The Body of Evidence

Menopause: definition, early menopause, hot flashes, gabapentin, clonidine, CBT, mindfulness, exercising, phytoestrogens, black cohosh, acupuncture, and hormone replacement therapy // Magic mushrooms versus antidepressants // A rant about merchants of doubt   * 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/.   Patrons get a bonus show on Patreon called “Digressions”! Check it out!     References:   1) Age at menopause: https://academic.oup.com/humrep/article/16/9/2014/2915909   2) Age at menopause: https://doi.org/10.1097/gme.0b013e31820ed6d2   3) Ethnicity as a predictor of menopause: https://doi.org/10.1093/aje/kwn046   4) Ethnicity as a predictor of menopause: https://doi.org/10.1093/aje/153.9.865   5) Complementary therapies for menopause: https://doi.org/10.1016/s0029-7844(02)02005-7   6) Complementary therapies for menopause: https://doi.org/10.1097/gme.0b013e318199d5e6   7) Non-hormonal treatment for hot flashes: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK72751/   8) Cochrane review of phytoestrogens: https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.cd001395.pub4   9) Cochrane review of black cohosh: https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD007244.pub2   10) Cochrane review of acupuncture: https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.cd007410.pub2   11) Women’s Health Initiative study: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/195120   12) New trial comparing psilocybin to escitalopram for depression: https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2032994   13) Jonathan’s video about the psychedelic renaissance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dlYDMbxAdoo   14) Our episode on nootropics: https://bodyofevidence.ca/053-smart-drugs-and-fluoride   15) Our episode on antidepressants: https://bodyofevidence.ca/029-antidepressants-and-fluoride       Music Credits:   Tribute To Commondore by Frank Schröter Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/7791-tribute-to-commondore License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license  

Car safety: the evidence behind seatbelts, air bags, booster seats, winter tires, and turning right on red // the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine saga, with the risk of blood clots explained // the claim that 1 in 3 people with COVID-19 will develop a neuropsychiatric condition.   * 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/   Patrons get a bonus show on Patreon called “Digressions”! Check it out!     References:   1) Causes of death according to the CDC: https://webappa.cdc.gov/sasweb/ncipc/leadcause.html   2) Traffic safety facts from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA): https://crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/Api/Public/ViewPublication/812683   3) Booster seat use in older children in Washington state: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5522634/   4) The danger of premature graduation to seat belts for young children: https://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/105/6/1179   5) A new measure making winter tires mandatory in Quebec: http://conf.tac-atc.ca/english/resourcecentre/readingroom/conference/conf2010/docs/k2/fournier-e.pdf   6) Hilda Bastian’s article on the risk of clotting with AZ’s vaccine: https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2021/03/astrazeneca-vaccine-blood-clot-issue-wont-go-away/618451/   7) The Lancet Psychiatry study on neuropsychiatric outcomes of COVID-19 patients: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanpsy/article/PIIS2215-0366(21)00084-5/fulltext     Music Credits:   Dark Secrets (DECISION) by Sascha Ende® Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/246-dark-secrets-decision- License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license     Funny Adventures by WinnieTheMoog Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/6048-funny-adventures License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license  

Chris and Jonathan discuss Australia’s COVID-19 response with epidemiologist Gideon Meyerowitz-Katz and compare it to Canada’s. Do lockdowns work? Are school closures necessary? Have we learned anything about how to manage a pandemic? The answers often turn out to be, “It depends….”   1:47 Gid in the eye of the European storm 3:45 Australia’s immediate response to COVID-19 5:52 Canada’s jet-lagged mandate to quarantine travellers 8:00 Was Australia lucky? 10:33 The May 2020 outbreak 14:58 Australians do love their laws / Right-wing liberals 20:00 Contact tracing in Quebec and Australia 25:45 The best approach to contain a pandemic 29:25 Did we learn anything? 35:12 Do lockdowns work? 38:30 Do lockdowns cause more benefits or harm? 40:45 Are school closures necessary? 44:55 The problem with the news 49:04 Predictions     * 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) Gid M-K on Twitter: https://twitter.com/GidMK 2) Gid M-K’s blog on Medium: https://gidmk.medium.com/ 3) Gid M-K’s podcast, Sensationalist Science: https://soundcloud.com/senscipod

In this special episode, Jonathan asks Chris to rank medical specialties from super-amazing to garbage! You totally won’t believe the specialty he ranks at the very top! But hey, while he’s ranking them, you might learn a thing or two about what these different breeds of doctors do! The recording ran long, so we’re splitting this into two episodes. Part 2 will be released at some point in the future. Subscribe so that you don’t miss it!     * 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!

