The Body of Evidence

It’s the case of the woman who was too tired to “par-tay!” What is afflicting her? It’s something that we don’t about enough. Plus: what is happening with avian flu and should you keep using Q-tips in your ears to remove earwax? A Block: The Case of the Woman Who Was Too Tired to Party (0:58) A woman falls asleep at work and has a constant headache. It also took her much longer than four years to complete her undergrad. What could be causing this? B Block: Avian Flu (25:36) An update on the avian flu situation C Block: Earwax (36:03) What should you do about your earwax? Use it as lip balm? Actually…. * Theme music: “Fall of the Ocean Queen“ by Joseph Hackl * Assistant researcher: Aigul Zaripova To contribute to The Body of Evidence, go to our Patreon page at: http://www.patreon.com/thebodyofevidence/. To make a one-time donation to our show, you can now use PayPal! https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=9QZET78JZWCZE Patrons get a bonus show on Patreon called “Digressions”! Check it out! References: 1) Inspection Canada webpages on avian flu: https://inspection.canada.ca/animal-health/terrestrial-animals/diseases/reportable/avian-influenza/facts-about-avian-influenza/eng/1356193731667/1356193918453 & https://inspection.canada.ca/animal-health/terrestrial-animals/diseases/reportable/avian-influenza/latest-bird-flu-situation/hpai-in-livestock/eng/1711895796746/1711895797730 2) Nature News Explainer on avian flu: https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-01036-1 3) WHO surveillance page on avian flu: https://www.who.int/westernpacific/wpro-emergencies/surveillance/avian-influenza 4) Case report on the man who caught H5N1: https://www.cdc.gov/ncird/whats-new/human-infection-H5N1-bird-flu.html

What does the body of evidence say on measles, that scourge we thought we’d gotten rid of? Plus: do you need to drink AG1 every day for the rest of your life, and Chris explains what doctors do and don’t control when you see them at the clinic. A Block: Measles (0:57) How many people have measles; how measles is transmitted; how the disease progresses; complications; vaccination; treatments B Block: AG1 (34:27) AG1 by Athletic Greens: what it contains and whether or not there’s good evidence that you need it C Block: A Day in the Life of a Doctor (50:13) Do doctors decide how many patients they see in a day? The answer may surprise you! * Theme music: “Fall of the Ocean Queen“ by Joseph Hackl * Assistant researcher: Aigul Zaripova To contribute to The Body of Evidence, go to our Patreon page at: http://www.patreon.com/thebodyofevidence/. To make a one-time donation to our show, you can now use PayPal! https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=9QZET78JZWCZE Patrons get a bonus show on Patreon called “Digressions”! Check it out! References: Origin of the measles virus: 1) https://virologyj.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1743-422X-7-52 Measles epidemiology: 2) https://www.cdc.gov/measles/hcp/index.html 3) https://www.cdc.gov/measles/downloads/measlesdataandstatsslideset.pdf 4) https://www.cdc.gov/measles/downloads/IntroToMeaslesSlideSet.pdf 5) https://doi.org/10.1086/368114 6) https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.o2844 7) https://www.cdc.gov/globalhealth/measles/news/covid-impact-on-measles-vaccination.html 8) https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/66/wr/mm6642a6.htm Clinical progression of the disease: 9) https://dermnetnz.org/topics/measles 10) https://jidc.org/index.php/journal/article/view/22421609 11) https://dermnetnz.org/topics/measles-images 12) https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(21)02004-3 Atypical measles: 13) https://www.nature.com/articles/nm918 Complications from measles: 14) https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.aay6485 State of measles in Canada: 15) https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/measles/surveillance-measles/measles-rubella-weekly-monitoring-reports.html State of measles in the United States: 16) https://www.cdc.gov/measles/cases-outbreaks.html 17) Jonathan’s article on AG1: https://www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/critical-thinking-health-and-nutrition/you-probably-dont-need-green-ag1-smoothie It’s Not Twitter, But It’ll Do: 1) Jonathan’s article on leaky gut syndrome: https://www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/medical-critical-thinking/you-probably-dont-have-leaky-gut 2) Appearances on CTV Montreal News: https://montreal.ctvnews.ca/video?binId=1.1332485 3) Chris will be in Ottawa on April 13: https://allevents.in/ottawa/dr-labos-live-in-person/200026332496559?ref=eventlist-cat 4) Jonathan will be at WeCanReason on May 4: https://wecanreason.com/

It’s episode 100! For this very special episode, Jonathan and Chris do the Wired autocomplete interview; they answer listeners’ personal and health-related questions; and they make an announcement that will forever change the face of the podcast. A Block: The Wired Interview (1:14) What happens when you google “Jonathan Jarry” and “Christopher Labos,” and why do so many people want to know if Chris is married (and is he? Is he, though? Can we know, please?) B Block: Listeners’ Questions (22:42) Health-related questions (47:55) Personal questions C Block: The Future Is Here (1:26:15) Chris has no idea what he’s about to hear. * Theme music: “Fall of the Ocean Queen“ by Joseph Hackl * Assistant researcher: Aigul Zaripova To contribute to The Body of Evidence, go to our Patreon page at: http://www.patreon.com/thebodyofevidence/. To make a one-time donation to our show, you can now use PayPal! https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=9QZET78JZWCZE Patrons get a bonus show on Patreon called “Digressions”! Check it out!

