Rodney Schmaltz joins Chris to talk about teaching scientific skepticism to university students. How does learning about Big Foot, debunking photos of fairies, and going on a ghost hunt make you better at debunking pseudoscience? Also, how to speak to believers in pseudoscience without making the other person hate you.

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.

Editor:    Robyn Flynn

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) Rodney's website that also hosts his Tedx talk: https://www.rodneyschmaltz.com/

2) The Lilienfeld Alliance: https://sites.google.com/view/lilienfeldalliance/lilicon-2026?authuser=0

Jonathan and Chris speak to Nick Tiller, PhD, a physiologist interested in exercising and the marketing hype that often surrounds the topic. They discuss the few supplements that can improve your workouts, as well as the gadgets that probably won't. Bookending their conversation is the important question: what is the best exercise?

2:35 Common misunderstandings around exercising

4:43 Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS)

11:28 Creatine supplements

13:49 Caffeine

14:50 Glucose supplements and sports drinks

18:31 Protein intake

21:08 Beta-alanine supplements

22:34 Kinesio tape, aka placebo tape

28:09 Placebos and sports performance

33:10 Cristiano Ronaldo's brand deals

40:13 Methylene blue

43:22 Ultramarathons: are they good for you?

51:34 What is the best type of exercise?

* 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) Nick Tiller on Twitter: https://twitter.com/NBTiller

2) Nick Tiller's website: https://www.nbtiller.com/

3) Nick Tiller's Skeptical Inquirer columns: https://skepticalinquirer.org/category/the-skeptics-guide-to-sports-science/

4) Jonathan Jarry's website, announcing his UK tour: https://www.jonathanjarry.com/

What does the body of evidence say on the topic of cholesterol? Plus: we look at the claim that a multivitamin can preserve your cognitive functions as you age, and we cover that study that allegedly shows aluminum in vaccines causes asthma!

Block 1:

(3:04) Cholesterol: what cholesterol is, total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, how fat is digested, HDL cholesterol

Block 2:

(10:44) Cholesterol: triglycerides, how LDL is calculated, do you need to fast before a blood test, attempts at increasing HDL, how to lower LDL

Block 3:

(22:38) Cocoa extract or multivitamin for preserving cognition (and a digression on cocoa vs cacao)

Block 4:

(39:13) Aluminum in vaccines and a reported link to asthma

* 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) Systematic review and meta-analysis on reducing LDL cholesterol: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2556125

2) Safety of lowering LDL cholesterol in patients starting with very low levels: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamacardiology/fullarticle/2695047

3) HPS2-THRIVE trial on niacin + laropiprant: https://doi.org/10.1056/nejmoa1300955

4) AIM-HIGH trial on niacin: https://doi.org/10.1056/nejmoa1107579

5) CETP inhibitor torcetrapib increases mortality: https://doi.org/10.1056/nejmoa0706628

6) Meta-analysis of the data on boosting HDL levels: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.g4379

7) The COSMOS-Mind paper: https://doi.org/10.1002/alz.12767

8) Our episode on chocolate: https://bodyofevidence.ca/013-chocolate-and-influenza

9) The original COSMOS papers: https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/nqac055 & https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/nqac056

10) The USPS statement on vitamin supplements: https://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/uspstf/recommendation/vitamin-supplementation-to-prevent-cvd-and-cancer-preventive-medication

11) Cochrane reviews on vitamins and cognition: https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD011906.pub2/full & https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD011905.pub2/full

12) Helen Branswell's STAT News coverage of the aluminum-asthma paper: https://www.statnews.com/2022/09/27/possible-link-aluminum-childhood-vaccines-asthma-risk-caveats/

13) The aluminum-asthma paper: https://els-jbs-prod-cdn.jbs.elsevierhealth.com/pb/assets/raw/Health%20Advance/journals/acap/Aluminium_Exposure_Article-1664288052690.pdf

14) Our episode on asthma: https://bodyofevidence.ca/080-asthma-screen-time-exercise-motivation

Time machine:

1) Our episode on fat: https://bodyofevidence.ca/015-fat-and-denialism

2) Our episode on dementia: https://bodyofevidence.ca/079-dementia-long-covid-no-vax-tax

Chris and Jonathan speak to Dr. Swapnil Hiremath, a hypertension specialist and staff nephrologist at the Ottawa Hospital. As they discuss high blood pressure and how to treat it, they make their way to a highly contentious clinical trial, the Hygia trial, which allegedly compared two times of day when to take blood pressure medication. Its results are a little too perfect to be believed.

3:35 What is high blood pressure and what is "essential" hypertension?

8:34 The two numbers of blood pressure

10:45 How antihypertensive drugs work

13:38 How our body metabolizes a drug

17:30 The intense debate over when to take blood pressure medication

21:59 The contentious Hygia trial

32:47 Is the Hygia trial… the Hygia project?

35:02 Considering fraud

41:21 The best time to take medication

44:38 "One simple trick to reduce your risk of heart attacks by 60%!"

* 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) Swapnil Hiremath on Twitter: https://twitter.com/hswapnil

2) The nephrology journal club: https://www.nephjc.com/

3) Swapnil Hiremath's podcast: https://www.nephjc.com/freelyfiltered

What does the body of evidence say on the topic of Botox injections? Plus: we address the confusion over bivalent COVID-19 booster shots, and we look at a trial of magic mushrooms for alcohol use disorder!

Block 1:

(3:00) Botox: what it is and what botulism does to you

Block 2:

(9:00) Botox: how Botox works on wrinkles, a comparison between formulations, what can go wrong, why repeated injections are needed, and the non-cosmetic uses of the botulinum toxin

Block 3:

(23:08) Bivalent booster vaccines and the reactive, libertarian public health response

Block 4:

(36:01) Magic mushrooms for alcohol use disorder

* 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) Our episode on sunscreen: https://bodyofevidence.ca/019-sunscreen-and-the-mmr-vaccine

2) The cosmetic benefit of botulinum toxin: https://doi.org/10.1067/mjd.2002.121356

3) Differences between formulations: https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1524-4725.2003.29017.x

4) The FDA's black box warning for Botox: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/184061

5) Antibody formation after Botox: https://doi.org/10.1002/mds.23254

6) Cochrane review of Botox for migraine: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2018-027953

7) Cochrane review of Botox for cervical dystonia: https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD003633.pub4

8) Botox for urgency urinary incontinence: https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/nejmoa1208872#:~:text=In%20summary%2C%20we%20found%20that,improvements%20in%20quality%20of%20life

9) New clinical trial of psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy for alcohol use disorder: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapsychiatry/fullarticle/2795625

Music Credits:

The following music was used for this media project:

Music: Main Theme (The Grand Score) by Alexander Nakarada

Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/4960-main-theme-the-grand-score

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

Artist website: https://www.serpentsoundstudios.com/

What does the body of evidence say on the topic of vitamin supplements? We pilot a new format for the show and ask for your feedback! Let us know your thoughts on Facebook, Twitter, Patreon, or via email at thebodyofevidence@gmail.com

(6:34) The story of scurvy and how its cause, a vitamin deficiency, was harder to "science" than you may remember, with author Stephen R. Bown. 

(22:48) The porous regulations that allow vitamin supplements to be sold and how Mel Gibson played a key role in this system, with health policy expert Timothy Caulfield.

(35:27) Chris and Jonathan explain what each vitamin does, what happens if you're deficient, and whether or not vitamin supplements are necessary.

* Jingle by Joseph Hackl

* Vox pop by Thanos Michailopoulos

* 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) Chris' article "It Hasn't Been a Good Year for Vitamin D": https://montrealgazette.com/opinion/columnists/christopher-labos-it-hasnt-been-a-good-year-for-vitamin-d

2) Vitamin D supplementation and cardiovascular risk: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamacardiology/fullarticle/2735646

3) VITAL study: https://www.nejm.org/doi/10.1056/NEJMoa1809944

4) AMATERASU trial: https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2019.2210

5) D2D study on vitamin D and type 2 diabetes: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31173679/

6) The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force's Final Recommendation Statement from June 2022: https://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/uspstf/recommendation/vitamin-supplementation-to-prevent-cvd-and-cancer-preventive-medication

7) Recommendation Statement as published in the Journal of the American Medical Association: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2793446

Music Credits:

Peter Sandberg / Étude No 1 for String Quartet

Christoffer Moe Ditlevsen / Rise to Power

National Anthem Worx / Rule Britannia

Silver Maple / Unspoken

Bonnie Grace / We Still Have Courage

Wendy Marcini / The Cast

Wendy Marcini / The Scam

Christoffer Moe Ditlevsen / The Stakeout

Farrell Wooten / Margin of Error

All courtesy of www.epidemicsound.com

The laying on of hands. The stethoscope. The "does it hurt when I press here." We are all familiar with the physical exam a doctor does when investigating our symptoms. But in the 21st century, with access to ultrasound and MRI, are these old-fashioned techniques still relevant or just cool parlour tricks? Returning guest Niko joins Chris to discuss the evidence behind hands-on maneuvers taught to medical students to help diagnose a variety of conditions. Warning: you may be shocked.

