on endocrine disruptors

(23:07) Banning endocrine disruptors and the problem with current regulatory approaches

(29:56) How to avoid endocrine disruptors when shopping and what we know about paper receipts

(33:30) Some compounds have a reason to be there. Others, not so much.

(37:25) Who is most vulnerable to the effects of endocrine disruptors

* Theme music: "Fall of the Ocean Queen" by Joseph Hackl.

To contribute to The Body of Evidence, go to our Patreon page at: http://www.patreon.com/thebodyofevidence/.

Patrons get a bonus show on Patreon called "Digressions"! Check it out!

Links:

1) The website of the Intersectoral Centre for Endocrine Disruptor Analysis: https://www.ciape-iceda.ca/?lang=en

2) The Centre's Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ciape.iceda/

3) The Centre's Twitter account: https://twitter.com/CIAPE_ICEDA

4) The McGill study on BPS migrating from labels into food: https://www.mcgill.ca/newsroom/channels/news/fresh-produce-contaminated-toxic-bpa-chemicals-found-food-labels-study-finds-346889

What does the body of evidence say on the topic of gluten, celiac disease, and non-celiac gluten sensitivity? Plus: a puzzling finding in nutritional epidemiology is painted as a conspiracy, and the FDA is getting sued by people who claim the abortion drug mifepristone was wrongly approved… twenty years ago.

Block 1:

(2:26) Gluten: what gluten is, what celiac disease is, whether or not it's an allergy, the genetic cause, the solution, and how to test for it

Block 2:

(10:04) Gluten: gluten sensitivity (NCGS) and other explanations for its symptoms, including FODMAPs

Block 3:

(26:12) A mystery for the ages: is ice cream… good for you?

Block 4:

(43:53) The lawsuit against the abortion drug mifepristone

* Jingle by Joseph Hackl

* Theme music: "Fall of the Ocean Queen" by Joseph Hackl

* Assistant researcher: Nicholas Koziris

To contribute to The Body of Evidence, go to our Patreon page at: http://www.patreon.com/thebodyofevidence/.

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Patrons get a bonus show on Patreon called "Digressions"! Check it out!

Jingle Lyrics:

FODMAPs! Woo-oo!

It's not gluten, it really is

FODMAPs! Woo-oo!

Unless you have celiac, it's really

FODMAPs! Woo-oo!

F-f-f fructose, lactose, fructans

Found in bread and dairy and fruits

If you feel ill, just avoid these

FODMAPs! Woo-oo!

Some foods have a lot of them, it's 

FODMAPs! Woo-oo!

Other foods are low in them, it's

FODMAPs! Woo-oo!

References:

1) Alan Levinovitz's The Gluten Lie: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23280245-the-gluten-lie

2) Cancer incidence in people with celiac disease: https://doi.org/10.1053/gast.2002.36585

3) Testing for gluten-related disorders: https://doi.org/10.1155/2011/642452

4) Trends in gluten avoidance: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mayocp.2016.10.012

5) First gluten sensitivity trial mentioned: https://doi.org/10.1038/ajg.2010.487

6) Second gluten sensitivity trial mentioned, with FODMAPs: https://doi.org/10.1053/j.gastro.2013.04.051

7) Crossover trial of non-celiac gluten sensitivity in children: https://doi.org/10.1038/ajg.2017.483

8) The Atlantic article on the ice cream problem: https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2023/05/ice-cream-bad-for-you-health-study/673487/

9) Scientific American's write-up on the legal case surrounding mifepristone: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/mifepristone-is-safe-a-court-ruling-reducing-access-to-it-is-dangerous/

It's Not Twitter, But It'll Do:

1) Jonathan's interview in the Tribune: https://www.thetribune.ca/sci-tech/combatting-pseudoscience-with-reason-and-rationality-030423/

2) Dr. Jonathan Howard's book, We Want Them Infected: https://redhawkpublications.com/We-Want-Them-Infected-p547021769

3) Chris' article on the misguided use of honey to treat allergies: https://montrealgazette.com/opinion/christopher-labos-no-eating-honey-wont-help-your-seasonal-allergies

Music Credits:

The following music was used for this media project:

Music: Wish For Victory by MusicLFiles

Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/8102-wish-for-victory

License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Chris and Jonathan speak to Professor Carla Sharp, the director of both the Developmental Psychopathology Lab and the Adolescent Diagnosis Assessment Prevention and Treatment Center at the University of Houston.