What does the body of evidence say on acne and how to treat it? Plus: you’re going to want to pay attention to this latest study if you have food allergies, and Chris answers listeners’ questions about when to exercise, whether spinal cord stimulators work, and why some older adults are told that surgery would mess with their brain. A Block: Acne (0:59) Who gets acne; what causes acne; what are the risk factors for acne; how to treat both mild and moderate-to-severe acne. B Block: New Food Allergy Drug (34:16) A drug already approved to treat asthma, omalizumab (Xolair), can work against food allergies, including peanut allergy. C Block: Answering Emails (47:32) Questions about when is the best time to exercise (and whether or not you should be fasting); the benefits of spinal cord stimulators for people dealing with chronic pain; and why some older adults are being denied surgery. * Theme music: “Fall of the Ocean Queen“ by Joseph Hackl * Assistant researcher: Aigul Zaripova To contribute to The Body of Evidence, go to our Patreon page at: http://www.patreon.com/thebodyofevidence/. To make a one-time donation to our show, you can now use PayPal! https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=9QZET78JZWCZE Patrons get a bonus show on Patreon called “Digressions”! Check it out! References: Prevalence of acne 1) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaad.2007.06.045 2) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5788264/ Genetics as a cause of acne 3) https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1523-1747.2002.19621.x Psychological toll of acne 4) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaad.2008.07.013 5) https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2133.1997.18131897.x Diet and acne: the impact of milk 6) https://doi-org/10.1016/j.jaad.2004.08.007 7) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaad.2007.08.049 8) https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17083856/ 9) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaad.2016.04.030 10) https://doi.org/10.1111/jdv.13835 Diet and acne: the role of carbohydrates (or glycemic load) 11) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaad.2007.01.046 12) https://doi.org/10.1111/ced.12673 13) https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-4632.2009.04002.x 14) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaad.2009.07.043 15) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaad.2009.07.043 Stress and acne 16) https://doi.org/10.1001/archderm.139.7.897 Overview of acne treatments 17) https://doi.org/10.1067/mjd.2003.618 18) The clinical trial of Xolair for food allergies: https://www.nejm.org/doi/10.1056/NEJMoa2312382 19) The Nature News Explainer on Xolair and food allergies: https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-00586-8 It’s Not Twitter, But It’ll Do: 1) Jonathan on The Current to talk about wellness and skepticism: https://www.cbc.ca/listen/live-radio/1-63-the-current/clip/16040098-how-tell-wellness-trends-wrong

It’s the case of the injured water-skier, which gets Chris to talk about painkillers (NSAIDs, opioids, and Tylenol) and how quickly you lose muscle mass when you’re injured. Plus: a cancer update! Should you pay thousands of dollars for a full-body scan to make sure you don’t have cancer? Can you legally send poop through the mail? And how can we make Pap smears obsolete? Jonathan couldn’t speak much, so Aigul stepped up as co-host! A Block: The Case of the Injured Water-Skier (0:58) A man survives a water-skiing accident with two fractures, but he’s still in pain two months later. Is this normal or is he malingering? B Block: Cancer Update (28:24) Full-body MRIs promoted by Kim Kardashian: should you pay for one? (36:29) Colorectal cancer screening test available for free in Quebec (41:22) Is cervical cancer coming to an end? * Theme music: “Fall of the Ocean Queen“ by Joseph Hackl * Assistant researcher: Aigul Zaripova To contribute to The Body of Evidence, go to our Patreon page at: http://www.patreon.com/thebodyofevidence/. To make a one-time donation to our show, you can now use PayPal! https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=9QZET78JZWCZE Patrons get a bonus show on Patreon called “Digressions”! Check it out! Episode 100 will be an “Ask Us Anything” special. Email us your questions at: thebodyofevidence@gmail.com. References: 1) La Presse’s report on full-body MRIs (in French): https://www.lapresse.ca/actualites/sante/un-examen-a-2500-qui-seme-le-doute/2024-02-10/vante-par-des-influenceurs-critique-par-le-corps-medical.php 2) Montreal Gazette coverage of free colorectal screening tests in Quebec: https://montrealgazette.com/news/local-news/quebec-to-make-free-home-based-test-available-for-colorectal-screening 3) Chris’ article about cervical cancer: https://montrealgazette.com/opinion/columnists/christopher-labos-we-can-now-envision-the-end-of-cervical-cancer