JAMA's series on the Rational Clinical Examination: https://jamanetwork.com/collections/6257/the-rational-clinical-examination

(4:44) Scenario #1: A torn meniscus or ligament in the knee

Lachman test: https://www.physio-pedia.com/Lachman_Test

McMurray test: https://www.physio-pedia.com/McMurrays_Test

(17:20) Scenario #2: Carpal tunnel syndrome

Tinel's test: https://www.physio-pedia.com/Tinel%E2%80%99s_Test

Phalen's test: https://www.physio-pedia.com/Phalen%E2%80%99s_Test

(24:29) Scenario #3: Meningitis

Brudzinski's sign of meningitis: https://medlineplus.gov/ency/imagepages/19069.htm

Kernig's sign of meningitis: https://medlineplus.gov/ency/imagepages/19077.htm

(32:41) Scenario #4: Abdominal aortic aneurysm

(38:13) Scenario #5: Pneumonia

Whispered pectoriloquy: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whispered_pectoriloquy

(45:45) Scenario #6: Appendicitis

McBurney's point: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McBurney%27s_point

Rovsing's sign: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rovsing%27s_sign

Psoas sign: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psoas_sign

Obturator's sign: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obturator_sign

* 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!

What does the body of evidence say on the topic of sexually transmitted infections? Plus: should you worry about monkeypox, and what is going on with mysterious cases of liver inflammation in children?

Block 1:

(2:15) STIs: nomenclature, HIV, rising cases

Block 2:

(8:57) STIs: why cases are increasing, who should be screened, treatment options, antibiotic resistance, confections, cold sore outbreaks

Block 3:

(23:29) Monkeypox

Block 4:

(36:45) Mysterious liver inflammation in children and possible link to COVID-19

* 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/.

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) Public Health Agency of Canada's 2018 report on sexually transmitted infections in Canada: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/publications/diseases-conditions/report-sexually-transmitted-infections-canada-2018.html

2) Summary table from the California Public Health Department about recommended STI screening in different groups: https://bit.ly/3sFxeJ0

3) Uptake of STI screening: https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5814a2.htm

& https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29985985/

4) CDC treatment guidelines and recommendations on co-treatment: https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/mm6950a6.htm

5) Acyclovir for treatment of genital herpes: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/6088819/

6) Topical antivirals for cold sores: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9134943/

7) Episode 61 of our podcast on HIV: https://bodyofevidence.ca/061-hiv-and-covid-19-therapies

8) Episode 72 of our podcast on liver disease: https://bodyofevidence.ca/072-liver-disease-sleep-disorder-grab-bag

9) Jim Downs' article in The Atlantic on tiptoeing around the issue of monkeypox and men who have sex with men: https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2022/05/monkeypox-outbreak-spread-gay-bisexual-men/643122/

Music Credits:

Dead Spaces by Tim Kulig

Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/9319-dead-spaces

License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

The Legion by Alexander Nakarada

Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/4912-the-legion

License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

The Body of Evidence is releasing an episode of HFMA's Voices in Healthcare Finance podcast, which features an interview with Dr. Christopher Labos on the topic of weight bias in healthcare, including what health indicators to focus on instead of weight and how to help patients who are at risk improve their health outcomes without explicit or implicit fat shaming.

If you enjoy Voices in Healthcare Finance, you can find the show and subscribe to it here: https://hfma.podbean.com/

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 the topic of MSG? Plus: we dig into a new study that alleges that artificial sweeteners are associated with a higher risk of cancer (but But BUT!), and will we keep boosting people against COVID every four months?

Block 1:

(2:05) MSG: what it is, where it comes from, and where it is used

Block 2:

(8:41) MSG: what it tastes like, the story of how it was maligned, and whether or not it causes harm

Block 3:

(27:26) New study on artificial sweeteners and cancer, and its pitfalls

Block 4:

(39:11) Forever boosters for COVID-19

* 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 original paper on "Chinese-restaurant syndrome:" https://doi.org/10.1056/nejm196804042781419

2) The Colgate University article on Dr. Howard Steel: https://news.colgate.edu/magazine/2019/02/06/the-strange-case-of-dr-ho-man-kwok/

3) This American Life's episode on Dr. Steel and Dr. Kwok: https://www.thisamericanlife.org/668/the-long-fuse

4) The only other scientific paper penned by Dr. Kwok: https://doi.org/10.1016/s0022-3476(67)80272-5

5) Study on intravenous administration of MSG: https://doi.org/10.1126/science.163.3869.826

6) Study #1 on MSG and flushing: https://doi.org/10.1016/s0190-9622(86)70161-8

7) Study #2 on MSG and flushing: https://doi.org/10.1093/jn/130.4.1058s

8) Study on MSG and headaches: https://doi.org/10.1186/s10194-016-0639-4

9) The FDA's findings on MSG: https://www.fda.gov/food/food-additives-petitions/questions-and-answers-monosodium-glutamate-msg

10) Adam Ragusea's video on MSG: https://youtu.be/E-POAKKH5IM

11) New study on artificial sweeteners and cancer risk: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1003950

12) Second COVID booster has 'marginal benefits' in small study: https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/972198

13) Jonathan's article on a pan-coronavirus vaccine: https://www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/covid-19/future-proof-coronavirus-vaccine

Music Credits:

Shine Of Happiness by MusicLFiles

Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/7537-shine-of-happiness

License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Chris and Jonathan welcome back to the show Paul Ingraham, the founder of PainScience.com. He charts his early days as a woo believer, his transformation into a skeptic, and the thing that got him in trouble with his massage therapy regulatory body: tone. Do healthcare regulators care for snark? Is it their role to tone-police their members? The Internet took many regulators by surprise and some overreacted. How do you kick the foxes out of the henhouse of massage therapy if the rule is that foxes should be treated as hens?

No time stamps for this one. It's a story that goes from "crack" addiction to growing out of the adolescent phase of skepticism to the difference between evidence-based medicine and science-based medicine. And for the first time ever, our podcast has been turned all the way up to 11.

* 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) Paul Ingraham's website: https://www.painscience.com/

2) Paul Ingraham's Science-Based Medicine post on why he quit being a massage therapist: https://sciencebasedmedicine.org/why-i-quit-my-massage-therapy-career/

Leaky Gut Syndrome. Always a favorite of the pseudoscience crowd. But is there any medical validity to the concept. Chris and Sophie look deep into the concept to find out if the diagnosis of Leaky Gut holds water or is just full of holes.

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.

Editor:    Robyn Flynn

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.

Fingers on buzzers! It's the first (and possibly last) episode of What's in a Name: Medical Edition! Join host Jonathan and his three contestants in figuring out the origin of common words used in biology and medicine! It's fun, we swear!

In the hot seat: social media manager Melissa, medical resident Niko, and cardiologist Chris!

Who will win? Who will lose? Will their egos recover? Do points even matter? What are the rules again? You'll hear about biceps, botulism, and that disease that got its name from a really old poem!

It's What's in a Name: Medical Edition!

Recorded in late December, 2021.

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!

Music Credits:

Dark Secrets (DECISION) by Sascha Ende®

Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/246-dark-secrets-decision-

License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Jonathan and Chris talk to Dr. Barbara Hofer and Dr. Gale Sinatra, the authors of the book Science Denial: Why It Happens and What to Do About It. It's a course in skepticism 101 as they discuss decision-making, doing your own research, and the post-truth era.

1:46 Why write a book about science denial now?

4:50 Irrational decision-making

6:17 Politicizing science and manufacturing doubt

16:30 Just asking questions and doing your own research

22:51 How to refute misconceptions and a note on the backfire effect

30:43 Patience and empathy in the time of the pandemic

32:38 Algorithmic literacy

33:55 Are the deniers aware of the true reasons for their science denial?

36:00 The post-truth era

39:32 Solutions for harm reduction

* 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 Science Denial: https://www.sciencedenialbook.com/

2) The Debunking Handbook: https://www.climatechangecommunication.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/DebunkingHandbook2020.pdf

What does the body of evidence say on the topic of asthma? Plus: how much time children spend in front of screens, and how to nudge people to go to the gym.

Block 1:

(3:15) Asthma: wheezing, similar diseases, how asthma is diagnosed

Block 2:

(10:53) Asthma: exercise-induced "asthma," what is asthma, cold and thunderstorms as triggers, allergies, infections, treatments

Block 3:

(29:31) Screen time in children

Block 4:

(40:06) Nudging people to go to the gym

To leave a rating and/or review on iTunes (please do!!),

1) Click here: https://itunes.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-body-of-evidence/id980972442

2) Click on "Listen on Apple Podcasts" toward the top, under "Health & Fitness"

3) It will prompt you to open iTunes. Allow the pop-up and switch to iTunes

4) In iTunes, click on "Rating and Reviews"

If you already listen on an Apple device, you should be able to leave a review by accessing the show on that device's native podcasting app.