UTIs: sex differences / antibiotics / self-diagnosis / cranberry juice / probiotics / D-mannose / drinking water / peeing after sex / contraception / topical estrogen. iPhone 12’s effect on pacemakers and implanted defibrillators. COVID-19 vaccines: Johnson & Johnson’s / AstraZeneca’s / variants / scams.   * 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/.   Patrons get a bonus show on Patreon called “Digressions”! Check it out!     References:   1) Statistics from the American Urological Association: https://www.urologyhealth.org/healthy-living/urologyhealth-extra/magazine-archives/summer-2016/understanding-utis-across-the-lifespan   2) Urinary Tract Infection Syndromes: Occurrence, Recurrence, Bacteriology, Risk Factors, and Disease Burden: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0891552013000743?via%3Dihub   3) Patient-initiated treatment of uncomplicated recurrent urinary tract infections in young women: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11434727/   4) Antibiotic sparing strategy: https://www.bmj.com/content/351/bmj.h6544   5) Cochrane review on Cranberries for preventing urinary tract infections: https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD001321.pub5   6) Cranberry Extract for Symptoms of Acute, Uncomplicated Urinary Tract Infection: A Systematic Review: https://www.mdpi.com/2079-6382/10/1/12   7) Cochrane review on Probiotics for preventing urinary tract infections in adults and children: https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD008772.pub2/full   8) Systematic review of the literature on D-mannose for recurrent UTIs: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32972899/   9) Fluid intake to prevent recurrent UTIs: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6584323/   10) Prevention and treatment of uncomplicated lower urinary tract infections in the era of increasing antimicrobial resistance-non-antibiotic approaches: a systemic review: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00404-019-05256-z   11) The Role of Asymptomatic Bacteriuria in Young Women With Recurrent Urinary Tract Infections: To Treat or Not to Treat? https://doi.org/10.1093/cid/cis534   12) INESSS Antibiotic Guidelines: https://www.inesss.qc.ca/fileadmin/doc/INESSS/Outils/GUO/Anglo/Guide_InfectionUrinaire_EN_WEB.pdf       Music Credits:   Joy And Optimism (loopable) by chilledmusic Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/7580-joy-and-optimism-loopable- License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license   Long Road Ahead by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/3996-long-road-ahead License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license  

Jonathan and Chris discuss the impact of racism within the Canadian healthcare system with Dr. OmiSoore Dryden, an associate professor at Dalhousie University and the current holder of the James R. Johnston Chair in Black Canadian Studies. They talk about the effect of the pandemic on minorities and racialized groups, and why there’s more to Africa than elephants.   1:58 A Chair in Black Canadian Studies 4:40 Black medical students 11:14 The pandemic’s effect on minorities 17:08 The grey economy 18:07 Biological versus socioeconomic risk factors 28:48 How to have conversations about systemic racism 32:53 Canada’s “universal healthcare” 38:00 The meaning of anti-racism 43:00 #GotBlood2Give and the barriers to donating blood 53:23 The tainted blood scandal 55:42 Racism is impacting your patients’ lives     * 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) OmiSoore Dryden’s personal website: https://omisooredryden.com/ 2) OmiSoore Dryden’s profile at Dalhousie University: https://medicine.dal.ca/departments/department-sites/community-health/our-people/our-faculty/omisoore-dryden-.html 3) OmiSoore Dryden on Twitter: https://twitter.com/JRJCHAIR 4) Her article in The Conversation: https://theconversation.com/coronavirus-discriminates-against-black-lives-through-surveillance-policing-and-the-absence-of-health-data-135906 5) Jonathan’s article about race and biology: https://www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/health-general-science/are-you-there-race-its-me-dna  