What does the body of evidence say on microplastics and their impact on our health? Plus: we talk about what we have learned about long COVID since 2020, and we discuss the very first approval for a clinical application of the gene-editing technology known as CRISPR. A Block: Microplastics (0:58) What are micro- and nanoplastics; microplastics in the environment and in our bodies; how they get into humans and animals; the infamous study that was retracted; occupational exposure to microplastics versus casual exposure; eating microplastics by consuming seafood; can they cause infertility; BPA and BPS; the latest study on microplastics; are plastic water filters bad; should you avoid bottled water; alternatives to single-use plastic bottles. B Block: Long COVID Update (37:55) The problems with diagnosing it; how to treat it; the involvement of the mitochondria; probiotics for long COVID; should people with long COVID exercise; the COVID vaccine protects against long COVID; direct-to-participant digitized clinical trials. C Block: CRISPR Therapy Approved (56:22) CRISPR therapy approved in the UK and US for sickle cell disease and transfusion-dependent beta thalassemia. Jonathan initially mischaracterizes the therapy as repairing the mutation. Chris corrects him. Don’t email us, thank you! * Theme music: “Fall of the Ocean Queen“ by Joseph Hackl * Assistant researcher: Aigul Zaripova To contribute to The Body of Evidence, go to our Patreon page at: http://www.patreon.com/thebodyofevidence/. To make a one-time donation to our show, you can now use PayPal! https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=9QZET78JZWCZE Patrons get a bonus show on Patreon called “Digressions”! Check it out! References: 1) Background on micro- and nanoplastics: https://montrealgazette.com/opinion/columnists/christopher-labos-is-bottled-water-bad-for-your-health 2) The recent study published in PNAS: https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2300582121 3) The retracted study: https://www.nature.com/articles/nature.2017.21929 4) The WHO 2022 report on microplastics: https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240054608 5) What kind of reusable bottle is best: https://wapo.st/3O1yy3R 6) Review article on long COVID from a Chinese team: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41392-023-01640-z 7) Mitochondria are involved in long COVID: https://doi.org/10.1126/scitranslmed.abq1533 8) Dr. Eric Topol’s commentary on the mitochondria paper: https://erictopol.substack.com/p/long-covid-mitochondria-the-big-miss 9) The positive clinical trial on probiotics for long COVID: https://doi.org/10.1016/S1473-3099(23)00685-0 10) Exercising can be bad for long COVID: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-023-44432-3 11) At least 3 doses of the COVID vaccine seem to provide a 70% reduction in the risk of getting long COVID: https://erictopol.substack.com/p/sotp-state-of-the-pandemic 12) What happened to the NIH RECOVER Long COVID initiative funds: https://erictopol.substack.com/p/long-covid-mitochondria-the-big-miss 13) Direct-to-participant digitized clinical trials: https://erictopol.substack.com/p/long-covid-mitochondria-the-big-miss 14) Information on CASGEVY: https://pi.vrtx.com/files/patientpackageinsert_exagamglogene_autotemcel.pdf It’s Not Twitter, But It’ll Do: 1) Jonathan’s article on mindfulness meditation: https://www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/critical-thinking-health-and-nutrition/mindfulness-meditation-often-fails-scientific-test 2) Jonathan’s article on the graveyard of skeptical projects: https://www.skeptic.org.uk/2024/01/the-graveyard-of-skeptical-projects-suggests-its-funding-not-talent-that-were-lacking/ 3) Chris featured at Darwin Day on February 10th for the Humanist Association of Toronto: https://www.humanisttoronto.ca/events-1/hat-forum-240127-g3ja3-3g8g9 4) Chris being interviewed at Indigo Pointe-Claire by Ken Connors on February 17: https://www.facebook.com/drlabos/posts/926877516110207

A limited series on sport science hosted by student athlete Sophie and featuring two experts: Dr. Christopher Labos, cardiologist and regular co-host of this podcast, and Nick Tiller, who holds a doctorate in exercise physiology. Together, they will answer Sophie’s questions while dispelling myths that athletes—and anybody getting into fitness—are likely to hear. This is part 4 of 4. The topic: fitspiration. Influencers on social media showing off their toned bodies and posing on a beach can encourage you to go to the gym, but how can you judge if what they say is based on solid evidence… or if it’s all lies, exaggerations, and undeclared sponsored content? (0:29) Intro (1:03) Influencers are not your friends (5:12) What credentials should I look for in a fitness influencer? (8:43) Sponsorships not disclosed (9:50) Looks beget credibility (13:44) How to read a scientific paper (20:47) What to do to protect yourself from fitness misinformation Opening music: “Energetic Upbeat” by WinnieTheMoog Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/6033-energetic-upbeat Licensed under CC BY 4.0: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license End title music: “Fall of the Ocean Queen“ by Joseph Hackl. To contribute to The Body of Evidence, go to our Patreon page at: http://www.patreon.com/thebodyofevidence/.