* 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/.

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) Episode 43 on allergies: https://bodyofevidence.ca/043-allergies-and-organic-food

2) The 2019 Global Initiative for Asthma report: https://ginasthma.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Whats-new-in-GINA-2021_final_V2.pdf

3) How will new recommendations from the GINA report affect practice in Canada: https://www.cmaj.ca/content/192/17/E456?ijkey=00df329033338403c174cbb90af80401afad6136&keytype2=tf_ipsecsha

4) GINA FAQ on asthma: https://ginasthma.org/about-us/faqs/

5) Trial on combined budenoside-formoterol as needed in mild asthma: https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1715274

6) Systematic review and meta-analysis on screen time in children 5 years and younger: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapediatrics/article-abstract/2789091

7) American Academy of Paediatrics' guidelines on screen time: https://www.healthychildren.org/English/family-life/Media/Pages/Where-We-Stand-TV-Viewing-Time.aspx

8) Canadian Paediatrics Society's guidelines on screen time: https://caringforkids.cps.ca/handouts/behavior-and-development/screen-time-and-young-children

9) Megastudy on nudging people to go to the gym: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-021-04128-4

Music Credits:

Lofi Chill Hip-Hop by WinnieTheMoog

Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/6347-lofi-chill-hip-hop

License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Tutorial 2 by Frank Schröter

Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/8965-tutorial-2

License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Ambient Relaxing Background by MusicLFiles

Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/9007-ambient-relaxing-background

License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Over The Rainbow by Sascha Ende®

Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/319-over-the-rainbow

License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Chris and Jonathan welcome back to the show journalist Brooke Binkowski from Truth or Fiction to discuss the Joe Rogan/Spotify controversy and how we got here. The discussion includes what makes someone a journalist in 2022 and how reactionaries and extremists were early adopters of the Internet.

2:10 Addressing common accusations

3:44 The saga

5:26 The mainstreaming of falsehoods

8:21 Lack of responsibility and JAQing off

10:06 The aesthetics of masculine rationality and The X-Files

15:15 From harmless folklore to antisemitism

18:35 What makes someone a journalist

26:31 Moderating audio content

29:20 The 1988 Internet and surf Nazis

36:14 Monster Island, Galt's Gulch, and Ram Ranch

42:13 The Spotify seal of approval and YouTube's feeble moderation

46:08 The next five years of reactionary populism

* 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!

And patrons will get a bonus segment from this interview in a week!

Links:

1) The Daily podcast on the Joe Rogan saga: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/11/podcasts/the-daily/joe-rogan-spotify.html

2) Jonathan's article on Joe Rogan: https://www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/covid-19-health-and-nutrition-pseudoscience/science-vs-joe-rogan

3) The open letter to Spotify: https://spotifyopenletter.wordpress.com/2022/01/10/an-open-letter-to-spotify/

4) Aaron Rabinowitz's article on Monster Island: https://www.skeptic.org.uk/2020/10/monster-island-free-speech-experiment/

5) God Awful Movies' review of Atlas Shrugged, Part 1: https://www.stitcher.com/show/god-awful-movies/episode/337-atlas-shrugged-part-one-90134592

6) Truth or Fiction: https://www.truthorfiction.com/

7) Brooke on Twitter: https://twitter.com/brooklynmarie

What does the body of evidence have to say on the topic of dementia or, to use a more recent term, major cognitive disorder? Plus: what (little) we know about long COVID, and we go over arguments for and against the no-vax tax that was recently debated in Quebec.

Block 1:

(3:04) Dementia: types of memory

Block 2:

(11:53) Dementia: Alzheimer's, ApoE, vascular dementia, Lewy body disease, frontotemporal dementia, how to screen for and diagnose dementia, treatments, vitamin E, ginkgo, Aduhelm, preventative measures

Block 3:

(32:32) Long COVID: prevalence, symptoms, scientific challenges, hypotheses, vaccination

Block 4:

(49:35) No-vax tax debate

* 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) Cochrane review on cholinesterase inhibitors: https://www.cochrane.org/CD001190/DEMENTIA_donepezil-people-dementia-due-alzheimers-disease

2) Cochrane review on memantine: https://www.cochrane.org/CD003154/DEMENTIA_memantine-treatment-dementi

3) Cochrane review on vitamin E: https://www.cochrane.org/CD002854/DEMENTIA_use-vitamin-e-treatment-mild-cognitive-impairment-and-alzheimers-disease-ad

4) Vitamin E and heart failure: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15769967/

5) Vitamin E and mortality: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15537682/

6) Ginkgo biloba: https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD003120.pub3/full

7) Aduhelm: https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMp2111320

8) Jimmy Fallon and Paris Hilton on NFTs: https://youtu.be/5zi12wrh5So?t=222

9) Impossible MoCA: https://twitter.com/juliareillymd/status/1237531126723252225

10) Jonathan's article on long COVID: https://www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/covid-19/debilitating-puzzle-box-long-covid

11) Post-COVID Care Centers: https://www.survivorcorps.com/pccc

12) Public Health Agency of Canada's living systematic review on long COVID: https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.06.03.21258317v2

13) Canadian paper on the experiences of people living with long COVID: https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.01.20.22269617v1

14) Long COVID hypotheses: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2021.698169/full

Music Credits:

Heroic Trailer  by Rafael Krux

Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/5359-heroic-trailer-

License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Jonathan and Chris speak to Olivier Drouin, MD, MPH, a paediatrician and researcher in Montreal. The risk-benefit analyses regarding children, COVID-19, and the vaccines have received a lot of attention by journalists, parents, and peddlers of misinformation alike. "Myocarditis" is now a "boogeyword." Olivier weighs in on how COVID affects children, the safety of the vaccines, and what to do about schools.

1:20 Not *that* Olivier Drouin

2:36 How COVID affects children

6:00 Risk factors

9:29 How Omicron affects children

13:25 Speculating on increased diabetes diagnoses

16:19 Vaccine safety in children and the focus on peri- and myocarditis

24:04 Vaccine hesitant parents

28:29 The school debate

41:58 Our elected officials

47:00 Research beyond COVID

* 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) Olivier Drouin on Twitter: https://twitter.com/olivierdrouinmd

2) Olivier Drouin on Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&as_sdt=0%2C5&q=%22Olivier+Drouin%22&btnG=

3) Olivier Drouin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/olivierdrouinmd/

4) Jonathan's article on COVID aerosols and ventilation/filtration: https://www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/covid-19/covid-19-air-both-problem-and-solution

What does the body of evidence have to say on the topic of the immune system? Plus: the omicron variant and its accompanying public health measures, and we go over what happens when scientists try to fulfill one of the promises of science: replicating results.

Block 1:

(2:46) Immunity: what it does, self versus non-self, antigens, HLA, innate versus adaptive, fever, skin

Block 2:

(12:07) Immunity: Geert Vanden Bossche, eosinophils, neutrophils, G-CSF, immune boosters, vitamin C, antibodies, T and B cells, immune memory, vaccines

Block 3:

(30:40) Omicron, public health measures, and booster doses

Block 4:

(48:34) Reproducibility of cancer studies

* 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/.

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) Driving doggos: https://www.bbc.com/news/av/uk-15864761

2) Explanatory videos on the immune system: https://www.osmosis.org/learn/Introduction_to_the_immune_system

3) Understanding how vaccines work: https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/hcp/conversations/understanding-vacc-work.html

4) Understanding how COVID-19 vaccines work: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/different-vaccines/how-they-work.html

5) Cochrane review on vitamin C for the common cold: https://www.cochrane.org/CD000980/ARI_vitamin-c-for-preventing-and-treating-the-common-cold

6) Measles vaccine information: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/publications/healthy-living/canadian-immunization-guide-part-4-active-vaccines/page-12-measles-vaccine.html#p4c11a4 and https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/publications/diseases-conditions/measles-rubella-surveillance/2021/week-46.html

7) Interview with Dr. Paul Offit for New York Mag's Intelligencer: https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2021/12/omicron-dr-paul-offit-is-skeptical-of-boosters-for-all.html

8) Brian Nosek paper 1: https://elifesciences.org/articles/67995

9) Brian Nosek paper 2: https://elifesciences.org/articles/71601

10) New Scientist article: https://www.newscientist.com/article/2300455-investigation-fails-to-replicate-most-cancer-biology-lab-findings/

11) Amgen's paper on the lack of replicability of cancer research: https://www.nature.com/articles/483531a

12) Jonathan's paper on circulating microRNA signatures for cancer: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5528532/

Music Credits:

Just Deep 2 by Sascha Ende®

Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/312-just-deep-2

License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

When it comes to health and medicine, there are so many decisions to make and so much misinformation out there. Dr. Christopher Labos and Jonathan Jarry look at the body of evidence on these topics to tell you what's solid, what's iffy… and what's crapola. The jingles, comedy, and bickering help the medicine go down.

