The Body of Evidence

Will Montreal soon lose what little fluoridated tap water it has? Why do we even put fluoride in the drinking water in the first place? And do the arguments voiced to take it away from citizens even… hold water?   Become a supporter of our show today either on Patreon or through PayPal! Thank you! http://www.patreon.com/thebodyofevidence/ https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=9QZET78JZWCZ...

Not so long ago, natural health products sold in Canada—which include a slew of dietary supplements of dubious effectiveness—were not regulated. When Kat McLeod got poisoned via the herbal supplement she was taking, she was offered a choice: sue the Canadian government or help them draft stronger regulation. The Body of Evidence reached out to Olsy Sorokina to report on this story. She will tell y...

What does the body of evidence say about smoking cessation? Does counselling make a difference and, if so, what kind? Is vaping effective as a way to quit smoking? And did you know there are drugs that have been shown to help give up the habit? Chris attempts to pronounce their names and is left with one question: is his veranda clean?   Become a supporter of our show today either on Patreon or th...

On a special live recording of The Body of Evidence, Jonathan sits down in conversation with Lewis, a reformed conspiracy theorist from Liverpool who tumbled down the rabbit hole during the COVID-19 pandemic. How should you talk to the conspiracy theorist in your life if you want to make progress? There’s no better person to answer this question than someone who was at the other end of this. The t...

A new editorial calls pesticides “the new smoking.” This is based on a recent study comparing pesticide use in U.S. counties and cancer incidence. But do counties get cancer? We investigate the issue to see if we should worry about pesticides and if young adults are really getting more cancer than they used to.     Become a supporter of our show today either on Patreon or through PayPal! Thank you...

It’s time for a COVID booster for your ears. Which strains are circulating? Why should you care? And which vaccines are available to boost your immune system this fall? Also, why will some Canadians be driving to Vermont to get a COVID vaccine?   Become a supporter of our show today either on Patreon or through PayPal! Thank you! http://www.patreon.com/thebodyofevidence/ https://www.paypal.com/don...

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

It’s a pseudoscience that seemed to work at first, but now the same researcher who “proved” that it worked has proven that it doesn’t. Do we need to purge people of heavy metals to make sure they don’t have heart attacks? No… but you won’t believe the price tag we’ve had to pay to gain this wisdom.   Become a supporter of our show today either on Patreon or through PayPal! Thank you! http://www.pa...

Can cranberry juice help prevent UTIs… or will any liquid do? Also: a new drug has been tested to treat the symptoms of menopause and it looks pretty good. As Chris and Jonathan appraise these studies, you will learn about the importance of placebo arms in clinical trials. Correction:  it turns out that urine is not sterile. Even the bladder has bacteria in it! https://www.livescience.com/health/i...

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

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

You thought your toddler was a handful. Have you heard of the She-Hulk toddler? You will learn what GPA means in a patient chart and how menstruation can be used to judge the health of a country, while Chris tries to figure out what is wrong with this tiny but ferocious patient. Also: an announcement that will change The Body of Evidence forever…. Warning: this episode contains medical discussion...

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

What does the body of evidence say on malaria? Your favourite travel destination may be a malaria hot zone: we discuss how to prepare. Plus: a strange FDA application to use MDMA to treat PTSD, and have statins been overprescribed?   A Block: Malaria (0:58) History; the parasite’s life cycle; how many people are affected by malaria; symptoms; how to diagnose it; how to treat it; prevention. B Bloc...

Chris and Jonathan speak to Dr. Ian Hussey, the Chief Recommender for the ERROR project. It turns out that scientific papers are not flawless: they can contain mistakes. What happens when people are paid to go and find these mistakes? You’re about to find out!   * Theme music: “Fall of the Ocean Queen“ by Joseph Hackl . To contribute to The Body of Evidence, go to our Patreon page at: http://www.p...

What does the body of evidence say on LASIK, the use of lasers to correct vision? Plus: many men on PreP are abandoning condoms as STIs are becoming more common, and Chris tells us if krill oil can cure arthritis of the knee. Also, Jonathan briefly imitates Alex Jones. A Block: LASIK (0:59) How lasers are used in medicine; LASIK and its cousins; how to choose; effectiveness, satisfaction, and side...

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

What does the body of evidence say on lupus, the autoimmune disease that famously imitates so many other illnesses? Plus: a new study shows that Tylenol in pregnancy is not associated with neurodevelopmental problems, and Chris revisits the topic of red meat following a listener’s question.   A Block: Lupus (0:57) How common lupus is; what may be causing it; what lupus looks like; how complicated...

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 t...

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 Bloc...

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 Ch...

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 th...

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 m...

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 i...

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: f...