A limited series on sport science hosted by student athlete Sophie and featuring two experts: Dr. Christopher Labos, cardiologist and regular co-host of this podcast, and Nick Tiller, who holds a doctorate in exercise physiology. Together, they will answer Sophie’s questions while dispelling myths that athletes—and anybody getting into fitness—are likely to hear. This is part 3 of 4. The topic: supplements. Which dietary supplements have been proven beneficial through scientific studies? Is caffeine a fat burner? And are supplements even safe to take? (0:29) Intro (1:09) Vox pop (4:28) The 5 or 6 dietary supplements supported by science (6:20) What outcome are you interested in improving? (7:32) Will caffeine help you burn fat? (8:56) The food first approach (13:28) Chris wants to bench-press 10 lbs, which supplements should he take? (15:33) The quick fix mentality of supplements (16:08) Supplements are sometimes contaminated or adulterated (19:55) How supplements are regulated (or not) (25:05) Can supplements burn fat? (29:20) L-carnithine (30:21) Boosting your immune system with vitamin C (32:05) Can you boost your metabolism? Opening music: “Energetic Upbeat” by WinnieTheMoog Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/6033-energetic-upbeat Licensed under CC BY 4.0: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license End title music: “Fall of the Ocean Queen“ by Joseph Hackl. To contribute to The Body of Evidence, go to our Patreon page at: http://www.patreon.com/thebodyofevidence/.

A limited series on sport science hosted by student athlete Sophie and featuring two experts: Dr. Christopher Labos, cardiologist and regular co-host of this podcast, and Nick Tiller, who holds a doctorate in exercise physiology. Together, they will answer Sophie’s questions while dispelling myths that athletes—and anybody getting into fitness—are likely to hear. This is part 2 of 4. The topic: recovery. Are ice baths useful to recover from a workout? What about stretching and massages? And what three simple recommendations will do most of the heavy lifting when it comes to exercise recovery? (0:30) Intro (1:31) Vox pop (4:06) How do we measure recovery? (6:54) Ice baths (11:53) Whole-body cryotherapy (14:36) Contrast baths and compression garments (19:38) Stretching, massages, TheraGun (27:44) Three simple recommendations to recover Opening music: “Energetic Upbeat” by WinnieTheMoog Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/6033-energetic-upbeat Licensed under CC BY 4.0: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license End title music: “Fall of the Ocean Queen“ by Joseph Hackl. To contribute to The Body of Evidence, go to our Patreon page at: http://www.patreon.com/thebodyofevidence/.

A limited series on sport science hosted by student athlete Sophie and featuring two experts: Dr. Christopher Labos, cardiologist and regular co-host of this podcast, and Nick Tiller, who holds a doctorate in exercise physiology. Together, they will answer Sophie’s questions while dispelling myths that athletes—and anybody getting into fitness—are likely to hear. This is part 1 of 4. The topic: wearables. Should you be monitoring your heart rate variability, your sleep, and how many steps you walk in a day? Is all this information useful or is it just a distraction? (0:58) Intro (3:08) Vox pop (5:24) Heart rate monitoring (17:22) Body battery and proprietary algorithms (22:30) Sleep and the limitations of the data (27:35) Should we aim for 10,000 steps a day? Opening music: “Energetic Upbeat” by WinnieTheMoog Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/6033-energetic-upbeat Licensed under CC BY 4.0: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license End title music: “Fall of the Ocean Queen“ by Joseph Hackl. To contribute to The Body of Evidence, go to our Patreon page at: http://www.patreon.com/thebodyofevidence/.

As the year comes to an end, Jonathan recruits three doctors—Chris, Niko, and Aigul—and invites them to solve two perplexing cases. These mysteries involve a lot of (necessary?) rectal exams; the blood of witches; activated charcoal; farting patients; controversial diagnoses; tales from the ER that border on true crime; and diagnosing brain injuries through the bum! The take-home lesson here is always check sphincter tone on a patient, even if they are barely conscious! Or something like that. Correction: Niko was speaking off the cuff about activated charcoal possibly binding iron. We are told that it does not do it well and should not be used in the event of iron poisoning! * Theme music: “Fall of the Ocean Queen“ by Joseph Hackl. To contribute to The Body of Evidence, go to our Patreon page at: http://www.patreon.com/thebodyofevidence/. Patrons get a bonus show on Patreon called “Digressions”! Check it out! It’s Not Twitter But It’ll Do! 1) The Fern documentary on the Healy that Jonathan was interviewed for (part 1): https://youtu.be/A_Y5kdEpcu4?si=GJpqn1seZ0A7JJWB 2) Dr. Jonathan Howard’s new podcast, We Want Them Infected: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/we-want-them-infected-podcast/id1716215618 3) WeCanReason conference 2024 in Calgary: https://wecanreason.com/ 4) 502 Conversations with Dr. Christopher Labos: https://youtu.be/3opqhZgcNjU?si=V2TbVeRbqUgwOclT 5) The Skeptic Zone podcast with Dr. Christopher Labos: https://youtu.be/r_eRVOTUv6I?si=EYa2GTVu7-JfTGBx&t=255 6) Chris’ appearance at the Whodunit bookstore in Winnipeg on January 21: https://whodunitbooks.ca/events/32868