Chris and Jonathan speak to coach René Dreifuss, the founder of Radical MMA in New York City and the co-host of the Martial Culture podcast, which has been described as "NPR for mixed martial arts nerds." Medicine has had to wrestle with figuring out what works and what doesn't over the years; so have the martial arts. From claims of manipulating your opponent's qi in a fight to no-holds-barred Krav Maga self-defence, there are things that work in real life and things that really don't. There are parallels to be drawn with the mystical alternative healings in wellness communities and with cult-like mentalities that move us away from evidence and into the predatory arms of eminence. René also addresses the physical risks and unhealthy side of martial arts, namely weight cutting and brain trauma.

Our patrons will have access to a bonus segment with René on Christmas Eve. It's about ninjas and Chris' desire to fight Jonathan.

5:07 The cultural underpinning of energy-based martial arts

11:10 Scientific versus non-scientific thinking

18:18 Groin hits and eye pokes aren't effective

24:30 Sports improve over time

29:03 Mixed martial arts as an open source science

38:25 Myths about self-defence

47:09 Brain trauma

55:24 Weight cutting is very dangerous

1:10:16 The misunderstood rear naked choke

1:08:54 The Vulcan nerve pinch and Hollywood fights

1:13:55 Weapons-based martial arts: what works?

* 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 Martial Culture podcast: https://www.stitcher.com/show/the-martial-culture-podcast

2) René's mixed martial arts gym: https://radicalmmanyc.com/

3) René's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/radicalmma

4) Martial Culture episode on woo in martial arts: https://www.stitcher.com/show/the-martial-culture-podcast/episode/4-martial-arts-phony-53560245

5) Martial Culture episode on self-defence: https://www.stitcher.com/show/the-martial-culture-podcast/episode/meet-people-where-they-are-86686510

What does the body of evidence have to say on the topic of obesity? Plus: the on-going downfall of Didier Raoult, purveyor of hydroxychloroquine for COVID-19, which dovetails into discussions about the Hongcheng magic liquid, the Galileo gambit, gluten and the backfire effect. And Chris answers listeners' questions about genomics and cardiology and a syndrome called POTS.

Block 1:

Obesity myths: the body mass index (2:26)

Block 2:

Obesity myths: visceral adiposity, waist-to-hip ratio, obesity as a disease, fat and fit, the obesity paradox, exercising to lose weight, and a calorie is a calorie (10:20)

Block 3:

Didier Raoult and hydroxychloroquine (30:46)

Block 4:

Q&A: genomics and cardiology, and POTS (42:31)

* 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) Is obesity a disease?: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6179496/#b9-ms111_p0104

2) Different BMI cutoffs in different ethnic groups: https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/circulationaha.106.635011 & https://www.thelancet.com/pdfs/journals/lancet/PIIS0140-6736(03)15268-3.pdf

3) How to measure waist circumference: https://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/assessing/index.html

4) Is obesity a disease?: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6179496/

5) Metabolically healthy obese: https://www.jacc.org/doi/abs/10.1016/j.jacc.2017.07.763

6) The obesity paradox: https://journals.lww.com/epidem/FullText/2013/05000/The__Obesity_Paradox__Explained.20.aspx

7) Kevin Hall's research on isocaloric diets: https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article/104/2/324/4564649

8) Médiapart's article on Didier Raoult (in French): https://www.mediapart.fr/journal/france/191121/les-equipes-de-didier-raoult-denoncent-les-falsifications-de-leur-patron-sur-l-hydroxychloroquine?onglet=full

9) Our episode on direct-to-consumer genetic testing: https://bodyofevidence.ca/023-direct-to-consumer-dna-testing-and-homeopathy

Music Credits:

Christmas Theme 3 by Alexander Nakarada

Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/4776-christmas-theme-3

License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Unseen Horrors by Kevin MacLeod

Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/4569-unseen-horrors

License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Happy Memory (loopable) by chilledmusic

Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/8368-happy-memory-loopable-

License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

The opening of a new private clinic spurs Chris and Sophie to ask whether Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) is real medicine or pseudoscience. How does a magnetic field stimulate the brain and how is this different from electric convulsive therapy (ECT)? Also, a brief digression on One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest and other classic movies Sophie has never seen.

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.

Editor:    Robyn Flynn

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) A study on the efficacy of ECT  by Slade et al. http://jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?doi=10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2017.1378

5) Network meta-analysis comparing different TMS modalities https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2016.3644

6) The durability of response after TMS treatment: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brs.2018.10.001

7) RCT comparing ECT and TMS and showing ECT is more effective:  https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17202547/

8) The older cochrane review from 2002 suggesting little benefit: https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD003493

Jonathan and Chris speak to Natália Pasternak, PhD, the director of the Question of Science Institute. In trying to come to grips with COVID-19, Brazil was rocked by scandals involving research performed without consent and doctors being forced to prescribe treatment kits full of "miracle cures." This led Pasternak to state that medicine in Brazil is effectively unregulated and to call for the impeachment of President Bolsonaro. Can science literacy fix these problems? Meanwhile, Chris and Jonathan try to blow each other's minds and fail miserably. And they mention ICQ, not to be confused with IQC (Pasternak's institute) or HCQ (a drug that doesn't work against COVID)!

1:55 Natália in the Big Apple

2:50 Brazil's dual healthcare system

4:42 Brazil and COVID-19: "a total mess"

7:25 Brazil's COVID kit

16:42 TrateCov, the app that recommended proxalutemide

19:12 Scientific literacy and medical doctors… and homeopathy

30:09 Falling on the deaf ears of the Supreme Court

31:24 Calling for the impeachment of President Bolsonaro

38:04 Medicine in Brazil is essentially unregulated

41:46 Vaccines and the Brazilian paradox

49:04 The Question of Science Institute

53:05 How do we fix these problems?

* 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) Natália writing for The Skeptic magazine: https://www.skeptic.org.uk/?s=pasternak

2) Natália writing for Medscape: https://www.medscape.com/index/list_14444_0

3) Natália's magazine (in Portuguese): https://www.revistaquestaodeciencia.com.br/

4) Natália's institute (most of the content in Portuguese): https://iqc.org.br/

5) Natália writing for O Globo (in Portuguese): https://blogs.oglobo.globo.com/a-hora-da-ciencia/

6) Natália on the radio (in Portuguese): https://audioglobo.globo.com/cbn/podcast/feed/835/hora-da-ciencia

What does the body of evidence have to say on the topic of endometriosis? Plus: Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine is authorized for children ages 5-11, and we go over why an aspirin a day is no longer suggested for many older adults.

Block 1:

Endometriosis: what it is and what might be causing it (2:59)

Block 2:

Endometriosis: risk factors, how common it is, diagnosis, treatments (8:37)

Block 3:

FDA approves Pfizer's COVID vaccine for children 5-11 years old (26:18)

Block 4:

An aspirin a day to prevent cardiovascular disease? (40:19)

* 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/.

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) Flow diagram of treatment of endometriosis from the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada: https://sogc.org/common/Uploaded%20files/SOGC%20Endometriosis%20COVID19%20Update-%20Endo%20Group%20Edits%20April%2018%202020.pdf

2) Use of CA-125 to diagnosis endometriosis: https://obgyn.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/1471-0528.14055

3) Cochrane review of blood tests to diagnose endometriosis: https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD012281/full

4) Cochrane review of laparoscopic surgery to treat infertility associated with endometriosis: https://www.cochrane.org/CD011031/MENSTR_laparoscopic-surgery-pain-and-infertility-associated-endometriosis

5) Endometriosis time to diagnosis: https://academic.oup.com/humrep/article/18/4/756/596537

https://www.ajog.org/article/S0002-9378(19)30002-X/fulltext

6) FDA news release on authorization of Pfizer's vaccine: https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-authorizes-pfizer-biontech-covid-19-vaccine-emergency-use-children-5-through-11-years-age

7) Pfizer's press release on its trial of its COVID-19 vaccine in children: https://www.pfizer.com/news/press-release/press-release-detail/pfizer-and-biontech-announce-positive-topline-results

8) United States Preventive Services Task Force updated recommendation on aspirin for primary prevention: https://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/uspstf/draft-recommendation/aspirin-use-to-prevent-cardiovascular-disease-preventive-medication

Music Credits:

Dreams Of Success (loopable) by chilledmusic

Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/8459-dreams-of-success-loopable-

License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Chris and Jonathan speak to Effie Greathouse, Ph.D., the co-founder of the website Fluoride Exposed dedicated to explaining the science of fluoride and water fluoridation to the public.

2:30 What is Fluoride Exposed?

