Unbiased Science

On this week’s episode of the pod, we tackle the wellness industry’s enemy du jour: seed oils. First, we introduce seed oils and some examples that are commonly used. We summarize the array of false claims circulating about seed oils: that they cause inflammation and a slew of chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, the [already debunked] leaky gut, cardiovascular disease, and more. We discuss t...

On this week's episode of the pod, we take a detour from science into science fiction and discuss whether the premise of the hit video game and HBO series, The Last of Us, could ever be a reality! We are joined by infectious disease expert, Doctor Neuro, to tackle the topic. We start with some mycology and entomology and chat about Cordyceps and Ophiocordyceps, colloquially called "zombie-ant fung...

On this episode of the pod, we take a step back to re-introduce ourselves! We talk about our careers and day-to-day lives as scientists in two very different scientific fields. Andrea details her career as an immunologist/microbiologist and team manager at a biotech company, and Jess speaks about her life as the CEO of a data science consultancy and public health scientist. We then discuss some of...

On this week's episode of the pod, we tackle a fad diet that's getting a lot of attention these days: the carnivore diet! We kick things off with the "rules" of the diet and all the foods that are restricted (i.e., all plant foods). We discuss the flawed premise of the diet (that Homo sapiens were carnivores who only resorted to plant-eating during times of animal food scarcity). Next, we discuss...

On this week's episode of the pod, we are continuing the conversation on TikTok trends! We kick things off with a misconception that dates as far back as the 1500s-- that putting cut onions around the house (or on the soles of your feet) fights illness. On a somewhat related note, we also discuss the practice of placing sliced potatoes on the bottom of feet (which also has origins that date back t...

On this week's episode of the pod, we break down the evidence (or lack thereof) behind some recent viral TikTok health trends. We kick things off with a discussion on parasite cleanses (spoiler alert-- they're pretty crappy) and what it is that people are likely seeing in their poop. We next discuss the very popular trend of lympathic drainage and massage, and discern fact from fiction. We talk ab...

This week on the pod, we are joined by Dr. Spencer Nadolsky, a board certified obesity and lipid specialist physician, to tackle the topic of obesity. We kick things off with some population-level data on the prevalence of obesity in the US population, noting some disparities among certain demographic groups. We shift gears to talk about one of the more universal methods of assessing obesity: BMI....

On this week's episode of the pod, we tackle the topic of prevention and health screenings! We set the stage by discussing the different types of prevention, and how it is harder to measure the absence of disease than the presence of disease. We talk about the way that prevention and screening recommendations are made in the US, specifically, and different governing bodies involved in the decision...

On this week's episode of the pod, we continue our conversation with Dr. Dina DiMaggio (Pediatrician) and Dr. Anthony Porto (Pediatric Gastroenterologist) on all things related to infant feeding. We kick things off with a discussion of our guests' recent study on infant feeding trends and the use of unregulated feeding practices. Before getting into the thick of it, we set the stage with a discuss...

On this week's episode of the pod, we were joined by two peds (specifically, a pediatrician and a pediatric gastroenterologist) to talk all about infant feeding! We kicked things off with some statistics on infant feeding in the US and a discussion of current AAP and WHO recommendations. We spent a lot of time digging into breastfeeding-- the short- and long-term benefits of breastfeeding for infa...

On this week's episode of the pod, we cover yet another dietary fad (this time for humans): intermittent fasting (IF). We are joined by Meghann Featherstun, a board-certified sports dietitian, to discuss this popular diet and dig into the evidence. We kick things off with a discussion of what the IF diet entails and the different ways that people do it. We spend some time discussing caloric restri...

On this week's episode of the pod, we discuss a very important topic: body dysmorphic disorder (BDD). We invite a special guest, Robyn Stern (an LCSW specializing in treating BDD) who has personal experience navigating this disorder and openly shares her story. We kick things off with a discussion of prevalence and incidence of BDD and how it is likely underreported. We dive into the definition of...