Chris and Jonathan speak to Joey Fox, an engineer and the chair of the Indoor Air Quality Advisory Group for the Ontario Society of Professional Engineers. COVID-19 is not over, as both Jonathan and Chris can testify. How can we better protect ourselves from the coronavirus and other respiratory viruses? By improving our air! Joey Fox explains the difference between HEPA and MERV filters, why “UV in a box” is not a good idea, and how to make sense of the different air cleaners you can buy (and make yourself!). We all care about clean drinking water. It’s time we cared about clean air as well. (2:12) Aerosols vs. droplets (4:49) How long can respiratory particles linger in the air? (6:41) Medical dogma and the COVID-19 pandemic (17:20) How Joey dodged COVID when his daughter got sick (19:40) Air quality in schools (22:11) HEPA vs. MERV filters: what to looks for (24:45) Don’t say it’s airborne! or the politicization of public health (27:29) UV light to disinfect the air (32:09) Is the air in your kid’s school good enough? (33:52) Which CO2 monitor to buy (34:20) Improving air quality at home (37:42) Corsi-Rosenthal boxes and PC fan box air cleaners * Theme music: “Fall of the Ocean Queen“ by Joseph Hackl. To contribute to The Body of Evidence, go to our Patreon page at: http://www.patreon.com/thebodyofevidence/. Patrons get a bonus show on Patreon called “Digressions”! Check it out! Links: 1) Joey Fox’s blog: https://itsairborne.com/ 2) Clean Air Stars: https://cleanairstars.com/ 3) The Ontario Society of Professional Engineers’ Indoor Air Quality website: https://ospe.on.ca/indoor-air-quality/

Chris, Jonathan, and a mystery guest get together for an old-fashioned radio play. Are hot dogs and other red meat really as bad for your health as cigarettes? A doctor without a name boards an airplane and is soon asked to answer this question. It involves risk, hazard, and a budding romance. * Theme music: “Fall of the Ocean Queen“ by Joseph Hackl. * Assistant researcher: Aigul Zaripova To contribute to The Body of Evidence, go to our Patreon page at: http://www.patreon.com/thebodyofevidence/. Patrons get a bonus show on Patreon called “Digressions”! Check it out! Music: Jazzy Comping 2 by Agnese Valmaggia Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/8550-jazzy-comping-2 Licensed under CC BY 4.0: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Links: 1) To buy Chris’ book: https://doescoffeecausecancer.com/

What does the body of evidence say on Ozempic and its impact on diabetes and obesity? Plus: can you trade in your antidepressant for a jog, and Chris returns to the hot seat to diagnose a teenage boy who fell during a baseball game! Block 1: (2:22) Ozempic/Wegovy: GLP-1 receptor agonists; the difference between them; Mounjaro; Trulicity; diabetes biology; glucagon-like peptides 1 and 2; the problem with GLP-1; DPP4 inhibitors Block 2: (12:33) Ozempic/Wegovy: The venom of the Gila monster; how semaglutide became a blockbuster drug; weight loss; the numerous clinical trials; the impact on the stock prices of dialysis companies; downsides; the Internet craze Block 3: (27:03) Is running as beneficial for depression as medication? Block 4: (36:42) The case of the baseball player’s heart * Jingle by Joseph Hackl * Theme music: “Fall of the Ocean Queen“ by Joseph Hackl * Assistant researcher: Aigul Zaripova To contribute to The Body of Evidence, go to our Patreon page at: http://www.patreon.com/thebodyofevidence/. To make a one-time donation to our show, you can now use PayPal! https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=9QZET78JZWCZE Patrons get a bonus show on Patreon called “Digressions”! Check it out! References: 1) History of GLP-1 receptor agonists: https://www.statnews.com/2023/09/30/weight-loss-ozempic-nobel-prize-science/ 2) Liraglutide vs. exenatide: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(12)61267-7 3) Meta-analysis of GLP-1 receptor agonists: https://doi.org/10.1111/dom.12849 4) A brief summary of the SUSTAIN studies, all 11 of them, which demonstrated the efficacy of semaglutide and its cardiovascular benefit: https://diabetes.medicinematters.com/semaglutide/type-2-diabetes/a-quick-guide-to-the-sustain-trials/12206922 5) A brief summary of the STEP trials, all 10 of them, which tested semaglutide as a weight loss medications even in non-diabetics: https://diabetes.medicinematters.com/semaglutide/obesity/quick-guide-step-trials/18854832 6) Announcement that the FLOW trial is being stopped prematurely: https://www.novonordisk.com/news-and-media/news-and-ir-materials/news-details.html?id=166327 & https://www.investors.com/news/technology/novo-nordisk-stock-pops-after-hinting-weight-loss-drug-treats-kidney-disease/ 7) GI side effects of GLP-1 receptor agonists: https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2023.19574 8) Gid M-K’s Slate article: https://slate.com/technology/2023/10/exercise-depression-anxiety-treatment-effectiveness-ssris-research.html 9) Study on running to treat depression: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0165032723002239?via%3Dihub#s0065:~:text=https%3A//doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2023.02.064 10) Details on the DEA-Quebec app to find an AED near you: https://www.jacquesdechamplain.com/en/major-update-to-the-dea-quebec-application/ 11) Government of Canada’s definition of a pesticide: https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/environmental-workplace-health/reports-publications/environmental-contaminants/human-biomonitoring-resources/glyphosate-in-people.html It’s Not Twitter, But It’ll Do: 1) Jonathan’s article on how natural health products and dietary supplements are regulated: https://www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/critical-thinking-health-and-nutrition/false-reassurance-dietary-supplement-regulation 2) Jonathan’s article on fentanyl: https://www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/medical-critical-thinking/you-wont-die-touching-fentanyl 3) Chris’ article in Medscape about the COSMOS study: https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/996926 4) Chris’ Gazette article on coated vs. uncoated aspirin: https://montrealgazette.com/opinion/columnists/christopher-labos-the-bare-facts-about-coated-aspirin

