The Body of Evidence

Dive into the complexities of osteoporosis, where bone density is key and lifestyle changes matter. Discover the groundbreaking therapy for metastatic melanoma that changes lives and survival rates. Plus, hear about vital travel insurance tips, especially for the elderly, that could save a fortune. Expect humor mixed with health insights, as the hosts reveal peculiarities in treatment and insurance policies while keeping the conversation light and engaging.

Chris and Jonathan welcome back Dr. Jonathan Howard to talk about the doctors who repeatedly said the pandemic was ending and who became anti-vaccine in the process. When doctors become brands, narcissism can easily lead them and their fans astray, as these media figures chase an ever elusive limelight. Dr. Howard has been tracking their claims and predictions and brings the receipts. (2:38) Dr. Vinay Prasad, pre-pandemic (8:41) ZDoggMD, Marty Makary, and Vinay Prasad on vaccine boosters (12:01) Paediatric COVID vaccines (15:00) An appeal to civility on the one hand, mockery on the other (16:56) Dr. John Ioannidis and basic math (27:22) "You have to accept it" (32:27) Classic anti-vaccine talking points (36:10) "Where's the RCT?" (39:37) Jonathan Howard's connection to the anti-vaccine movement (41:53) Audience capture (44:49) Charisma and credibility (49:33) New York City denialism (51:36) Ron DeSantis' Vaccine Accountability Roundtable (55:41) Self-reflection A quick note on sound quality: the clicking sound on Dr. Howard's end very quickly disappears. The rest of the audio is not up to our usual standards, and for this we apologize. Audio engineering is closer to magic than science, it seems. * 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 ZDoggMD Show episode you hear at the beginning: https://youtu.be/cNcVCFLhbAs?t=42 2) Dr. Jonathan Howard's articles on Science-Based Medicine: https://sciencebasedmedicine.org/author/jonathanhoward/ 3) Dr. Jonathan Howard on Twitter: https://twitter.com/19joho

What does the body of evidence say on the topic of gun control? Plus: we address why more and more children are accidentally getting poisoned with cannabis, and we wonder if a vaccine against RSV might be around the corner! Warning: discussions of suicide in the first half. If you need help, please reach out: https://talksuicide.ca/. Block 1: (2:42) Gun control: gun deaths, where the data comes from, violent crime vs. suicide Block 2: (11:47) Gun control: the Canadian situation, rising rates of gun crimes, accidental gun deaths, research into gun violence, quality of the evidence for specific policies Block 3: (26:27) Unintentional cannabis poisonings in children Block 4: (36:49) RSV vaccines * Jingle by Jillian Correia of Roctavio Canada * Theme music: "Fall of the Ocean Queen" by Joseph Hackl. * Assistant researcher: Nicholas Koziris 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) Gun violence data from the American Public Health Association: https://www.apha.org/-/media/Files/PDF/factsheets/200221_Gun_Violence_Fact_Sheet.ashx 2) Canadian statistics: https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/85-002-x/2022001/article/00009-eng.htm & https://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/rp-pr/csj-sjc/jsp-sjp/wd98_4-dt98_4/p4.html#a41 3) Public health approach to gun violence prevention: https://efsgv.org/learn/learn-more-about-gun-violence/public-health-approach-to-gun-violence-prevention/ 4) RAND Corporation, What Science Tells Us About the Effects of Gun Policies: https://www.rand.org/research/gun-policy/key-findings/what-science-tells-us-about-the-effects-of-gun-policies.html 5) RAND Corporation, The Science of Gun Policy: https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RR2088-1.html 6) RAND Corporation, Gun Policy in America: https://www.rand.org/research/gun-policy.html 7) Study on edible cannabis legalization and unintentional poisonings in children: https://doi.org/10.1056/nejmc2207661 Time machine: 1) Our episode on stomach ulcers: https://bodyofevidence.ca/063-stomach-ulcers-and-covid-19 2) Our interview with Brennen McKenzie on pets: https://bodyofevidence.ca/interview-brennen-mckenzie-on-pets