Changing lifestyle habits: advertising, taxes, behavioural counselling, incentives, text messages, apps, scared straight, genetic information, city design // Delaying the second COVID-19 vaccine dose // COVID-19 update: colchicine, rapid tests, children and variants.   * 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/   Patrons get a bonus show on Patreon called “Digressions”! Check it out!     References:   1) Food marketing to children: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC416565/   2) Generalizable and robust TV advertising effects: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3273476, https://freakonomics.com/podcast/advertising-part-1/, https://freakonomics.com/podcast/advertising-part-2/   3) American Heart Association’s 7 ideal lifestyle factors: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4556343/   4) Cigarette taxes: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0204416   5) Cigarette tax in Colombia: https://tobaccocontrol.bmj.com/content/28/4/374   6) Cigarette tax in China: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/langlo/article/PIIS2214-109X(15)70095-1/fulltext   7) Cigarette tax in Lebanon: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5115647/   8) Cigarette tax in Korea: https://tobaccocontrol.bmj.com/content/25/2/141   9) Sugar tax in Philadelphia: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2733208   10) Sugar tax in Spain: https://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12889-019-7908-5   11) Cochrane review on smoking cessation: https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD013229.pub2/abstract   12) Review of smoking cessation apps: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21335258/   13) Cochrane review on encouraging exercise: https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD010392.pub2/full   14) Implementing sidewalks: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24380471/   15) The walking school bus: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3164094/   16) Impact of new bike lanes: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23334767/   17) Recess in elementary school: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3074953/   18) Gym class: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17328052/   19) Chris’ Montreal Gazette article on delaying the second vaccine dose: https://montrealgazette.com/opinion/columnists/christopher-labos-risks-of-altering-vaccination-protocols-are-unknown   20) Annals of Internal Medicine modelling study on alternative dose allocation strategies: https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/m20-8137   21) McGill OSS live stream with Dr. Don Sheppard: https://youtu.be/peursUpKnx8   22) Report from Israel about effectiveness of one dose: https://www.bmj.com/content/372/bmj.n217   23) BBC article about Israel vaccine fears ‘out of context and inaccurate’: https://www.bbc.com/news/health-55734257   24) Press release for colchicine trial: https://www.icm-mhi.org/en/pressroom/news/colchicine-reduces-risk-covid-19-related-complications   25) Pre-print manuscript for colchicine trial: https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.01.26.21250494v1   26) Spartan Bioscience says Health Canada approves rapid COVID-19 test: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/spartan-bioscience-covid-19-test-approved-1.5885284     Music Credits:   End Of Summer by Frank Schröter Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/6633-end-of-summer License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license   Dramatic Riser  by Rafael Krux Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/5401-dramatic-riser- License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license   Dramatic Trailer  by Rafael Krux Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/5633-dramatic-trailer- License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license   Cinema Blockbuster Trailer 15 by Sascha Ende Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/4952-cinema-blockbuster-trailer-15 License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license   Cinema Blockbuster Trailer 13 (99FIRE-FILMS AWARD) by Sascha Ende Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/3137-cinema-blockbuster-trailer-13-99fire-films-award- License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license  

Chris and Jonathan discuss expertise and intellectual humility with Alan Levinovitz, a professor of religion, frequent guest on A User’s Guide to Cheating Death, and the author of the book Natural. As facts, arguments, and content flood our attention, how can we know whom to trust when our health is at stake? This month’s drinking game revolves around the word “adjudicate.” Drink responsibly!   1:11 The Anthony Fauci lie 2:14 A theologian on expertise 9:12 Tribalism 16:04 John Ioannidis and COVID-19 21:34 ScientificConsensus.com 26:09 The onslaught of contrarian content 32:30 People should be suspicious of sexiness in their epidemiology 35:25 When your job is to uncover hidden truths…. 39:30 A looming epistemic crisis and how to avoid it 49:16 On intellectual humility 57:33 Twitter hiatus     * 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) Alan Levinovitz on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AlanLevinovitz 2) Alan Levinovitz’s book, Natural: https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/50128614 3) Thorpe’s Science editorial on the value of debating science in the public arena: https://science.sciencemag.org/content/371/6526/213/tab-pdf