Jonathan and Chris talk to David Scales, MPhil, MD, PhD, an assistant professor of medicine at Weill Cornell and the chief medical officer at Critica. Misinformation is everywhere and it is causing actual harm. But what can we do about it beyond recognizing the problem? Dr. Scales mentions a scientific solution that transposes to social media what we know can work in an in-person setting. (3:34) Infodemiology (8:54) Will artificial intelligence create a “fake news” problem? (13:06) Vaccine hesitancy post-COVID (17:59) Is misinformation a “disease” or a symptom? (22:20) Top-down vs. grassroots approaches (28:23) Social media vs. misinformation (33:54) A scientific solution (51:15) AI bots to the rescue? * Theme music: “Fall of the Ocean Queen“ by Joseph Hackl. To contribute to The Body of Evidence, go to our Patreon page at: http://www.patreon.com/thebodyofevidence/. Patrons get a bonus show on Patreon called “Digressions”! Check it out! Links: 1) The book Dr. Scales mentioned: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/51152447-caste 2) The Victor Pickard paper on public media funding in different countries: https://doi.org/10.1177/19401612211060255 3) The EMMIE program: https://www.quebec.ca/en/health/advice-and-prevention/vaccination/motivational-interviewing-in-maternity-for-the-immunization 4) Critica’s proposed protocol for countering scientific misinformation online: https://criticascience.org/the-critica-protocol/ 5) The Critica website: https://criticascience.org/ 6) David Scales on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/tnfalpha.bsky.social

What does the body of evidence say on age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and how to treat the #1 cause of blindness in North America? Plus: which vaccines are available this fall to prevent respiratory tract infections, and a look at whether blue-light-blocking glasses will make a difference in your life! Block 1: (2:15) AMD: how common it is, what happens in the eye, risk factors Block 2: (9:20) AMD: dry AMD versus wet AMD, how to diagnose it, how to prevent it, AREDS supplements, VEGF inhibitors, lasers, rehabilitation Block 3: (25:54) Fall vaccines: COVID, influenza, and RSV Block 4: (40:19) Blue-blocking glasses * Theme music: “Fall of the Ocean Queen“ by Joseph Hackl * Assistant researchers: Aigul Zaripova and Ali Baghirov To contribute to The Body of Evidence, go to our Patreon page at: http://www.patreon.com/thebodyofevidence/. To make a one-time donation to our show, you can now use PayPal! https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=9QZET78JZWCZE Patrons get a bonus show on Patreon called “Digressions”! Check it out! References: 1) General background on AMD: https://www.nei.nih.gov/learn-about-eye-health/eye-conditions-and-diseases/age-related-macular-degeneration & https://www.aao.org/eye-health/diseases/amd-macular-degeneration 2) Prevalence of AMD by age: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0161642000005807 3) Rotterdam study: https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.294.24.3101 4) EYE-RISK consortium about the Mediterranean diet: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ophtha.2018.08.006 5) The Beaver Dam Eye Study on smoking and AMD: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ophtha.2014.04.040 6) A Prospective Study of Cigarette Smoking and AMD in Women: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/409082 7) AREDS study: https://doi.org/10.1001%2Farchopht.119.10.1417 8) AREDS 2 study: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/1684847 9) Study linking beta-carotene to cancer in smokers: https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/62.6.1427s 10) Omega-3s in the VITAL study: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaophthalmology/fullarticle/2772366 11) Background on anti-VEGF therapies: https://sciencebasedmedicine.org/anti-vegf-treatment-of-macular-degeneration-science-based-success/ 12) NEJM paper comparing ranibizumab to bevacizumab: https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa1102673 13) 10-year outcomes of anti-VEGF therapy in AMD: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjophth-2023-001328 14) Cochrane review of monthly versus as-needed treatment: https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD012208.pub2 15) Cochrane review on complement inhibitors for AMD: https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.cd009300.pub3 16) Pegcetacoplan for AMD: https://sciencebasedmedicine.org/pegcetacoplan-a-new-treatment-for-macular-degeneration/ 17) Cochrane review on photodynamic therapy for AMD: https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD002030.pub3 18) Stem cells for AMD: https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1609583 & https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/this-clinics-experimental-stem-cell-treatment-blinded-patients-four-years-later-the-government-is-still-trying-to-shut-it-down/2019/04/03/432d6d04-ff2f-11e8-83c0-b06139e540e5_story.html & https://sciencebasedmedicine.org/patients-blinded-by-stem-cells-update/ 19) Jonathan’s article on blue-blocking glasses: https://www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/medical-critical-thinking/feeling-blue-about-evidence-blue-blocking-glasses It’s Not Twitter, But It’ll Do: 1) Jonathan’s article on current trends in pseudoscience: https://www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/critical-thinking-pseudoscience/whats-trending-world-pseudoscience 2) Jonathan quoted in the New York Times about RFK Jr.: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/12/technology/rfk-jr-campaign-vaccines.html 3) Annual meeting of the Association des communicateurs scientifiques du Québec: https://www.acs.qc.ca/activite/2171-.html?month=&year=&tri=H&page=1 4) Chris’ book, on sale now: http://doescoffeecausecancer.com/ 5) Chris’ upcoming panel at...

