The Body of Evidence

What does the body of evidence say on the topic of asthma? Plus: how much time children spend in front of screens, and how to nudge people to go to the gym.   Block 1: (3:15) Asthma: wheezing, similar diseases, how asthma is diagnosed   Block 2: (10:53) Asthma: exercise-induced “asthma,” what is asthma, cold and thunderstorms as triggers, allergies, infections, treatments   Block 3: (29:31) Screen time in children   Block 4: (40:06) Nudging people to go to the gym     To leave a rating and/or review on iTunes (please do!!), 1) Click here: https://itunes.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-body-of-evidence/id980972442 2) Click on “Listen on Apple Podcasts” toward the top, under “Health & Fitness” 3) It will prompt you to open iTunes. Allow the pop-up and switch to iTunes 4) In iTunes, click on “Rating and Reviews”   If you already listen on an Apple device, you should be able to leave a review by accessing the show on that device’s native podcasting app.     * Jingle by Joseph Hackl * 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) Episode 43 on allergies: https://bodyofevidence.ca/043-allergies-and-organic-food   2) The 2019 Global Initiative for Asthma report: https://ginasthma.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Whats-new-in-GINA-2021_final_V2.pdf   3) How will new recommendations from the GINA report affect practice in Canada: https://www.cmaj.ca/content/192/17/E456?ijkey=00df329033338403c174cbb90af80401afad6136&keytype2=tf_ipsecsha   4) GINA FAQ on asthma: https://ginasthma.org/about-us/faqs/   5) Trial on combined budenoside-formoterol as needed in mild asthma: https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1715274   6) Systematic review and meta-analysis on screen time in children 5 years and younger: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapediatrics/article-abstract/2789091   7) American Academy of Paediatrics’ guidelines on screen time: https://www.healthychildren.org/English/family-life/Media/Pages/Where-We-Stand-TV-Viewing-Time.aspx   8) Canadian Paediatrics Society’s guidelines on screen time: https://caringforkids.cps.ca/handouts/behavior-and-development/screen-time-and-young-children   9) Megastudy on nudging people to go to the gym: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-021-04128-4     Music Credits:   Lofi Chill Hip-Hop by WinnieTheMoog Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/6347-lofi-chill-hip-hop License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license   Tutorial 2 by Frank Schröter Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/8965-tutorial-2 License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license   Ambient Relaxing Background by MusicLFiles Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/9007-ambient-relaxing-background License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license   Over The Rainbow by Sascha Ende® Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/319-over-the-rainbow License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license  

Chris and Jonathan welcome back to the show journalist Brooke Binkowski from Truth or Fiction to discuss the Joe Rogan/Spotify controversy and how we got here. The discussion includes what makes someone a journalist in 2022 and how reactionaries and extremists were early adopters of the Internet.   2:10 Addressing common accusations 3:44 The saga 5:26 The mainstreaming of falsehoods 8:21 Lack of responsibility and JAQing off 10:06 The aesthetics of masculine rationality and The X-Files 15:15 From harmless folklore to antisemitism 18:35 What makes someone a journalist 26:31 Moderating audio content 29:20 The 1988 Internet and surf Nazis 36:14 Monster Island, Galt’s Gulch, and Ram Ranch 42:13 The Spotify seal of approval and YouTube’s feeble moderation 46:08 The next five years of reactionary populism     * 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! And patrons will get a bonus segment from this interview in a week!     Links: 1) The Daily podcast on the Joe Rogan saga: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/11/podcasts/the-daily/joe-rogan-spotify.html 2) Jonathan’s article on Joe Rogan: https://www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/covid-19-health-and-nutrition-pseudoscience/science-vs-joe-rogan 3) The open letter to Spotify: https://spotifyopenletter.wordpress.com/2022/01/10/an-open-letter-to-spotify/ 4) Aaron Rabinowitz’s article on Monster Island: https://www.skeptic.org.uk/2020/10/monster-island-free-speech-experiment/ 5) God Awful Movies’ review of Atlas Shrugged, Part 1: https://www.stitcher.com/show/god-awful-movies/episode/337-atlas-shrugged-part-one-90134592 6) Truth or Fiction: https://www.truthorfiction.com/ 7) Brooke on Twitter: https://twitter.com/brooklynmarie

