The Body of Evidence

What is metabolism and does it “slow down” as we age? Can you hack your metabolism, as many social media influencers suggest? Guest co-host Pedro Mendes joins Dr. Chris Labos to discuss what your metabolism actually is, how you measure it, whether it changes as we age, and whether there is anything we can do that actually affects it. Become a supporter of our show today either on Patreon or throug...

Stephanie Simoes is back to tell us about her new social media simulator, a kid-friendly mock social media feed filled with clickbait, logical fallacies, and dubious claims. The goal of the simulator is to teach kids how to surf the web safely and identify scams, tricks and fake news. Also, she throws a few more riddles Dr. Chris’ way. Become a supporter of our show today either on Patreon or thro...

How did cholesterol denialism go from reasonable skepticism to pseudoscience? It’s a question that needs to be asked with Ahseem Malhotra, who has denied the effectiveness of both statins and the covid-19 vaccines, being named chief medical advisor to MAHA. In this special collaborative episode with the Unbiased Science podcast, Dr. Chris Labos speaks with Drs. Jessica Steier and Sarah Scheinman o...

A new study claims that vitamin D can treat multiple sclerosis. But is this trial groundbreaking or an outlier? Dr. Chris Labos finds that the answer is far more complicated than a simple “yes” or “no”. 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 u...

Grey’s Anatomy had a lot of fascinating medical cases… in between all the sex and work drama. After investing 20 years of her life watching the show, guest co-host Robyn Flynn puts some of the weirdest cases she’s ever seen on the show to Dr. Chris Labos to find out which ones were based on real cases, which were absolutely impossible, and which ones had valuable teaching lessons built in.   Becom...

Is beef tallow a healthier alternative to seed oils? Why have seed oils become the latest diet villain? And how did we get to the point that people are walking into restaurants with their own beef tallow and asking for chefs to cook with that instead? In this special collaborative episode with the Unbiased Science podcast, Dr. Chris Labos speaks with Drs. Jessica Steier and Sarah Scheinman about t...

Dr. Mark Ware joins Chris to discuss the state of the science for medical cannabis. Why should we be calling it cannabis and not marijuana? What are the challenges of studying something that is still illegal in the United States? How good is it at treating chronic pain and which of its health claims are mainly hype?   Become a supporter of our show today either on Patreon or through PayPal! Thank...

In vitro fertilisation is almost 50 years old but still a victim of misunderstandings and myths. Guest co-host Robyn Flynn returns to walk Dr. Chris Labos through the IVF process from beginning to baby and explains why she found it more painful than actually giving birth. Plus, what is the age cut off, why does obesity matter, and why is the pineapple a symbol of IVF? Become a supporter of our sho...

Ice baths, polar bear plunges and cold immersion promise a “treasure trove of benefits” according to wellness guru Wim Hof. On this episode, friend of the show Dr. Nick Tiller - author of The Skeptic's Guide to Sports Science - and his British accent return to talk with Dr. Chris Labos. Both share near drowning experiences that should make you realize that even in a comedy podcast, cold plunges ar...

From mouth taping to weighted blankets to blue light filters and melatonin. There’s no shortage of “hacks” that will help you max out your sleep in this latest TikTok trend. Pedro Mendes returns to help Dr. Chris Labos sort through what is true, what is fluff, and what is just exploiting people’s anxiety. Added bonus: we also learn which was the first show to air reruns on American network televis...

Is Bill Gates really trying to decrease the world’s population by 15% using the covid vaccine? Was the gongshow that is Microsoft Office just a prelude to mass genocide? What would you do if a friend forwarded you a Ted Talk of Gates claiming exactly that? Would you assume it was a deep fake or edited to misrepresent what he said or is it even more complicated than that. Floris van Vugt joins to u...

Critikid.com is a website dedicated NOT to criticizing children but rather to teaching them critical thinking using games, riddles and puzzles. Founder Stephanie Simoes joins Dr. Chris Labos as he tries to solve the riddle of the magical cookie that turns mice pink. And why does the internet think Stephanie is anti-road? Plus, what is her super-duper secret project about teaching kids that social...

While it is proven to be lifesaving in carbon monoxide poisoning, is there any evidence that hyperbaric oxygen therapy helps with cerebral palsy, autism, long covid, migraines and many other conditions? Can HBOT be both a valid medical therapy and a pseudoscience? Guest co-host Pedro Mendes joins Dr. Chris Labos to parse out fact from fiction. Bonus points if you know the one condition where hyper...

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome is more common than most people realize and with more far-reaching implications than it would initially seem. Guest co-host Robyn Flynn joins Dr. Chris Labos to talk about it's potential impact on fertility, cardiovascular health, and according to Robyn, that it's more painful than childbirth?!? We’re going to have to look into that one.   You can also check out Robyn’s...

Intense abdominal pain and erratic behaviour. Both involving drugs. What's really going on? Dr. Aigul Zaripova, a familiar voice for our regular listeners, is back to try and stump Dr. Chris Labos with two Medscape case challenges. Will Chris cover himself in glory or will shame and humiliation await him at the end of the episode? Only one way to find out.   Part 1: Intense Abdominal Pain After a...

Are animals actually monogamous? Do penguins really mate for life? Does any of this really matter? Returning guest Natalia Pasternak joins Dr. Chris Labos in this special Valentine’s Day episode to talk about monogamy.  A look at love and sex in the animal kingdom and a reminder that none of this gives you permission to cheat on your spouse or significant other. Just because animals are jerks, doe...

Why did the FDA ban the use of Red Dye No. 3 and why is it still available in Canada? Guest co-host Pedro joins Dr. Chris Labos to explain and discuss how we should think about food colourings in general. Does the fact that can cause cancer in rats mean anything for human health? And what about the alleged ADHD link? Also, there’s a Winnie the Pooh reference at the end. Become a supporter of our s...

How good is the Body Mass Index as a measure of obesity? And why did the Lancet Commission trash it so completely? Guest co-host Robyn Flynn joins Dr. Chris Labos to flesh out how bad BMI really is and if the alternatives are any better. There’s probably no singing this time around... but no promises. Become a supporter of our show today either on Patreon or through PayPal! Thank you! http://www.p...

Hormone Replacement Therapy is now called Menopausal Hormone Therapy. And despite being almost universally abandoned two decades ago, it's making a comeback. Dr. Chris Labos and guest co-host Pedro Mendes explain why, while also giving a primer on menopause itself Become a supporter of our show today either on Patreon or through PayPal! Thank you! http://www.patreon.com/thebodyofevidence/ https://...

We wrap up the year with a new case challenge. A 38-year-old radiology technician has a strange rash just above… his buttocks! Who’s to blame? Was it the dog? Was it his job? Or is it the special person in his life? Also: Chris learns about socks! Yet also: we say the phrase “ass crack.” We had to! And also also: an important announcement.     Become a supporter of our show today either on Patreon...

Pain. Sometimes it’s acute, sometimes it’s chronic. It may come from an injury or just from wear and tear. Chris and Jonathan sit down to speak to Dr. Leon Tourian, who specializes in pain psychiatry at McGill University.   Can we objectively measure pain? Is there such a thing as normal pain? And what happens when chronic pain in our extremities is left untreated and our brain takes over?   Becom...

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

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