Chris was a guest on the Montreal Gazette's Corner Booth podcast, alongside local reporter Aaron Derfel, to discuss the on-going pandemic, COVID-19 denialism, and government messaging. We are bringing you this episode with the Corner Booth's permission. It was recorded in a restaurant and the first question the host asks is, "Why is Chris wearing a mask?" - Why is Chris wearing a mask - Why is Aaron Derfel not wearing a mask - Has the government not taken air quality seriously? - The next pandemic - COVID-19 denialism - Government messaging - Jonas Salk and the polio vaccine - "Take the vaccine, you won't get COVID" - Long COVID - COVID in schools

What does history teach us about the controversy over cholesterol? Plus: we look at the zombie myth that soccer players are dying from the COVID-19 vaccine, and we dissect a new clinical trial of colonoscopies that reports disappointing results and compare it to Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney's enthusiasm for the procedure itself! Block 1: (1:50) Cholesterol: conflicting animal studies at the beginning of the 1900s Block 2: (9:28) Cholesterol: observational studies of high-fat diets in humans, randomized trials on low-animal-fat diets, drug trials Block 3: (27:19) Soccer players kicking the bucket? Not so much Block 4: (37:47) Colonoscopies: screening recommendations, alternatives to colonoscopies, latest trial * Theme music: "Fall of the Ocean Queen" by Joseph Hackl. * Assistant researcher: Nicholas Koziris 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: Anybody interested in an in-depth review of the history of cholesterol research can read the series of articles by Daniel Steinberg published in the Journal of Lipid Research Steinberg, Daniel Thematic review series: the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. An interpretive history of the cholesterol controversy: part 1. J Lipid Res. 2004 Sep;45(9):1583-93. doi: 10.1194/jlr.R400003-JLR200. Steinberg D. Thematic review series: the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. An interpretive history of the cholesterol controversy: part 2: the early evidence linking hypercholesterolemia to coronary disease in humans. J Lipid Res. 2005 Feb;46(2):179-90. doi: 10.1194/jlr.R400012-JLR200. Steinberg D. Thematic review series: the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis: an interpretive history of the cholesterol controversy, part 3: mechanistically defining the role of hyperlipidemia. J Lipid Res. 2005 Oct;46(10):2037-51. DOI: 10.1194/jlr.R500010-JLR200 Steinberg D. The pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. An interpretive history of the cholesterol controversy, part 4: the 1984 coronary primary prevention trial ends it--almost. J Lipid Res. 2006 Jan;47(1):1-14. doi: 10.1194/jlr.R500014-JLR200. Steinberg D. Thematic review series: the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. An interpretive history of the cholesterol controversy, part V: the discovery of the statins and the end of the controversy. J Lipid Res. 2006 Jul;47(7):1339-51. doi: 10.1194/jlr.R600009-JLR200. Some specific references: The Seven Countries study is a source of particular controversy: A review of the Seven Countries Study controversy http://www.epi.umn.edu/cvdepi/multimedia/critiques-of-the-seven-countries-study-and-ancel-keys/ And a paper written by several researchers trying to dispel some of the myths surrounding it https://academic.oup.com/eurheartj/article/38/42/3119/4600167?login=false Cochrane review of statins to prevent dementia https://www.cochrane.org/CD003160/DEMENTIA_statins-prevention-dementia The video of Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5sXkIUZEWIo The trial of colonoscopies: https://www.nejm.org/doi/pdf/10.1056/NEJMoa2208375 Vinay Prasad's commentary: https://sensiblemed.substack.com/p/screening-colonoscopy-misses-the New England Journal of Medicine accompanying editorial: https://www-nejm-org.proxy3.library.mcgill.ca/doi/pdf/10.1056%2FNEJMe2211595 Time machine: 1) Our episode on infertility: https://bodyofevidence.ca/062-infertility-and-rna-vaccines 2) Our interview on ivermectin: https://bodyofevidence.ca/interview-jack-lawrence-and-gid-m-k-on-ivermectin Music Credits: Dramatic Trailer by Rafael Krux Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/5633-dramatic-trailer License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Artist website: https://www.orchestralis.net/