Glenn Close in Fatal Attraction. Benedict Cumberbatch's Sherlock. Batman's rogues gallery. Hollywood loves to both glamourize and stigmatize psychopathology, including personality disorders. But what do we really know about personality disorders? Does histrionic personality disorder even exist? Why is one such disorder called "borderline?" Is psychopathy a real diagnosis? And can we really put people and all their complexities into such clear boxes as the ten official personality disorders?

(2:03) How Hollywood exploits mental illness and how the diagnosing of personality disorders is shifting

(11:00) Psychopaths and the 10 personality disorders

(14:14) What even is a personality disorder?

(19:19) The origin of histrionic personality disorder

(21:00) The difference between schizophrenia and schizoid/schizotypal personality disorders

(23:39) When a personality disorder emerges and the differences between men and women

(27:38) Personality disorders run in families and parents can make a real difference

(35:47) Personality disorders are sometimes misdiagnosed as autism

(37:26) Are people with antisocial personality disorder drawn to surgery? 

(41:03) Why is it called "borderline personality disorder?"

(44:29) Does multiple personality disorder exist?

(47:00) Do personality disorders improve over time?

* Theme music: "Fall of the Ocean Queen" by Joseph Hackl.

To contribute to The Body of Evidence, go to our Patreon page at: http://www.patreon.com/thebodyofevidence/.

Patrons get a bonus show on Patreon called "Digressions"! Check it out!

Links:

1) Carla Sharp's review of personality disorders in the New England Journal of Medicine: https://doi.org/10.1056/nejmra2120164

2) The National Education Alliance for Borderline Personality Disorder: https://www.borderlinepersonalitydisorder.org/

3) The Sashbear Foundation: https://sashbear.org/

4) Emotions Matter: https://emotionsmatterbpd.org/

What does the body of evidence say on whether violent video games cause violence in real life? Plus: a Slate article argues that long COVID just isn't that bad, and can you biopsy the prostate without going up the bum?

Block 1:

(2:18) Violent video games: what the AAP and APA say about violent video games; court case; the review at the heart of the debate; what is violence; the evolution of video games

Block 2:

(8:25) Violent video games: the Bobo doll experiments; measuring aggressive behaviour and attitudes; little data on children; what we don't know; what Chris would do

Block 3:

(24:20) Long COVID Comes Into the Light

Block 4:

(43:53) A new way of getting a prostate biopsy / The Last of Us' bad science

* Jingle by Jillian Correia of Roctavio Canada

* Theme music: "Fall of the Ocean Queen" by Joseph Hackl

* Assistant researcher: Nicholas Koziris

To contribute to The Body of Evidence, go to our Patreon page at: http://www.patreon.com/thebodyofevidence/.

To make a one-time donation to our show, you can now use PayPal! https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=9QZET78JZWCZE

Patrons get a bonus show on Patreon called "Digressions"! Check it out!

References:

1) The American Academy of Paediatrics statement on video games: https://publications.aap.org/pediatrics/article-abstract/108/5/1222/63763/Media-Violence?redirectedFrom=fulltext?autologincheck=redirected

2) The American Psychological Association's 2015 Task Force report: https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2017-07146-003

3) Brown v. Entertainment Merchants Association: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brown_v._Entertainment_Merchants_Association#cite_note-49 & http://mediacoalition.org/mediaimages/Schwarzenegger%20v.%20EMA_Social%20Science%20Brief_09.17.10.pdf