What does the body of evidence have to say on the topic of dementia or, to use a more recent term, major cognitive disorder? Plus: what (little) we know about long COVID, and we go over arguments for and against the no-vax tax that was recently debated in Quebec.   Block 1: (3:04) Dementia: types of memory   Block 2: (11:53) Dementia: Alzheimer’s, ApoE, vascular dementia, Lewy body disease, frontotemporal dementia, how to screen for and diagnose dementia, treatments, vitamin E, ginkgo, Aduhelm, preventative measures   Block 3: (32:32) Long COVID: prevalence, symptoms, scientific challenges, hypotheses, vaccination   Block 4: (49:35) No-vax tax debate     * 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) Cochrane review on cholinesterase inhibitors: https://www.cochrane.org/CD001190/DEMENTIA_donepezil-people-dementia-due-alzheimers-disease   2) Cochrane review on memantine: https://www.cochrane.org/CD003154/DEMENTIA_memantine-treatment-dementi   3) Cochrane review on vitamin E: https://www.cochrane.org/CD002854/DEMENTIA_use-vitamin-e-treatment-mild-cognitive-impairment-and-alzheimers-disease-ad   4) Vitamin E and heart failure: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15769967/   5) Vitamin E and mortality: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15537682/   6) Ginkgo biloba: https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD003120.pub3/full   7) Aduhelm: https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMp2111320   8) Jimmy Fallon and Paris Hilton on NFTs: https://youtu.be/5zi12wrh5So?t=222   9) Impossible MoCA: https://twitter.com/juliareillymd/status/1237531126723252225   10) Jonathan’s article on long COVID: https://www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/covid-19/debilitating-puzzle-box-long-covid   11) Post-COVID Care Centers: https://www.survivorcorps.com/pccc   12) Public Health Agency of Canada’s living systematic review on long COVID: https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.06.03.21258317v2   13) Canadian paper on the experiences of people living with long COVID: https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.01.20.22269617v1   14) Long COVID hypotheses: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2021.698169/full     Music Credits:   Heroic Trailer  by Rafael Krux Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/5359-heroic-trailer- License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license  

Jonathan and Chris speak to Olivier Drouin, MD, MPH, a paediatrician and researcher in Montreal. The risk-benefit analyses regarding children, COVID-19, and the vaccines have received a lot of attention by journalists, parents, and peddlers of misinformation alike. “Myocarditis” is now a “boogeyword.” Olivier weighs in on how COVID affects children, the safety of the vaccines, and what to do about schools.   1:20 Not *that* Olivier Drouin 2:36 How COVID affects children 6:00 Risk factors 9:29 How Omicron affects children 13:25 Speculating on increased diabetes diagnoses 16:19 Vaccine safety in children and the focus on peri- and myocarditis 24:04 Vaccine hesitant parents 28:29 The school debate 41:58 Our elected officials 47:00 Research beyond COVID     * 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) Olivier Drouin on Twitter: https://twitter.com/olivierdrouinmd 2) Olivier Drouin on Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&as_sdt=0%2C5&q=%22Olivier+Drouin%22&btnG= 3) Olivier Drouin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/olivierdrouinmd/ 4) Jonathan’s article on COVID aerosols and ventilation/filtration: https://www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/covid-19/covid-19-air-both-problem-and-solution

What does the body of evidence have to say on the topic of the immune system? Plus: the omicron variant and its accompanying public health measures, and we go over what happens when scientists try to fulfill one of the promises of science: replicating results.   Block 1: (2:46) Immunity: what it does, self versus non-self, antigens, HLA, innate versus adaptive, fever, skin   Block 2: (12:07) Immunity: Geert Vanden Bossche, eosinophils, neutrophils, G-CSF, immune boosters, vitamin C, antibodies, T and B cells, immune memory, vaccines   Block 3: (30:40) Omicron, public health measures, and booster doses   Block 4: (48:34) Reproducibility of cancer studies     * Jingle by Joseph Hackl * 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) Driving doggos: https://www.bbc.com/news/av/uk-15864761   2) Explanatory videos on the immune system: https://www.osmosis.org/learn/Introduction_to_the_immune_system   3) Understanding how vaccines work: https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/hcp/conversations/understanding-vacc-work.html   4) Understanding how COVID-19 vaccines work: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/different-vaccines/how-they-work.html   5) Cochrane review on vitamin C for the common cold: https://www.cochrane.org/CD000980/ARI_vitamin-c-for-preventing-and-treating-the-common-cold   6) Measles vaccine information: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/publications/healthy-living/canadian-immunization-guide-part-4-active-vaccines/page-12-measles-vaccine.html#p4c11a4 and https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/publications/diseases-conditions/measles-rubella-surveillance/2021/week-46.html   7) Interview with Dr. Paul Offit for New York Mag’s Intelligencer: https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2021/12/omicron-dr-paul-offit-is-skeptical-of-boosters-for-all.html   8) Brian Nosek paper 1: https://elifesciences.org/articles/67995   9) Brian Nosek paper 2: https://elifesciences.org/articles/71601   10) New Scientist article: https://www.newscientist.com/article/2300455-investigation-fails-to-replicate-most-cancer-biology-lab-findings/   11) Amgen’s paper on the lack of replicability of cancer research: https://www.nature.com/articles/483531a   12) Jonathan’s paper on circulating microRNA signatures for cancer: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5528532/     Music Credits:   Just Deep 2 by Sascha Ende® Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/312-just-deep-2 License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license  