3:54 Why we put fluoride in drinking water

10:15 Fluoride-free toothpaste

12:00 Arguments against fluoridation

14:00 Fluoride and IQ

21:51 Effie's origin story and mom groups online

27:19 The phrase "anti-science"

29:23 The Christopher Labos Trivia Show

* 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) Fluoride Exposed website: https://fluorideexposed.org/

2) Fluoride Exposed on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/explorefluoride

3) Fluoride Exposed on Twitter: https://twitter.com/FluorideExposed

4) Fluoride Exposed on Pinterest: https://tr.pinterest.com/fluorideexposed/

What does the body of evidence have to say on the topic of blood pressure? Plus: what seems to be causing multiple chemical sensitivity, and we come face to face with the difficulty of deciding if an activity is risky or not when you're fully vaccinated.

Block 1:

Blood pressure: what the numbers mean (2:27)

Block 2:

Blood pressure: should you treat it, what to aim for, how to treat it, how best to measure it (8:56)

Block 3:

Multiple chemical sensitivity, what happens when tests come back negative, and the ethics of prescribing placebos (28:11)

Block 4:

Question about the HPV vaccine and the immune system (45:56)

Wrong numbers in Ottawa Heart Institute study scare people (48:12)

Is this risky? (53:16)

* 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 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) John Hay quote: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20776269/

2) Oslo study: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7001898/

3) MRC study: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2861880/

4) SPRINT study: https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1511939

5) ACCORD study: https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1001286

6) STEP trial: https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2111437

7) SSaSS study on salt substitute: https://www.nejm.org/doi/10.1056/NEJMoa2105675

8) ALLHAT trial: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/195626

9) ACC/AHA systematic review: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29133355/

10) Jonathan's article on the INSPQ report on multiple chemical sensitivity: https://www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/health/zeroing-cause-multiple-chemical-sensitivity

11) The INSPQ report on MCS (French only): https://www.inspq.qc.ca/publications/2729

Music:

Fanfare for Space by Kevin MacLeod

Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/3736-fanfare-for-space

License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Guitar Hero by Alexander Nakarada

Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/4807-guitar-hero

License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Good Ideas For A New Startup by MusicLFiles

Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/8159-good-ideas-for-a-new-startup

License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Chris and Jonathan speak to two guests about the slow collapse of the body of evidence on ivermectin for COVID-19, with a particular focus on the oft-cited Elgazzar randomized controlled trial. Their first guest is Jack Lawrence, a Master's student and disinformation researcher, who took the Elgazzar paper apart, finding evidence of plagiarism and of potential data fraud. Their second guest is Gideon Meyerowitz-Katz, an epidemiologist, who appraised the Elgazzar study, the Carvallo "study," and many others, and who reveals some of the telltale signs of scientific fraud.

Guest #1: Jack Lawrence

3:06 Jack reads the Elgazzar study

5:55 A plagiarized introduction

7:46 The paper's claims

11:57 Skimming a paper versus actively looking for fraud

24:45 Deaths didn't add up

31:23 The Guardian's coverage

36:10 A broken system

Guest #2: Gid M-K

41:28 Most likely a fraud

46:34 Is this dataset real?

52:41 The Carvallo "study" may never have taken place as described

58:11 IVMMeta.com, an anonymous pseudoscientific website

1:04:16 Churning out bad meta-analyses

1:07:07 Gid's verdict on ivermectin for COVID-19

1:12:23 Maintaining trust in science in the face of fraud

* 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) Jack Lawrence on Twitter: https://twitter.com/JackMLawrence

2) Jack Lawrence's TimPoolClips account: https://twitter.com/TimPoolClips

3) Jack Lawrence's blog post on the Elgazzar paper: https://grftr.news/why-was-a-major-study-on-ivermectin-for-covid-19-just-retracted/

4) Gid M-K on Twitter: https://twitter.com/GidMK

5) Gid M-K's podcast, Sensationalist Science: https://soundcloud.com/senscipod

6) Gid M-K's first blog post on the ivermectin saga: https://elemental.medium.com/ivermectin-for-covid-19-an-update-5e913bb49483

7) The Elgazzar study: https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-100956/v3

8) Nick Brown's blog post about the Elgazzar study: https://steamtraen.blogspot.com/2021/07/Some-problems-with-the-data-from-a-Covid-study.html

9) The Guardian's coverage of the Elgazzar study: https://www.theguardian.com/science/2021/jul/16/huge-study-supporting-ivermectin-as-covid-treatment-withdrawn-over-ethical-concerns

10) The BuzzFeed investigation into the Carvallo "study": https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/stephaniemlee/ivermectin-covid-study-suspect-data

11) IVMMeta website: https://ivmmeta.com/

Previously, on the Body of Evidence: Jonathan asked Chris to rank medical specialties from super-amazing to garbage! As Chris finds himself lounging on a beach in Greece, we release the conclusion to this special episode. You will learn so much about pathology, cardiology and other specialties, and you will finally hear which branches of medicine Chris thinks are GARBAGE! (sort of… for him… 'cause he doesn't like them… but we need doctors to do those things so….)

* 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!

Music Credits:

Cinema Blockbuster Trailer 6 by Sascha Ende®

Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/288-cinema-blockbuster-trailer-6

License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

What does the body of evidence have to say on the topic of ergonomics? Plus: should a maker of vaping products have bought out an entire issue of an academic journal to publish its studies, and we answer questions from our listeners about osteoporosis and COVID contrarians.

Block 1:

Ergonomics: carpal tunnel syndrome and ergonomic keyboards (2:09)

Block 2:

Ergonomics: work breaks, arm supports, workplace interventions, standing desks, and computer glasses (11:27)

Block 3:

The controversy over Juul e-cigarettes and academic publishing (28:42)

Block 4:

Is this paper proof that strontium works for osteoporosis? (41:07)

What's with MDs and PhDs becoming COVID contrarians? (45:33)

* 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/.

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) Cochrane review on ergonomic keyboards for carpal tunnel syndrome: https://www.cochrane.org/CD009600/NEUROMUSC_ergonomic-positioning-or-equipment-for-carpal-tunnel-syndrome

2) Cochrane review on various interventions for reducing neck pain: https://www.cochrane.org/CD008570/OCCHEALTH_ergonomic-interventions-preventing-work-related-musculoskeletal-disorders-upper-limb-and-neck-among

3) Cochrane review on various interventions for reducing neck pain: https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD008570.pub3/full?highlightAbstract=ergonomic%7Cergonom

4) Cochrane review on various interventions for reducing neck pain: https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD012886.pub2/full?highlightAbstract=ergonomic%7Cergonom

5) Cochrane review on ergonomics in dentistry practices: https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD011261.pub2/full?highlightAbstract=ergonomic%7Cergonom

6) Cochrane review on workplace interventions: https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD010912.pub5/full?highlightAbstract=ergonomic%7Cergonom

7) Sydney Morning Herald article on the lack of science in ergonomics: https://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/health-and-wellness/a-difficult-position-experts-question-whether-ergonomics-holds-up-20180910-p502w5.html

8) Our previous episodes on vaping: https://bodyofevidence.ca/005-e-cigarettes, https://bodyofevidence.ca/052-baldness-and-vaping, and https://bodyofevidence.ca/056-drinking-water-and-olivier-bernard

9) Philadelphia Inquirer article on the Juul controversy: https://www.inquirer.com/health/juul-pro-vaping-research-seeks-to-influence-fda-regulation-e-cigarettes-20210710.html

10) The paper on strontium for osteoporosis: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5310667/

Jonathan and Chris speak to Dr. Lindsay Duncan, a kinesiologist and co-director of the Theories and Interventions in Exercise and Health Psychology laboratory at McGill University. In light of the upcoming Summer Olympics, what are banned substances and why are they banned? How common is supplement use among athletes? And do superhero movies—with actors undergoing dramatic body transformations in a short amount of time—alter expectations in the gym?

1:45 Why are some competitive advantages allowed but not others?

5:17 The next frontier: gene editing

6:43 Banned substances cleared for medical use

11:29 Common performance-enhancing drugs

13:51 THC and alcohol

18:49 The possibility of accidental exposure

20:37 Protecting athletes from harm

26:09 Supplement use is incredibly common

29:04 The superhero physique

33:33 Celebrity trainers

36:48 Sleep and rest

40:25 Athletes' use of social media

41:46 Preventing drug use in young athletes

44:22 Stripping away hype without affecting motivation

If you want to apply to be our social media manager, you find the details here: https://bodyofevidence.ca/looking-for-part-time-social-media-manager

* 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) Lindsay Duncan on Twitter: https://twitter.com/LindsayDuncan9

What does the body of evidence have to say on the topic of fibromyalgia? Plus: assorted topical discussions about mixing COVID vaccines, the tiny/maybe/it's nothing increased risk of myocarditis and pericarditis with the RNA vaccines, and long-term immunity following COVID vaccination.

Block 1:

Fibromyalgia: what could be causing it? (3:00)

Block 2:

Fibromyalgia: diagnosing and treating it (10:02)

Block 3:

Mixing and matching COVID vaccines (28:20)

Block 4:

Myocarditis and pericarditis with the RNA vaccines (38:40)

Long-term immunity from COVID vaccines (51:35)

If you want to apply to be our social media manager, you find the details here: https://bodyofevidence.ca/looking-for-part-time-social-media-manager

* 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/.