Jonathan and Chris take the time to go over the data on COVID-19 vaccines and to answer the many, many questions they have received about them.   * Cover of “Ooh Child” by Joseph Hackl * Theme music: “Fall of the Ocean Queen“ by Joseph Hackl. * Assistant researcher: Nicholas Koziris * Special guest star: Morgan Sweeney of the Magic of the Mind podcast   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!   Index:   Vaccine Development 04:20 Types of COVID-19 vaccines 09:55 RNA vaccine technology 14:45 Rushed vaccines 20:18 COVID vaccine but no HIV vaccine? 23:44 Vaccine ingredients 27:31 COVID vaccines linked to HIV? 36:21 Manufacturing only Pfizer’s vaccine   Efficacy 40:20 Efficacy at preventing COVID-19 47:07 Vaccines and asymptomatic transmission 48:37 Duration of protection 50:23 Virus mutations and vaccines   Safety 54:06 Claim about RNA vaccines altering the genome 55:11 Claim about infertility 56:13 Side effects from the vaccines 58:50 Bell’s palsy and fainting 1:01:58 Long-term safety 1:05:06 Conspiracy theory about Big Pharma and liability   Practical Considerations 1:12:25 Cold storage 1:13:58 Two doses 1:15:17 Choosing your favourite vaccine 1:16:28 Who gets vaccinated first? 1:18:50 Masks and physical distancing after vaccination 1:19:27 What if if you have had COVID? 1:20:30 What if you are pregnant? 1:21:37 What if you are immunocompromised? 1:22:56 What if I have a history of severe allergies? 1:24:50 What if I am young and healthy? 1:25:46 What if I am a child? 1:26:29 When will things go back to normal?     References:   1) COVID19 Vaccine Tracker: https://covid19.trackvaccines.org/how-do-vaccines-work/   2) Previous segment on RNA vaccines: https://bodyofevidence.ca/062-infertility-and-rna-vaccines   3) Episode of Sawbones on COVID-19 vaccines: https://maximumfun.org/episodes/sawbones/covid-vaccine-questions-and-answers/   4) Previous episode on HIV: https://bodyofevidence.ca/061-hiv-and-covid-19-therapies   5) AntiAntiVax: https://antiantivax.flurf.net/   6) Ingredients in Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine: https://www.technologyreview.com/2020/12/09/1013538/what-are-the-ingredients-of-pfizers-covid-19-vaccine   7) Ingredients in Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine: https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/drugs-health-products/covid19-industry/drugs-vaccines-treatments/vaccines/moderna.html#a11   8) The University of Queensland’s COVID vaccine and false positive HIV tests: https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/australian-covid-vaccine-terminated-due-to-hiv-false-positives-20201210-p56mju.html   9) The Lancet letter about the use of adenovirus type 5 used in vaccines: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(20)32156-5/fulltext   10) FDA briefing document on Pfizer’s vaccine: https://www.fda.gov/media/144245/download   11) FDA briefing document on Moderna’s vaccine: https://www.fda.gov/media/144434/download   12) Data on duration of protection from vaccine in phase I trial participants: https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMc2032195?query=RP   13) An in-depth, very scientific explanation for why RNA vaccines can’t alter your genome: https://www.deplatformdisease.com/blog/no-really-mrna-vaccines-are-not-going-to-affect-your-dna   14) The nurse who fainted during vaccination did not die: https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-factcheck-nurse-covid-vaccine-dead-idUSKBN29629G   15) Canadian no-fault vaccine injury program announcement: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/news/2020/12/government-of-canada-announces-pan-canadian-vaccine-injury-support-program.html   16) A look at vaccine safety in the past 20 years: https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/M20-2726  

Breast implants: reasons why, the (not so) good old days of regulatory freedom, benefits, risks, silicone vs. saline; the fear of statin side effects; a very special kind of cat video.   * 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/.   Patrons get a bonus show on Patreon called “Digressions”! Check it out!     References:   1) The number of breast implants per year: https://www.plasticsurgery.org/news/press-releases/new-statistics-reveal-the-shape-of-plastic-surgery & https://www.plasticsurgery.org/documents/News/Statistics/2018/plastic-surgery-statistics-report-2018.pdf   2) A report of a study by the Institute of Medicine: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK44775/   3) Survey of breast augmentation surgery satisfaction: https://journals.lww.com/plasreconsurg/Abstract/1994/12000/The_Efficacy_of_Breast_Augmentation__Breast_Size.9.aspx & https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5682175/   4) FDA recommendations on breast implant complications and screening post-implantation: https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/breast-implants/risks-and-complications-breast-implants   5) Study linking textured implants to anaplastic large cell lymphoma: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaoncology/fullarticle/2667737   6) Health Canada recall of textured breast implants: https://healthycanadians.gc.ca/recall-alert-rappel-avis/hc-sc/2019/69520a-eng.php   7) Silicone gel implants taken off the market in 1992: https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJM199206183262525   8) Silicone gel implants reinstated in 2006: https://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/17/washington/17cnd-breast.html   9) New England Journal of Medicine review of implant safety: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK68334/   10) Annals of Internal Medicine review: https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/M15-1169?doi=10.7326%2FM15-1169   11) Institute of Medicine report on implants: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK44775/   12) Re-operation rates: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26202563/   13) Trailer for the TV show NURSES (for no reason): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hm_cWMDtD28   14) Chris’ Gazette article on people reporting side effects from statins: https://montrealgazette.com/opinion/columnists/christopher-labos-statins-have-a-proven-track-record   15) Catspiracy: https://vimeo.com/482278265     Music Credits:   Summer Swing 2018 by Sascha Ende Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/3160-summer-swing-2018 License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/   Loving Modern Technology by MusicLFiles Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/7056-loving-modern-technology License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/   Blockbuster Atmosphere 9 (Sadness) by Sascha Ende Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/304-blockbuster-atmosphere-9-sadness- License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/   Inspiring Advertising  by Rafael Krux Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/5515-inspiring-advertising- License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/   Lights  by Rafael Krux Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/5309-lights- License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license   Jingle Bells by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/3942-jingle-bells License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license