Chris and Jonathan talk to Michelle Cohen, MD, CCFP, FCFP, an assistant professor at Queen University’s Department of Family Medicine and a staff physician at Lakeview Family Health Team. Dr. Cohen provides gender-affirming care and is here to dispel myths surrounding trans people, especially the panic around the mistaken idea that children are being rushed to transition. If you have a child who is questioning their gender identity, make sure to listen to this episode before reading what the media typically reports on trans issues. Of note, the “1 Million March for Children” is scheduled to take place on September 20th across Canada. It is part of our current anti-trans panic, with the organizers claiming to “peacefully protest against the push for LGBT ideology in schools.” (2:10) What is gender-affirming care and how easy is it to access? (8:39) Gender vs. sex (13:44) Estrogen is not just for women (19:08) Children are not being rushed through trans medical care (23:15) Puberty blockers are not just for trans teens (28:27) Transition surgeries are not happening for teens under the age of legal majority (31:31) Is “trans” the new “emo?” (35:30) Intersex people and non-consensual surgeries (37:24) The media fuels the trans panic, which has ties to the anti-vaccine movement (42:46) Canadian transphobia: imported or homegrown? (45:28) Your kid is questioning their gender. Now what? * Theme music: “Fall of the Ocean Queen“ by Joseph Hackl. To contribute to The Body of Evidence, go to our Patreon page at: http://www.patreon.com/thebodyofevidence/. Patrons get a bonus show on Patreon called “Digressions”! Check it out! Links: 1) The anonymous National Post editorial: https://nationalpost.com/opinion/np-view-canada-must-slow-down-and-reform-transgender-treatments-for-minors 2) The San Francisco Chronicle article by Soleil Ho: https://www.sfchronicle.com/opinion/article/new-york-times-trans-18214925.php 3) Michelle Cohen on X (formerly known as Twitter): https://twitter.com/DocMCohen 4) Michelle Cohen on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/docmcohen.bsky.social 5) Michelle Cohen on Informed Opinions: https://informedopinions.org/view-expert-profile/?expert-id=45189

Is there a mysterious neurological syndrome harming the people of New Brunswick? And is the Government of New Brunswick suppressing the truth so as not to upset commercial interests? That is certainly the story strongly hinted at by the Canadaland podcast, which has featured a New Brunswick neurologist who now claims to have identified over 200 cases of this strange new sickness. Jonathan and Chris are joined in their discussion of this story by Aigul Zaripova, a medical student who collaborates with them on the podcast. Together, they will unpack the official timeline of events and their thoughts on how diseases present in patients, and Jonathan will put forward an important hypothesis that seems to have been ignored by those pushing a conspiracy theory. (2:55) The official timeline of events (7:50) Chris’ initial thoughts (14:07) Aigul’s initial thoughts (16:18) The appeal of special diagnoses (19:03) Canadaland’s coverage of this alleged syndrome (22:34) Conspiracy theories and the demonization of glyphosate (28:45) The last neurologist standing (32:16) Jonathan’s theory (38:28) Dr. Marrero vs. the government (46:54) Concluding remarks * Theme music: “Fall of the Ocean Queen“ by Joseph Hackl. * Assistant researcher: Aigul Zaripova To contribute to The Body of Evidence, go to our Patreon page at: http://www.patreon.com/thebodyofevidence/. Patrons get a bonus show on Patreon called “Digressions”! Check it out! Links: 1) The Government of New Brunswick’s official timeline: https://www2.gnb.ca/content/gnb/en/departments/health/neuro-cluster.html 2) Final report on the situation: https://www2.gnb.ca/content/dam/gnb/Departments/h-s/neuro/final-report.pdf 3) Canadaland #746: Is New Brunswick Covering Up a Deadly Brain Disease? https://www.canadaland.com/podcast/746-is-new-brunswick-covering-up-a-deadly-brain-disease/ 4) Canadaland #808: Is New Brunswick Covering Up a Deadly Brain Disease? Revisit. https://www.canadaland.com/podcast/808-is-new-brunswick-covering-up-a-deadly-brain-disease/ 5) Canadaland #894: Mystery Brain Disease Cases Quadruple, Says New Brunswick Doctor. https://www.canadaland.com/podcast/894-mystery-brain-disease-patients-quadruple-says-new-brunswick-doctor/