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) Prevalence of fibromyalgia: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23203795/

2) Diagnostic criteria for fibromyalgia: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20461783/

3) Misdiagnosis of fibromyalgia, comparing physicians to criteria-based diagnosis: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/acr.23731

4) FM/a blood test for fibromyalgia (Science-Based Medicine post): https://www.skepdoc.info/a-blood-test-for-fibromyalgia/

5) FM/a blood test for fibromyalgia (AAFP article): https://www.aafp.org/afp/2021/0501/p566.html

6) Economic benefits after receiving a fibromyalgia diagnosis: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18311794/ and https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23024016/

7) Exercise for fibromyalgia: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28636204/

8) UK preprint on mixing and matching COVID vaccines (Com-COV trial): https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3874014

9) Ed Yong's article on how the immune system is where intuition goes to die: https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2020/08/covid-19-immunity-is-the-pandemics-central-mystery/614956/

10) Nature paper on long-term immunity after receiving a COVID vaccine: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-021-03738-2

Chris and Jonathan speak to Dean Tania Bubela from Simon Fraser University, an expert on scientific innovations and intellectual property. The big question: as we try to get COVID-19 vaccines into more arms and in a more equitable fashion worldwide, should the patents pharmaceutical companies have on these vaccines be lifted? And what would a better system look like when the next pandemic hits us?

3:45 What is a patent?

8:00 Patents in biomedicine

12:58 To lift or not to lift COVID-19 vaccine patents?

17:15 The potential of the mRNA platform

28:30 Bill Gates, his love of IP, and the Oxford University-AstraZeneca deal

35:34 A better system involving public-private partnerships

40:51 Do we need pharma?

46:22 Does pharma deserve our trust?

If you want to apply to be our social media manager, you can find the details here: https://bodyofevidence.ca/looking-for-part-time-social-media-manager

* 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) Tania Bubela on Twitter: https://twitter.com/bubela_tania

How does genetic testing help doctors treat patients? How accurate are private companies like 23andMe? Does knowing your genetic risk help people lead healthier lives or is it just a waste of time and money? Sophie had a bunch of questions about how genetic testing is used in everyday medical practice and Chris was here to answer!

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

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Email us your questions at thebodyofevidence@gmail.com.

Editor:    Robyn Flynn

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. Studies evaluating the accuracy of Direct to Consumer genetic testing companies:

   1. Ng PC, Murray SS, Levy S, Venter JC. An agenda for personalized medicine. Nature. 2009 Oct 8;461(7265):724-6. doi: 10.1038/461724a. PMID: 19812653.

   2. Imai K, Kricka LJ, Fortina P. Concordance study of 3 direct-to-consumer genetic-testing services. Clin Chem. 2011 Mar;57(3):518-21. doi: 10.1373/clinchem.2010.158220. 

2. Studies looking at how knowing the results of genetic testing affect medical treatment and lifestyle factors.

   1. Mega JL, et al. Genetic risk, coronary heart disease events, and the clinical benefit of statin therapy: an analysis of primary and secondary prevention trials. Lancet. 2015 Jun 6;385(9984):2264-2271. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(14)61730-X

   2. Khera AV, Emdin CA, Drake I, Natarajan P, Bick AG, Cook NR, Chasman DI, Baber U, Mehran R, Rader DJ, Fuster V, Boerwinkle E, Melander O, Orho-Melander M, Ridker PM, Kathiresan S. Genetic Risk, Adherence to a Healthy Lifestyle, and Coronary Disease. N Engl J Med. 2016 Dec 15;375(24):2349-2358. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa1605086. 

3. The Cochrane review and MI-GENES study which showed that genetic information did not change lifestyle behavior

   1. Hollands GJ, French DP, Griffin SJ, Prevost AT, Sutton S, King S, Marteau TM. The impact of communicating genetic risks of disease on risk-reducing health behaviour: systematic review with meta-analysis. BMJ. 2016 Mar 15;352:i1102. doi: 10.1136/bmj.i1102. 

   2. Kullo IJ, et al. Incorporating a Genetic Risk Score Into Coronary Heart Disease Risk Estimates: Effect on Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol Levels (the MI-GENES Clinical Trial). Circulation. 2016 Mar 22;133(12):1181-8. doi: 10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.115.020109

Liver disease (2:29 for part 1, 11:13 for part 2) // sleep disorder (28:42) // The omega-3 war (41:55), coffee and colorectal cancer (45:37), and RNA vaccines and myocarditis (48:44).

* 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/

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

References:

1) Jonathan's article on the OURA ring: https://mcgill.ca/oss/article/covid-19-health-technology/magical-ring-was-claimed-predict-covid-19

2) Coffee consumption and colorectal cancer prognosis: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaoncology/article-abstract/2777346?utm_campaign=articlePDF&utm_medium=articlePDFlink&utm_source=articlePDF&utm_content=jamaoncol.2020.8479

Music Credits:

Lofi Chill Hip-Hop by WinnieTheMoog

Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/6347-lofi-chill-hip-hop

License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Morning Rhythm  by Rafael Krux

Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/5338-morning-rhythm-

License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Jonathan and Chris delve into the world of newborns and medical care for children with Dr. Clay Jones, a paediatrician who practices in Massachusetts and who regularly writes for the Science-Based Medicine blog. From preventing SIDS to treating a fever (or not), we go through our listeners' questions. In a week, our patrons will get a bonus episode with more from Clay!

2:04 COVID-19 vaccines in kids

6:27 "I'm not anti-vaccine but…" says Texas paediatrician

12:17 Chiropractic in children and babies

20:07 Best temperature for newborns (in Fahrenheit!)

22:36 Are diapers bad for the baby?

25:25 Safe sleeping

30:00 What predisposes to SIDS?

32:16 Do newborns dream? (An Inception on Elm Street)

37:37 Baby slings and hip dysplasia

42:57 Long-term outcome of very premature babies

45:44 Apgar scores (to get into daycare)

48:28 Fever

51:49 Teething

54:44 Recurring infections in kindergarten

57:16 RyRy's impossible question

* 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) Clay Jones at Science-Based Medicine: https://sciencebasedmedicine.org/author/clayjones/

2) Clay Jones on Twitter: https://twitter.com/SBMPediatrics

Menopause: definition, early menopause, hot flashes, gabapentin, clonidine, CBT, mindfulness, exercising, phytoestrogens, black cohosh, acupuncture, and hormone replacement therapy // Magic mushrooms versus antidepressants // A rant about merchants of doubt

* 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/.

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

References:

1) Age at menopause: https://academic.oup.com/humrep/article/16/9/2014/2915909

2) Age at menopause: https://doi.org/10.1097/gme.0b013e31820ed6d2

3) Ethnicity as a predictor of menopause: https://doi.org/10.1093/aje/kwn046

4) Ethnicity as a predictor of menopause: https://doi.org/10.1093/aje/153.9.865

5) Complementary therapies for menopause: https://doi.org/10.1016/s0029-7844(02)02005-7

6) Complementary therapies for menopause: https://doi.org/10.1097/gme.0b013e318199d5e6

7) Non-hormonal treatment for hot flashes: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK72751/

8) Cochrane review of phytoestrogens: https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.cd001395.pub4

9) Cochrane review of black cohosh: https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD007244.pub2

10) Cochrane review of acupuncture: https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.cd007410.pub2

11) Women's Health Initiative study: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/195120

12) New trial comparing psilocybin to escitalopram for depression: https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2032994

13) Jonathan's video about the psychedelic renaissance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dlYDMbxAdoo

14) Our episode on nootropics: https://bodyofevidence.ca/053-smart-drugs-and-fluoride

15) Our episode on antidepressants: https://bodyofevidence.ca/029-antidepressants-and-fluoride

Music Credits:

Tribute To Commondore by Frank Schröter

Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/7791-tribute-to-commondore

License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Car safety: the evidence behind seatbelts, air bags, booster seats, winter tires, and turning right on red // the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine saga, with the risk of blood clots explained // the claim that 1 in 3 people with COVID-19 will develop a neuropsychiatric condition.

* 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/

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

References:

1) Causes of death according to the CDC: https://webappa.cdc.gov/sasweb/ncipc/leadcause.html

2) Traffic safety facts from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA): https://crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/Api/Public/ViewPublication/812683

3) Booster seat use in older children in Washington state: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5522634/

4) The danger of premature graduation to seat belts for young children: https://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/105/6/1179

5) A new measure making winter tires mandatory in Quebec: http://conf.tac-atc.ca/english/resourcecentre/readingroom/conference/conf2010/docs/k2/fournier-e.pdf

6) Hilda Bastian's article on the risk of clotting with AZ's vaccine: https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2021/03/astrazeneca-vaccine-blood-clot-issue-wont-go-away/618451/

7) The Lancet Psychiatry study on neuropsychiatric outcomes of COVID-19 patients: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanpsy/article/PIIS2215-0366(21)00084-5/fulltext

Music Credits:

Dark Secrets (DECISION) by Sascha Ende®

Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/246-dark-secrets-decision-

License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Funny Adventures by WinnieTheMoog

Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/6048-funny-adventures

License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Chris and Jonathan discuss Australia's COVID-19 response with epidemiologist Gideon Meyerowitz-Katz and compare it to Canada's. Do lockdowns work? Are school closures necessary? Have we learned anything about how to manage a pandemic? The answers often turn out to be, "It depends…."