When it comes to health and medicine, there are so many decisions to make and so much misinformation out there. Dr. Christopher Labos and Jonathan Jarry look at the body of evidence on these topics to tell you what’s solid, what’s iffy… and what’s crapola. The jingles, comedy, and bickering help the medicine go down.

Chris and Jonathan speak to coach René Dreifuss, the founder of Radical MMA in New York City and the co-host of the Martial Culture podcast, which has been described as “NPR for mixed martial arts nerds.” Medicine has had to wrestle with figuring out what works and what doesn’t over the years; so have the martial arts. From claims of manipulating your opponent’s qi in a fight to no-holds-barred Krav Maga self-defence, there are things that work in real life and things that really don’t. There are parallels to be drawn with the mystical alternative healings in wellness communities and with cult-like mentalities that move us away from evidence and into the predatory arms of eminence. René also addresses the physical risks and unhealthy side of martial arts, namely weight cutting and brain trauma.   Our patrons will have access to a bonus segment with René on Christmas Eve. It’s about ninjas and Chris’ desire to fight Jonathan.   5:07 The cultural underpinning of energy-based martial arts 11:10 Scientific versus non-scientific thinking 18:18 Groin hits and eye pokes aren’t effective 24:30 Sports improve over time 29:03 Mixed martial arts as an open source science 38:25 Myths about self-defence 47:09 Brain trauma 55:24 Weight cutting is very dangerous 1:10:16 The misunderstood rear naked choke 1:08:54 The Vulcan nerve pinch and Hollywood fights 1:13:55 Weapons-based martial arts: what works?     * 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 Martial Culture podcast: https://www.stitcher.com/show/the-martial-culture-podcast 2) René’s mixed martial arts gym: https://radicalmmanyc.com/ 3) René’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/radicalmma 4) Martial Culture episode on woo in martial arts: https://www.stitcher.com/show/the-martial-culture-podcast/episode/4-martial-arts-phony-53560245 5) Martial Culture episode on self-defence: https://www.stitcher.com/show/the-martial-culture-podcast/episode/meet-people-where-they-are-86686510