What does the body of evidence say on air quality and how to protect ourselves from airborne pollution? Plus: a birth control pill becomes easier to access in the Republic of Gilead, and Chris returns to the hot seat to help a lawyer with blood-streaked loose stool! Block 1: (2:11) Air Quality: forest fires and their causes; major air pollutants; what causes air pollution; improvements in air quality Block 2: (8:56) Air Quality: what the air quality index is; why there are different indices in different countries; whether poor air quality leads to poor health outcomes; biomass air pollution; how we can protect ourselves Block 3: (24:03) An over-the-counter birth control pill in the USA Block 4: (33:15) Chris becomes House, MD. His patient: a lawyer with blood-streaked loose stool Jingle by Jillian Correia of Roctavio Canada * Theme music: “Fall of the Ocean Queen“ by Joseph Hackl To contribute to The Body of Evidence, go to our Patreon page at: http://www.patreon.com/thebodyofevidence/. To make a one-time donation to our show, you can now use PayPal! https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=9QZET78JZWCZE Patrons get a bonus show on Patreon called “Digressions”! Check it out! References: 1) Basics of air quality: https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/air-pollution/research-science/about/air-quality-overview.html 2) Sources of air pollution: https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/environmental-indicators/air-pollutant-emissions.html 3) Quantifying the risk of air pollution: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/1104975 4) The WHO’s estimates of premature deaths worldwide in 2019 due to poor air quality: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/ambient-(outdoor)-air-quality-and-health 5) The Air Quality Index: https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/air-quality-health-index/about.html & https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/air-quality-health-index/understanding-messages.html & https://www.epa.gov/outdoor-air-quality-data/how-aqi-calculated 6) Report on the health effects of air quality: https://www.rcplondon.ac.uk/news/reducing-air-pollution-uk-progress-report-2018 7) The Harvard Six Cities study: https://doi.org/10.1164/rccm.200503-443OC 8) Cochrane review on individual-level interventions to reduce exposure to air pollution: https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD013441.pub2 9) The case of the 36-year-old lawyer with blood-streaked loose stool: https://reference.medscape.com/viewarticle/993938_1 It’s Not Twitter, But It’ll Do: 1) Jonathan’s article on transcranial direct current stimulation: https://www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/medical-critical-thinking-technology/brain-zapping-may-probably-appear-be-doing-something 2) Jonathan on the Conspirituality podcast to discuss Andrew Huberman: https://www.conspirituality.net/episodes/163-the-huberman-paradox-jonathan-jarry 3) Jonathan is now on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/jonathanjarry.bsky.social 4) Chris wrote a book called Does Coffee Cause Cancer? Pre-order it now! https://ecwpress.com/products/does-coffee-cause-cancer?_pos=1&_sid=e672b52c1&_ss=r

Jonathan and Chris speak to Anna Merlan, a senior reporter with Motherboard and the author of the book Republic of Lies: American Conspiracy Theorists and Their Surprising Rise to Power. How has the anti-vaccine movement changed since the COVID-19 pandemic? Its influencers deny the “mainstream narrative” on vaccine safety, which makes them prone to embrace other conspiracy theories. And what happens when one of their leading figures makes a run for the American presidency? (1:18) Today’s anti-vaccine influencers (7:09) Malice versus stupidity (8:20) The anti-vaxx media ecosystem (10:46) Doctors becoming anti-vaccine (12:23) RFK Jr. for the presidency (20:20) Contradictions in the conspiracy world (23:50) How do you responsibly interview an anti-vaxxer (or a cholesterol-denying doctor)? (29:44) Debating vaccine safety (39:41) Are all anti-vaxxers conspiritualists? (46:02) How profitable is the anti-vaccine industry? (48:48) How much opposition to vaccines is due to the needle? (53:59) Reconciling Pharma skepticism and a pro-vaccine stance * Theme music: “Fall of the Ocean Queen“ by Joseph Hackl. To contribute to The Body of Evidence, go to our Patreon page at: http://www.patreon.com/thebodyofevidence/. Patrons get a bonus show on Patreon called “Digressions”! Check it out! Links: 1) Anna Merlan on Twitter: https://twitter.com/annamerlan 2) Anna Merlan on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/annamerlan.bsky.social 3) Anna Merlan’s Vice News author page: https://www.vice.com/en/contributor/anna-merlan 4) Anna Merlan’s email address: anna(dot)merlan(a)vice(dot)com