1:47 Gid in the eye of the European storm

3:45 Australia's immediate response to COVID-19

5:52 Canada's jet-lagged mandate to quarantine travellers

8:00 Was Australia lucky?

10:33 The May 2020 outbreak

14:58 Australians do love their laws / Right-wing liberals

20:00 Contact tracing in Quebec and Australia

25:45 The best approach to contain a pandemic

29:25 Did we learn anything?

35:12 Do lockdowns work?

38:30 Do lockdowns cause more benefits or harm?

40:45 Are school closures necessary?

44:55 The problem with the news

49:04 Predictions

* 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) Gid M-K on Twitter: https://twitter.com/GidMK

2) Gid M-K's blog on Medium: https://gidmk.medium.com/

3) Gid M-K's podcast, Sensationalist Science: https://soundcloud.com/senscipod

In this special episode, Jonathan asks Chris to rank medical specialties from super-amazing to garbage! You totally won't believe the specialty he ranks at the very top! But hey, while he's ranking them, you might learn a thing or two about what these different breeds of doctors do! The recording ran long, so we're splitting this into two episodes. Part 2 will be released at some point in the future. Subscribe so that you don't miss it!

* 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!

UTIs: sex differences / antibiotics / self-diagnosis / cranberry juice / probiotics / D-mannose / drinking water / peeing after sex / contraception / topical estrogen. iPhone 12's effect on pacemakers and implanted defibrillators. COVID-19 vaccines: Johnson & Johnson's / AstraZeneca's / variants / scams.

* 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/.

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

References:

1) Statistics from the American Urological Association: https://www.urologyhealth.org/healthy-living/urologyhealth-extra/magazine-archives/summer-2016/understanding-utis-across-the-lifespan

2) Urinary Tract Infection Syndromes: Occurrence, Recurrence, Bacteriology, Risk Factors, and Disease Burden: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0891552013000743?via%3Dihub

3) Patient-initiated treatment of uncomplicated recurrent urinary tract infections in young women: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11434727/

4) Antibiotic sparing strategy: https://www.bmj.com/content/351/bmj.h6544

5) Cochrane review on Cranberries for preventing urinary tract infections: https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD001321.pub5

6) Cranberry Extract for Symptoms of Acute, Uncomplicated Urinary Tract Infection: A Systematic Review: https://www.mdpi.com/2079-6382/10/1/12

7) Cochrane review on Probiotics for preventing urinary tract infections in adults and children: https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD008772.pub2/full

8) Systematic review of the literature on D-mannose for recurrent UTIs: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32972899/

9) Fluid intake to prevent recurrent UTIs: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6584323/

10) Prevention and treatment of uncomplicated lower urinary tract infections in the era of increasing antimicrobial resistance-non-antibiotic approaches: a systemic review: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00404-019-05256-z

11) The Role of Asymptomatic Bacteriuria in Young Women With Recurrent Urinary Tract Infections: To Treat or Not to Treat? https://doi.org/10.1093/cid/cis534

12) INESSS Antibiotic Guidelines: https://www.inesss.qc.ca/fileadmin/doc/INESSS/Outils/GUO/Anglo/Guide_InfectionUrinaire_EN_WEB.pdf

Music Credits:

Joy And Optimism (loopable) by chilledmusic

Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/7580-joy-and-optimism-loopable-

License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Long Road Ahead by Kevin MacLeod

Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/3996-long-road-ahead

License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Jonathan and Chris discuss the impact of racism within the Canadian healthcare system with Dr. OmiSoore Dryden, an associate professor at Dalhousie University and the current holder of the James R. Johnston Chair in Black Canadian Studies. They talk about the effect of the pandemic on minorities and racialized groups, and why there's more to Africa than elephants.

1:58 A Chair in Black Canadian Studies

4:40 Black medical students

11:14 The pandemic's effect on minorities

17:08 The grey economy

18:07 Biological versus socioeconomic risk factors

28:48 How to have conversations about systemic racism

32:53 Canada's "universal healthcare"

38:00 The meaning of anti-racism

43:00 #GotBlood2Give and the barriers to donating blood

53:23 The tainted blood scandal

55:42 Racism is impacting your patients' lives

* 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) OmiSoore Dryden's personal website: https://omisooredryden.com/

2) OmiSoore Dryden's profile at Dalhousie University: https://medicine.dal.ca/departments/department-sites/community-health/our-people/our-faculty/omisoore-dryden-.html

3) OmiSoore Dryden on Twitter: https://twitter.com/JRJCHAIR

4) Her article in The Conversation: https://theconversation.com/coronavirus-discriminates-against-black-lives-through-surveillance-policing-and-the-absence-of-health-data-135906

5) Jonathan's article about race and biology: https://www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/health-general-science/are-you-there-race-its-me-dna

Changing lifestyle habits: advertising, taxes, behavioural counselling, incentives, text messages, apps, scared straight, genetic information, city design // Delaying the second COVID-19 vaccine dose // COVID-19 update: colchicine, rapid tests, children and variants.

* 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/

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

References:

1) Food marketing to children: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC416565/

2) Generalizable and robust TV advertising effects: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3273476, https://freakonomics.com/podcast/advertising-part-1/, https://freakonomics.com/podcast/advertising-part-2/

3) American Heart Association's 7 ideal lifestyle factors: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4556343/

4) Cigarette taxes: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0204416

5) Cigarette tax in Colombia: https://tobaccocontrol.bmj.com/content/28/4/374

6) Cigarette tax in China: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/langlo/article/PIIS2214-109X(15)70095-1/fulltext

7) Cigarette tax in Lebanon: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5115647/

8) Cigarette tax in Korea: https://tobaccocontrol.bmj.com/content/25/2/141

9) Sugar tax in Philadelphia: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2733208

10) Sugar tax in Spain: https://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12889-019-7908-5

11) Cochrane review on smoking cessation: https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD013229.pub2/abstract

12) Review of smoking cessation apps: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21335258/

13) Cochrane review on encouraging exercise: https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD010392.pub2/full

14) Implementing sidewalks: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24380471/

15) The walking school bus: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3164094/

16) Impact of new bike lanes: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23334767/

17) Recess in elementary school: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3074953/

18) Gym class: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17328052/

19) Chris' Montreal Gazette article on delaying the second vaccine dose: https://montrealgazette.com/opinion/columnists/christopher-labos-risks-of-altering-vaccination-protocols-are-unknown

20) Annals of Internal Medicine modelling study on alternative dose allocation strategies: https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/m20-8137

21) McGill OSS live stream with Dr. Don Sheppard: https://youtu.be/peursUpKnx8

22) Report from Israel about effectiveness of one dose: https://www.bmj.com/content/372/bmj.n217

23) BBC article about Israel vaccine fears 'out of context and inaccurate': https://www.bbc.com/news/health-55734257

24) Press release for colchicine trial: https://www.icm-mhi.org/en/pressroom/news/colchicine-reduces-risk-covid-19-related-complications

25) Pre-print manuscript for colchicine trial: https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.01.26.21250494v1

26) Spartan Bioscience says Health Canada approves rapid COVID-19 test: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/spartan-bioscience-covid-19-test-approved-1.5885284

Music Credits:

End Of Summer by Frank Schröter

Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/6633-end-of-summer

License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Dramatic Riser  by Rafael Krux

Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/5401-dramatic-riser-

License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Dramatic Trailer  by Rafael Krux

Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/5633-dramatic-trailer-

License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Cinema Blockbuster Trailer 15 by Sascha Ende

Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/4952-cinema-blockbuster-trailer-15

License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Cinema Blockbuster Trailer 13 (99FIRE-FILMS AWARD) by Sascha Ende

Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/3137-cinema-blockbuster-trailer-13-99fire-films-award-

License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Chris and Jonathan discuss expertise and intellectual humility with Alan Levinovitz, a professor of religion, frequent guest on A User's Guide to Cheating Death, and the author of the book Natural. As facts, arguments, and content flood our attention, how can we know whom to trust when our health is at stake? This month's drinking game revolves around the word "adjudicate." Drink responsibly!

1:11 The Anthony Fauci lie

2:14 A theologian on expertise

9:12 Tribalism

16:04 John Ioannidis and COVID-19

21:34 ScientificConsensus.com

26:09 The onslaught of contrarian content

32:30 People should be suspicious of sexiness in their epidemiology

35:25 When your job is to uncover hidden truths….