4) The Bobo doll experiments: https://simplypsychology.org/bobo-doll.html

5) Long COVID Comes Into the Light: https://slate.com/technology/2023/03/long-covid-symptoms-studies-research-variant.html

6) Reaction to Jeff Wise's previous article on long COVID: https://www.meaction.net/2022/11/10/elementor-59066/

7) Request for the retraction of the Slate article: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1QqVjAIvklDhp7BgCKsaz3ftiful9utUKNBDeBGxwxg4/edit

8) Transperineal prostate biopsies: https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/989696?ecd=WNL_confwrap_230322_MSCPEDIT&uac=207389HY&impID=5267564#vp_2

It's Not Twitter, But It'll Do:

1) Jonathan interviewed for The Skeptic Zone: https://youtu.be/iHZ8z9eigK8

2) Jonathan's article on 911 call analysis: https://www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/critical-thinking/caller-killer-911-call-analysis-cant-give-you-right-answer

3) Chris on CBC's morning show about Candida auris: https://www.cbc.ca/player/play/2187559491808

Not so long ago, natural health products sold in Canada—which include a slew of dietary supplements of dubious effectiveness—were not regulated. When Kat McLeod got poisoned via the herbal supplement she was taking, she was offered a choice: sue the Canadian government or help them draft stronger regulation.

The Body of Evidence reached out to Olsy Sorokina to report on this story. She will tell you how natural health products are regulated in Canada and what the latest legislation, Vanessa's Law, means to consumers and to the natural health industry. And don't worry: Chris and Jonathan appear throughout.

Story producer: Olsy Sorokina

Interviewed for this story: Kat McLeod and Timothy Caulfield

Become a supporter of our show today either on Patreon or through PayPal! Thank you!

http://www.patreon.com/thebodyofevidence/

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Email us your questions at thebodyofevidence@gmail.com.

Theme music: "Fall of the Ocean Queen" by Joseph Hackl

Rod of Asclepius designed by Kamil J. Przybos

Chris' book, Does Coffee Cause Cancer?: https://ecwpress.com/products/does-coffee-cause-cancer

Obviously, Chris is not your doctor (probably). This podcast is not medical advice for you; it is what we call information.

Jonathan and Chris speak to Dr. Justin Sanders, the director of palliative care at McGill, on the topic of medical assistance in dying (MAiD). What are the arguments for and against MAiD? And what do we make of the thornier aspects of euthanasia, like its intersection with disability rights and the conflict of interest at the heart of a government that funds both assisted suicide and palliative care?

(2:30) What is palliative care?

(10:21) The history of MAiD in Canada

(15:34) Sedation vs. MAiD

(19:30) The need for control at the end of life

(21:15) The arguments for MAiD

(23:34) Feeling like a burden

(27:33) MAiD vs. disability rights

(36:20) The social safety net and the government's conflict of interest

(41:55) Most people don't want to die

(44:22) MAiD for mental illness

(49:25) Tenfold increase in Canadians receiving MAiD

* Theme music: "Fall of the Ocean Queen" by Joseph Hackl.

To contribute to The Body of Evidence, go to our Patreon page at: http://www.patreon.com/thebodyofevidence/.

Patrons get a bonus show on Patreon called "Digressions"! Check it out!

Links:

1) Carter v. Canada: https://scc-csc.lexum.com/scc-csc/scc-csc/en/item/14637/index.do

2) Information on medical assistance in dying in Canada: https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/medical-assistance-dying.html

3) CTV's coverage of the expansion into mental illness: https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/the-issue-of-expanding-assisted-dying-eligibility-has-already-been-decided-senator-1.6313740

4) The 2021 report on MAiD services in Canada: https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/medical-assistance-dying/annual-report-2021.html

What does the body of evidence say on erectile dysfunction? Plus: why was a woman in need of a heart transplant was denied the procedure, and what happens when you have advanced HIV and you catch mpox?