On this week's episode of the pod, we kick off the new year with a topic that is near and dear to our hearts-- our pets! (More specifically, fad pet diets.) We all want what's best for our furry friends, so we dig into the available evidence (or lack thereof) behind several very pup-ular diets including grain-free diets, raw food, vegan and vegetarian diets, human food as treats, and more. We dig...

On this week’s episode of the pod, Andrea and Jess present 12 days of science! That’s right— a holiday-themed episode. We share a dozen science facts that we wish everyone knew; ranging from facts about the microbiome and the over-use (and often incorrect use) of the word “inflammation”, to marketing ploys related to organic foods, non-GMOs, and clean beauty. This will be the last pod of 2022, so...

On this week's episode of the pod, we tackle two techniques that are growing in popularity: dry needling and cupping. We kick things off with a discussion of the difference between acupuncture and dry needling. We discuss the specifics of dry needling and its purported benefits and uses. Then, you guessed it, we turn to the data and critically appraise the quality of studies on this topic. We next...

On this week's episode of the pod, we tackle acupuncture! We kick things off with a discussion of the practice of acupuncture and its roots in Traditional Chinese medicine. We discuss the growing industry of acupuncture in the US, specifically, and some related practices such as cupping, acupressure, and more. We shift the conversation over to health policies and public and private insurance cover...

This week on the pod, we tackle another topic that gets unfounded negative attention: gluten. And to help us with this, we are joined again by clinical allergist and immunologist Dr. Dave Stukus. We start things off with a discussion of what gluten is (spoiler: it’s a protein) and what foods it is found in. We move onto a conversation about medical issues that would require someone to avoid gluten...

On this week's episode of the pod, we tackle a topic inspired by Thanksgiving-- tryptophan! (You know, the amino acid found in turkey that people claim makes us hit the couch after we polish off our Thanksgiving plate!) Well, we dish (pun intended) on its biochemistry and its relationship to serotonin and melatonin. Next, we dive into the claims about whether it makes us sleepy, how much of it is...

On this episode of the pod, we cover a very timely and important topic-- influenza (aka the flu) and the flu vaccine. Yes – we know we tackled this a couple of years ago, but with some concerning data from the Southern Hemisphere and early data from the Northern Hemisphere on the 2022 flu season, we figured it was worth revisiting. We present the latest population health statistics and trends, as...

On this week's episode of the pod, we talk THC (the high-producing cousin of CBD that we tackled last week). We kick things off with a molecular biology primer on THC, endocannabinoids, and why marijuana elicits a high. We discuss THC's effects on the brain and how it impacts movement, learning, and cognitive function. We take a brief detour to tackle the legality of marijuana and some reasons why...

On this week’s episode of the podcast, we tackle something that is growing rapidly in popularity—CBD—but does it live up to its hype? We set the stage by discussing the different forms of CBD and the ways we can ingest it. We dive into the claims made by CBD companies, including that it can help with skin conditions, mental health, and even chronic diseases. Then we do a little microbiology refres...

On this week’s episode of the pod– we’re going viral (but not in the good way). We tackle two viruses that have been on our radar: monkeypox virus and poliovirus. We start our discussion focused on monkeypox– what it is, how it’s caused, how it’s spread, and clinical signs and symptoms. We provide a status update on the monkeypox update which (we hope) most will find comforting and optimistic. (T...

On this episode of the podcast, we tackle a topic that many of us wish we could put behind us once and for all: COVID-19. We kick things off with some updated data on the state of COVID-19 hospitalizations and the significant undercounting of cases—and that, despite our wishes, we still need to have COVID-19 on our radar. We spend some time discussing the new bivalent COVID-19 booster and some new...

On this week's episode of the pod, we continue our conversation about the practice of naturopathy. We kick things off with a deep dive on the training received by NDs and how it compares to the training received by MDs and DOs. We discuss the US Department of Health and Human Services' stance on naturopathy and present statements from some of the major national medical and scientific associations....

Welcome back to season 3 of the pod! We kick things off this season with the topic of naturopathy. This is the first episode in a two-part series on this controversial topic. We set the stage by explaining why many people seek out alternatives to conventional medicine; including ongoing pain and chronic illness, frustration with long wait times for appointments, feeling like they're not "heard" by...