39:30 A looming epistemic crisis and how to avoid it

49:16 On intellectual humility

57:33 Twitter hiatus

* 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) Alan Levinovitz on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AlanLevinovitz

2) Alan Levinovitz's book, Natural: https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/50128614

3) Thorpe's Science editorial on the value of debating science in the public arena: https://science.sciencemag.org/content/371/6526/213/tab-pdf

Chris and Sophie tackle Radon, the odorless, colorless, tasteless and very toxic gas that is present in about 1 in 5 homes. Why do we care? How do you test for it? What should do about it? And why don't we talk about it more? Also Sophie's mind gets blown by a Patron question.

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.

Editor:    Robyn Flynn

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 2024 Cross-Canada Radon Survey: https://crosscanadaradon.ca/survey/

2)     How Radon gets in your home: https://www.quebec.ca/en/housing-territory/healthy-living-environment/residential-radon

3)     Where to order valid Radon tests: http://takeactiononradon.ca

4)     Distribution of Radon geographically across Canada and the US: https://www.epa.gov/radon/epa-map-radon-zones-0 

https://ici.radio-canada.ca/nouvelle/1655364/gaz-radon-normes-quebec-canada

5)     Cochrane review on balneotherapy: https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD000518.pub2/full?contentLanguage=en

Jonathan and Chris take the time to go over the data on COVID-19 vaccines and to answer the many, many questions they have received about them.

* Cover of "Ooh Child" by Joseph Hackl

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

* Assistant researcher: Nicholas Koziris

* Special guest star: Morgan Sweeney of the Magic of the Mind podcast

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!

Index:

Vaccine Development

04:20 Types of COVID-19 vaccines

09:55 RNA vaccine technology

14:45 Rushed vaccines

20:18 COVID vaccine but no HIV vaccine?

23:44 Vaccine ingredients

27:31 COVID vaccines linked to HIV?

36:21 Manufacturing only Pfizer's vaccine

Efficacy

40:20 Efficacy at preventing COVID-19

47:07 Vaccines and asymptomatic transmission

48:37 Duration of protection

50:23 Virus mutations and vaccines

Safety

54:06 Claim about RNA vaccines altering the genome

55:11 Claim about infertility

56:13 Side effects from the vaccines

58:50 Bell's palsy and fainting

1:01:58 Long-term safety

1:05:06 Conspiracy theory about Big Pharma and liability

Practical Considerations

1:12:25 Cold storage

1:13:58 Two doses

1:15:17 Choosing your favourite vaccine

1:16:28 Who gets vaccinated first?

1:18:50 Masks and physical distancing after vaccination

1:19:27 What if if you have had COVID?

1:20:30 What if you are pregnant?

1:21:37 What if you are immunocompromised?

1:22:56 What if I have a history of severe allergies?

1:24:50 What if I am young and healthy?

1:25:46 What if I am a child?

1:26:29 When will things go back to normal?

References:

1) COVID19 Vaccine Tracker: https://covid19.trackvaccines.org/how-do-vaccines-work/

2) Previous segment on RNA vaccines: https://bodyofevidence.ca/062-infertility-and-rna-vaccines

3) Episode of Sawbones on COVID-19 vaccines: https://maximumfun.org/episodes/sawbones/covid-vaccine-questions-and-answers/

4) Previous episode on HIV: https://bodyofevidence.ca/061-hiv-and-covid-19-therapies

5) AntiAntiVax: https://antiantivax.flurf.net/

6) Ingredients in Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine: https://www.technologyreview.com/2020/12/09/1013538/what-are-the-ingredients-of-pfizers-covid-19-vaccine

7) Ingredients in Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine: https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/drugs-health-products/covid19-industry/drugs-vaccines-treatments/vaccines/moderna.html#a11

8) The University of Queensland's COVID vaccine and false positive HIV tests: https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/australian-covid-vaccine-terminated-due-to-hiv-false-positives-20201210-p56mju.html

9) The Lancet letter about the use of adenovirus type 5 used in vaccines: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(20)32156-5/fulltext

10) FDA briefing document on Pfizer's vaccine: https://www.fda.gov/media/144245/download

11) FDA briefing document on Moderna's vaccine: https://www.fda.gov/media/144434/download

12) Data on duration of protection from vaccine in phase I trial participants: https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMc2032195?query=RP

13) An in-depth, very scientific explanation for why RNA vaccines can't alter your genome: https://www.deplatformdisease.com/blog/no-really-mrna-vaccines-are-not-going-to-affect-your-dna

14) The nurse who fainted during vaccination did not die: https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-factcheck-nurse-covid-vaccine-dead-idUSKBN29629G

15) Canadian no-fault vaccine injury program announcement: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/news/2020/12/government-of-canada-announces-pan-canadian-vaccine-injury-support-program.html

16) A look at vaccine safety in the past 20 years: https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/M20-2726

Breast implants: reasons why, the (not so) good old days of regulatory freedom, benefits, risks, silicone vs. saline; the fear of statin side effects; a very special kind of cat video.

* 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/.

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

References:

1) The number of breast implants per year: https://www.plasticsurgery.org/news/press-releases/new-statistics-reveal-the-shape-of-plastic-surgery & https://www.plasticsurgery.org/documents/News/Statistics/2018/plastic-surgery-statistics-report-2018.pdf

2) A report of a study by the Institute of Medicine: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK44775/

3) Survey of breast augmentation surgery satisfaction: https://journals.lww.com/plasreconsurg/Abstract/1994/12000/The_Efficacy_of_Breast_Augmentation__Breast_Size.9.aspx & https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5682175/

4) FDA recommendations on breast implant complications and screening post-implantation: https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/breast-implants/risks-and-complications-breast-implants

5) Study linking textured implants to anaplastic large cell lymphoma: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaoncology/fullarticle/2667737

6) Health Canada recall of textured breast implants: https://healthycanadians.gc.ca/recall-alert-rappel-avis/hc-sc/2019/69520a-eng.php

7) Silicone gel implants taken off the market in 1992: https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJM199206183262525

8) Silicone gel implants reinstated in 2006: https://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/17/washington/17cnd-breast.html

9) New England Journal of Medicine review of implant safety: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK68334/

10) Annals of Internal Medicine review: https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/M15-1169?doi=10.7326%2FM15-1169

11) Institute of Medicine report on implants: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK44775/

12) Re-operation rates: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26202563/

13) Trailer for the TV show NURSES (for no reason): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hm_cWMDtD28

14) Chris' Gazette article on people reporting side effects from statins: https://montrealgazette.com/opinion/columnists/christopher-labos-statins-have-a-proven-track-record

15) Catspiracy: https://vimeo.com/482278265

Music Credits:

Summer Swing 2018 by Sascha Ende

Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/3160-summer-swing-2018

License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Loving Modern Technology by MusicLFiles

Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/7056-loving-modern-technology

License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Blockbuster Atmosphere 9 (Sadness) by Sascha Ende

Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/304-blockbuster-atmosphere-9-sadness-

License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Inspiring Advertising  by Rafael Krux

Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/5515-inspiring-advertising-

License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Lights  by Rafael Krux

Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/5309-lights-

License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Jingle Bells by Kevin MacLeod

Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/3942-jingle-bells

License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Jonathan talks with Matthew Remski, the co-host of the Conspirituality podcast, on the merger between the worlds of spirituality and of grand conspiracy theories. The COVID-19 pandemic has been accompanied by a rise in people who believe that nothing is as it seems, that everything is connected, and that the world is on the verge of a major awakening. Matthew himself once trusted his intuitive knowledge of his body until it landed him in the hospital.

2:22 What is conspirituality

6:41 The yearning for an awakening

11:00 Intuition as a guide to knowledge

16:50 The red pill… and the black pill

23:45 The X-Files

29:19 JP Sears and COVID-19

38:11 The self vs. the common good

42:00 The false medical claims of yoga

47:20 Manipulative fraud or self-deluded?

52:36 How Matthew talks to conspiritualists

1:00:35 Conspirituality in 2021

* 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) Matthew Remski's Conspirituality podcast: https://conspirituality.net/

2) Matthew Remski's website: https://matthewremski.com/wordpress/

3) Matthew Remski on Twitter: https://twitter.com/matthewremski

4) The 2011 paper that defined "conspirituality": https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13537903.2011.539846

5) Jonathan's article on JP Sears: https://www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/covid-19-critical-thinking-pseudoscience/clown-prince-wellness

6) Conspirituality podcast episode on BKS Iyengar: https://conspirituality.net/wellness/bonus-yoga-teachers-are-not-doctors-doctors-are-not-priests/

7) Jonathan's article on Sayer Ji: https://mcgill.ca/oss/article/pseudoscience/popular-health-guru-sayer-ji-curates-scientific-literature-his-bachelors-degree-philosophy

8) Matthew's article on QAnon in Canada: https://thewalrus.ca/when-qanon-came-to-canada/