Jonathan and Chris speak to Nick Tiller, PhD, a physiologist interested in exercising and the marketing hype that often surrounds the topic. They discuss the few supplements that can improve your workouts, as well as the gadgets that probably won't. Bookending their conversation is the important question: what is the best exercise? 2:35 Common misunderstandings around exercising 4:43 Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) 11:28 Creatine supplements 13:49 Caffeine 14:50 Glucose supplements and sports drinks 18:31 Protein intake 21:08 Beta-alanine supplements 22:34 Kinesio tape, aka placebo tape 28:09 Placebos and sports performance 33:10 Cristiano Ronaldo's brand deals 40:13 Methylene blue 43:22 Ultramarathons: are they good for you? 51:34 What is the best type of exercise? * 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) Nick Tiller on Twitter: https://twitter.com/NBTiller 2) Nick Tiller's website: https://www.nbtiller.com/ 3) Nick Tiller's Skeptical Inquirer columns: https://skepticalinquirer.org/category/the-skeptics-guide-to-sports-science/ 4) Jonathan Jarry's website, announcing his UK tour: https://www.jonathanjarry.com/

What does the body of evidence say on the topic of cholesterol? Plus: we look at the claim that a multivitamin can preserve your cognitive functions as you age, and we cover that study that allegedly shows aluminum in vaccines causes asthma! Block 1: (3:04) Cholesterol: what cholesterol is, total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, how fat is digested, HDL cholesterol Block 2: (10:44) Cholesterol: triglycerides, how LDL is calculated, do you need to fast before a blood test, attempts at increasing HDL, how to lower LDL Block 3: (22:38) Cocoa extract or multivitamin for preserving cognition (and a digression on cocoa vs cacao) Block 4: (39:13) Aluminum in vaccines and a reported link to asthma * Theme music: "Fall of the Ocean Queen" by Joseph Hackl. * Assistant researcher: Nicholas Koziris 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) Systematic review and meta-analysis on reducing LDL cholesterol: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2556125 2) Safety of lowering LDL cholesterol in patients starting with very low levels: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamacardiology/fullarticle/2695047 3) HPS2-THRIVE trial on niacin + laropiprant: https://doi.org/10.1056/nejmoa1300955 4) AIM-HIGH trial on niacin: https://doi.org/10.1056/nejmoa1107579 5) CETP inhibitor torcetrapib increases mortality: https://doi.org/10.1056/nejmoa0706628 6) Meta-analysis of the data on boosting HDL levels: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.g4379 7) The COSMOS-Mind paper: https://doi.org/10.1002/alz.12767 8) Our episode on chocolate: https://bodyofevidence.ca/013-chocolate-and-influenza 9) The original COSMOS papers: https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/nqac055 & https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/nqac056 10) The USPS statement on vitamin supplements: https://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/uspstf/recommendation/vitamin-supplementation-to-prevent-cvd-and-cancer-preventive-medication 11) Cochrane reviews on vitamins and cognition: https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD011906.pub2/full & https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD011905.pub2/full 12) Helen Branswell's STAT News coverage of the aluminum-asthma paper: https://www.statnews.com/2022/09/27/possible-link-aluminum-childhood-vaccines-asthma-risk-caveats/ 13) The aluminum-asthma paper: https://els-jbs-prod-cdn.jbs.elsevierhealth.com/pb/assets/raw/Health%20Advance/journals/acap/Aluminium_Exposure_Article-1664288052690.pdf 14) Our episode on asthma: https://bodyofevidence.ca/080-asthma-screen-time-exercise-motivation Time machine: 1) Our episode on fat: https://bodyofevidence.ca/015-fat-and-denialism 2) Our episode on dementia: https://bodyofevidence.ca/079-dementia-long-covid-no-vax-tax

Chris and Jonathan speak to Dr. Swapnil Hiremath, a hypertension specialist and staff nephrologist at the Ottawa Hospital. As they discuss high blood pressure and how to treat it, they make their way to a highly contentious clinical trial, the Hygia trial, which allegedly compared two times of day when to take blood pressure medication. Its results are a little too perfect to be believed. 3:35 What is high blood pressure and what is "essential" hypertension? 8:34 The two numbers of blood pressure 10:45 How antihypertensive drugs work 13:38 How our body metabolizes a drug 17:30 The intense debate over when to take blood pressure medication 21:59 The contentious Hygia trial 32:47 Is the Hygia trial… the Hygia project? 35:02 Considering fraud 41:21 The best time to take medication 44:38 "One simple trick to reduce your risk of heart attacks by 60%!" * 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) Swapnil Hiremath on Twitter: https://twitter.com/hswapnil 2) The nephrology journal club: https://www.nephjc.com/ 3) Swapnil Hiremath's podcast: https://www.nephjc.com/freelyfiltered