What does the body of evidence have to say on the topic of obesity? Plus: the on-going downfall of Didier Raoult, purveyor of hydroxychloroquine for COVID-19, which dovetails into discussions about the Hongcheng magic liquid, the Galileo gambit, gluten and the backfire effect. And Chris answers listeners’ questions about genomics and cardiology and a syndrome called POTS.   Block 1: Obesity myths: the body mass index (2:26)   Block 2: Obesity myths: visceral adiposity, waist-to-hip ratio, obesity as a disease, fat and fit, the obesity paradox, exercising to lose weight, and a calorie is a calorie (10:20)   Block 3: Didier Raoult and hydroxychloroquine (30:46)   Block 4: Q&A: genomics and cardiology, and POTS (42:31)     * 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) Is obesity a disease?: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6179496/#b9-ms111_p0104   2) Different BMI cutoffs in different ethnic groups: https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/circulationaha.106.635011 & https://www.thelancet.com/pdfs/journals/lancet/PIIS0140-6736(03)15268-3.pdf   3) How to measure waist circumference: https://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/assessing/index.html   4) Is obesity a disease?: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6179496/   5) Metabolically healthy obese: https://www.jacc.org/doi/abs/10.1016/j.jacc.2017.07.763   6) The obesity paradox: https://journals.lww.com/epidem/FullText/2013/05000/The__Obesity_Paradox__Explained.20.aspx   7) Kevin Hall’s research on isocaloric diets: https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article/104/2/324/4564649   8) Médiapart’s article on Didier Raoult (in French): https://www.mediapart.fr/journal/france/191121/les-equipes-de-didier-raoult-denoncent-les-falsifications-de-leur-patron-sur-l-hydroxychloroquine?onglet=full   9) Our episode on direct-to-consumer genetic testing: https://bodyofevidence.ca/023-direct-to-consumer-dna-testing-and-homeopathy   Music Credits:   Christmas Theme 3 by Alexander Nakarada Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/4776-christmas-theme-3 License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license   Unseen Horrors by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/4569-unseen-horrors License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license   Happy Memory (loopable) by chilledmusic Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/8368-happy-memory-loopable- License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Jonathan and Chris speak to Natália Pasternak, PhD, the director of the Question of Science Institute. In trying to come to grips with COVID-19, Brazil was rocked by scandals involving research performed without consent and doctors being forced to prescribe treatment kits full of “miracle cures.” This led Pasternak to state that medicine in Brazil is effectively unregulated and to call for the impeachment of President Bolsonaro. Can science literacy fix these problems? Meanwhile, Chris and Jonathan try to blow each other’s minds and fail miserably. And they mention ICQ, not to be confused with IQC (Pasternak’s institute) or HCQ (a drug that doesn’t work against COVID)!   1:55 Natália in the Big Apple 2:50 Brazil’s dual healthcare system 4:42 Brazil and COVID-19: “a total mess” 7:25 Brazil’s COVID kit 16:42 TrateCov, the app that recommended proxalutemide 19:12 Scientific literacy and medical doctors… and homeopathy 30:09 Falling on the deaf ears of the Supreme Court 31:24 Calling for the impeachment of President Bolsonaro 38:04 Medicine in Brazil is essentially unregulated 41:46 Vaccines and the Brazilian paradox 49:04 The Question of Science Institute 53:05 How do we fix these problems?     * 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) Natália writing for The Skeptic magazine: https://www.skeptic.org.uk/?s=pasternak 2) Natália writing for Medscape: https://www.medscape.com/index/list_14444_0 3) Natália’s magazine (in Portuguese): https://www.revistaquestaodeciencia.com.br/ 4) Natália’s institute (most of the content in Portuguese): https://iqc.org.br/ 5) Natália writing for O Globo (in Portuguese): https://blogs.oglobo.globo.com/a-hora-da-ciencia/ 6) Natália on the radio (in Portuguese): https://audioglobo.globo.com/cbn/podcast/feed/835/hora-da-ciencia  

What does the body of evidence have to say on the topic of endometriosis? Plus: Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine is authorized for children ages 5-11, and we go over why an aspirin a day is no longer suggested for many older adults.   Block 1: Endometriosis: what it is and what might be causing it (2:59)   Block 2: Endometriosis: risk factors, how common it is, diagnosis, treatments (8:37)   Block 3: FDA approves Pfizer’s COVID vaccine for children 5-11 years old (26:18)   Block 4: An aspirin a day to prevent cardiovascular disease? (40:19)     * Jingle by Joseph Hackl * 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) Flow diagram of treatment of endometriosis from the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada: https://sogc.org/common/Uploaded%20files/SOGC%20Endometriosis%20COVID19%20Update-%20Endo%20Group%20Edits%20April%2018%202020.pdf   2) Use of CA-125 to diagnosis endometriosis: https://obgyn.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/1471-0528.14055   3) Cochrane review of blood tests to diagnose endometriosis: https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD012281/full   4) Cochrane review of laparoscopic surgery to treat infertility associated with endometriosis: https://www.cochrane.org/CD011031/MENSTR_laparoscopic-surgery-pain-and-infertility-associated-endometriosis   5) Endometriosis time to diagnosis: https://academic.oup.com/humrep/article/18/4/756/596537 https://www.ajog.org/article/S0002-9378(19)30002-X/fulltext   6) FDA news release on authorization of Pfizer’s vaccine: https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-authorizes-pfizer-biontech-covid-19-vaccine-emergency-use-children-5-through-11-years-age   7) Pfizer’s press release on its trial of its COVID-19 vaccine in children: https://www.pfizer.com/news/press-release/press-release-detail/pfizer-and-biontech-announce-positive-topline-results   8) United States Preventive Services Task Force updated recommendation on aspirin for primary prevention: https://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/uspstf/draft-recommendation/aspirin-use-to-prevent-cardiovascular-disease-preventive-medication     Music Credits:   Dreams Of Success (loopable) by chilledmusic Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/8459-dreams-of-success-loopable- License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license