Block 1:

(2:06) Erectile dysfunction: definitions, how common it is, causes

Block 2:

(9:13) Erectile dysfunction: the psychological angle, figuring out what's causing it, treatments, the blue haze effect, cardiac risk, prevention, all-natural sexual enhancers

Block 3:

(25:38) Transplant denial because of refusal to get vaccinated

Block 4:

(35:31) Mpox + advanced HIV = bad

* Theme music: "Fall of the Ocean Queen" by Joseph Hackl

* Assistant researcher: Nicholas Koziris

To contribute to The Body of Evidence, go to our Patreon page at: http://www.patreon.com/thebodyofevidence/.

To make a one-time donation to our show, you can now use PayPal! https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=9QZET78JZWCZE

Patrons get a bonus show on Patreon called "Digressions"! Check it out!

References:

1) The Massachusetts Male Aging Study: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10647654/

2) Efficacy and side effects of sildenafil: https://doi.org/10.1001/archinte.162.12.1349

3) Safety of sildenafil (Viagra) after heart attack: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amjcard.2003.09.030

4) Addition of testosterone for erectile dysfunction: https://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-157-10-201211200-00004

5) Natural health products contaminated with Viagra: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/196675

6) Mother denied transplant due to vaccination status: https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/health/health-problems/no-jab-no-heart-mother-denied-transplant-due-to-vaccination-status/news-story/5580aca526744d15fe1a25e595ef7d76

7) Mpox in people with advanced HIV infection: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(23)00273-8

8) CBC coverage of the mpox study: https://www.cbc.ca/news/health/15-per-cent-death-rate-severe-lesions-reported-in-patients-with-mpox-alongside-advanced-hiv-study-1.6756429

It's Not Twitter, But It'll Do:

1) Jonathan interviewed for Fast Company on the Liver King: https://www.fastcompany.com/90839190/liver-kings-fall-ancestral-living-need-a-new-dad

2) Jonathan writing about digital amnesia: https://www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/critical-thinking-technology/digital-amnesia-has-been-exaggerated

3) Jack Lawrence's Skeptics in the Pub talk on ivermectin: https://youtu.be/1Nvp-zyLfaQ

4) Chris' article on biotin: https://montrealgazette.com/opinion/columnists/christopher-labos-take-biotin-for-most-better-to-save-your-money

Chris and Jonathan talk to Vincent Denault, who researches nonverbal communication. Are there human lie detectors? Is someone lying when their eyes are shifty? And more importantly, do people in positions of power believe the pseudoscience of lie detection?

(2:54) What is nonverbal communication?

(7:09) Vincent thought he could become a human lie detector

(9:45) Is there a clear way to know when someone is lying?

(18:30) Lie to Me and The Mentalist

(22:53) Hollywood's love affair with body language

(30:14) Is there a dictionary for nonverbal communication?

(31:26) Reading politicians' body language

(34:57) How good are we at detecting lies?

(36:00) The polygraph

(44:08) Are judges, lawyers and cops aware of this BS?

(49:31) Nonverbal communication in healthcare

(52:51) Let's not throw the baby out with the bathwater

* Theme music: "Fall of the Ocean Queen" by Joseph Hackl.

To contribute to The Body of Evidence, go to our Patreon page at: http://www.patreon.com/thebodyofevidence/.

Patrons get a bonus show on Patreon called "Digressions"! Check it out!

Links:

1) Vincent's website: http://vincentdenault.ca/

2) Vincent on LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/vincedenault/

Chris and Jonathan look at the already-infamous 2023 Cochrane review on masks, which many people are claiming shows that "masks don't work."

References:

1) The Cochrane review: https://www.cochrane.org/CD006207/ARI_do-physical-measures-such-hand-washing-or-wearing-masks-stop-or-slow-down-spread-respiratory-viruses

2) Tom Jefferson's interview by Maryanne Demasi: https://maryannedemasi.substack.com/p/exclusive-lead-author-of-new-cochrane

3) Tom Jefferson's own Substack blog post about the review: https://trusttheevidence.substack.com/p/escaping-from-social-and-other-media?r=208v9e&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email