What does the body of evidence say on the topic of Botox injections? Plus: we address the confusion over bivalent COVID-19 booster shots, and we look at a trial of magic mushrooms for alcohol use disorder! Block 1: (3:00) Botox: what it is and what botulism does to you Block 2: (9:00) Botox: how Botox works on wrinkles, a comparison between formulations, what can go wrong, why repeated injections are needed, and the non-cosmetic uses of the botulinum toxin Block 3: (23:08) Bivalent booster vaccines and the reactive, libertarian public health response Block 4: (36:01) Magic mushrooms for alcohol use disorder * Jingle by Jillian Correia of Roctavio Canada * Theme music: "Fall of the Ocean Queen" by Joseph Hackl. * Assistant researcher: Nicholas Koziris 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) Our episode on sunscreen: https://bodyofevidence.ca/019-sunscreen-and-the-mmr-vaccine 2) The cosmetic benefit of botulinum toxin: https://doi.org/10.1067/mjd.2002.121356 3) Differences between formulations: https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1524-4725.2003.29017.x 4) The FDA's black box warning for Botox: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/184061 5) Antibody formation after Botox: https://doi.org/10.1002/mds.23254 6) Cochrane review of Botox for migraine: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2018-027953 7) Cochrane review of Botox for cervical dystonia: https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD003633.pub4 8) Botox for urgency urinary incontinence: https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/nejmoa1208872#:~:text=In%20summary%2C%20we%20found%20that,improvements%20in%20quality%20of%20life 9) New clinical trial of psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy for alcohol use disorder: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapsychiatry/fullarticle/2795625 Music Credits: The following music was used for this media project: Music: Main Theme (The Grand Score) by Alexander Nakarada Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/4960-main-theme-the-grand-score License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Artist website: https://www.serpentsoundstudios.com/

What does the body of evidence say on the topic of vitamin supplements? We pilot a new format for the show and ask for your feedback! Let us know your thoughts on Facebook, Twitter, Patreon, or via email at thebodyofevidence@gmail.com (6:34) The story of scurvy and how its cause, a vitamin deficiency, was harder to "science" than you may remember, with author Stephen R. Bown. (22:48) The porous regulations that allow vitamin supplements to be sold and how Mel Gibson played a key role in this system, with health policy expert Timothy Caulfield. (35:27) Chris and Jonathan explain what each vitamin does, what happens if you're deficient, and whether or not vitamin supplements are necessary. * Jingle by Joseph Hackl * Vox pop by Thanos Michailopoulos * Theme music: "Fall of the Ocean Queen" by Joseph Hackl * Assistant researcher: Nicholas Koziris 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) Chris' article "It Hasn't Been a Good Year for Vitamin D": https://montrealgazette.com/opinion/columnists/christopher-labos-it-hasnt-been-a-good-year-for-vitamin-d 2) Vitamin D supplementation and cardiovascular risk: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamacardiology/fullarticle/2735646 3) VITAL study: https://www.nejm.org/doi/10.1056/NEJMoa1809944 4) AMATERASU trial: https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2019.2210 5) D2D study on vitamin D and type 2 diabetes: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31173679/ 6) The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force's Final Recommendation Statement from June 2022: https://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/uspstf/recommendation/vitamin-supplementation-to-prevent-cvd-and-cancer-preventive-medication 7) Recommendation Statement as published in the Journal of the American Medical Association: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2793446 Music Credits: Peter Sandberg / Étude No 1 for String Quartet Christoffer Moe Ditlevsen / Rise to Power National Anthem Worx / Rule Britannia Silver Maple / Unspoken Bonnie Grace / We Still Have Courage Wendy Marcini / The Cast Wendy Marcini / The Scam Christoffer Moe Ditlevsen / The Stakeout Farrell Wooten / Margin of Error All courtesy of www.epidemicsound.com