Unbiased Science

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...

Sponsored by Tampax and Always. On this episode of the podcast, we are BACK to tackle more period and period product myths! We kick things off with a continuation of our discussion of organic cotton versus conventional cotton period products (and how there is no difference in safety profile of the cotton). We talk about how both organic and conventional cotton tampons are made and the elemental ch...

Sponsored by Tampax and Always. On this episode of the pod, we answer a bunch of questions that we have received about periods and period products, and debunk myths about tampons and pads. We kick things off with a discussion of the menstrual cycle and variations in cycle length and flow across individuals. We take a trip down memory lane to discuss the history of period products and how they came...

On this week's episode of the pod, we are joined by Dr. Michelle Wong-- a science educator and cosmetic chemist to talk all things related to sunscreen! We kick off this episode with a discussion about skin cancer and its prevalence and the importance of prevention and early detection. We ease into things with a primer on the history of sunscreen and its evolution over time. We dive into the basic...

On this episode of the pod, we are joined by Dr. Adrian Chavez, a PhD in nutrition, to discuss the autoimmune protocol diet. We start with an overview of the diet itself, how it came to be popular, and the claims it makes. We then turn to focus on what autoimmune disorders are, the incredible diversity of them, as well as what inflammation really means. We dig into the details of the diet, includi...

On this week’s episode of the pod, we are sharing our conversation with a fellow science communicator, Dr. Mona Amin, founder of Peds Doc Talk. We were recently guests on her podcast and thought we would share our discussion here since it is very relevant to Unbiased Science. Dr. Mona is a Board certified pediatrician who launched her podcast and social media page (@pedsdoctalk) to help parents si...

On this episode of the pod, we tackle a topic that is rife with misinformation and controversy: the medical myth of adrenal fatigue. To break things down, we brought in an expert: Dr. Eve Bloomgarden who is a board-certified endocrinologist with clinical expertise in the diagnosis and management of thyroid disorders and cancer, as well as pituitary and adrenal disorders. To kick things off, we dis...

On this week's episode of the pod, we had the pleasure of welcoming Dr. Jennifer Lincoln (OB/GYN, author, educator, and science communicator extraordinaire) to help us tackle vaginal health myths! We start with a quick anatomy primer to set the stage for our discussion. Next, we debunk the myth that the vagina needs to be cleaned with soaps, douches, and other products (spoiler alert: it's self-cl...

On this week's episode of the pod, we welcome Dr. Ranella Hirsch, a board-certified dermatologist and expert in the fields of cosmetic and laser dermatology, to discuss the term "clean beauty."  We kick things off with a discussion of the business of clean beauty and its booming industry. Next, we discuss the lack of a standardized definition of "clean" and how it is often vague and nondescript. W...

On this week's episode of the pod, we tackle the science and chemistry of love.  We start out with a discussion of the social determinants of health including how relationships and social connectedness have a profound impact on our health and longevity. We discuss some recent studies of the impact of social ties (as well as a lack thereof) on health outcomes including depression, cardiovascular he...

We had the honor and privilege of speaking with Dr. Tom Frieden in August 2021 about the COVID-19 pandemic. For those who may not be familiar, Dr. Frieden is a physician, former Director of the CDC, former Health Commissioner for NYC, and currently serves as the President and CEO of Resolve to Save Lives, a public health organization focused on tackling cardiovascular disease and prevention of epi...

This week's podcast topic was selected by our Patreon subscribers (the Mad Scientists): Leaky Gut Syndrome. This topic is rife with misconceptions, so we brought in a guest host, Dr. Jessie Hoffman (Registered Dietitian and Assistant Professor/Researcher in Human Nutrition), to help break things down. We kick things off with a discussion of the term "Leaky Gut Syndrome" -- specifically, what it is...

On this episode of the pod we are joined by a special guest, Dr. Jay Van Bavel, who is an Associate Professor of Psychology and Neural Science at New York University, to discuss the anti-vaccine movement, cult-mentality, and the predilection for conspiratorial thinking.  We summarize some factors that contribute to susceptibility to cult mentality and the rapid increase in these mentalities during...

On this week's episode, we tackle something that each and every one of us will experience whether we like it or not...aging.  We discuss life expectancy as a metric and shifting demographics over time. We touch upon the impact of nature versus nature on the aging process and social determinants of health that may impact the quantity and quality of our lives. We zoom in on the cellular process of a...

On today's episode of the pod, we answer the question, "why do things taste different to different people?"  This episode is a bit lighter than our usual content and is a sweet note on which to end 2021!  We discuss the different components involved in taste including the detection of flavors, taste bud structure and function, as well as some determinants of individual taste preferences. We spend...