The Body of Evidence

Food allergies, specifically peanut allergies have been increasing in children. But key research changed policy and the past 10 years have seen a steady decline. In a rare win for the goodies, we see how science shaped public policy and made things better for a whole generation of children.  Become a supporter of our show today either on Patreon or through PayPal! Thank you! http://www.patreon.com/thebodyofevidence/ https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=9QZET78JZWCZE   Email us your questions at thebodyofevidence@gmail.com.   Editor:    Robyn Flynn Theme music: "Fall of the Ocean Queen" by Joseph Hackl Rod of Asclepius designed by Kamil J. Przybos Chris' book, Does Coffee Cause Cancer?: https://ecwpress.com/products/does-coffee-cause-cancer   Obviously, Chris is not your doctor (probably). This podcast is not medical advice for you; it is what we call information. References: Chris article on peanut and food allergies: https://montrealgazette.com/opinion/columnists/labos-food-allergies-a-hard-nut-to-crack-but-theres-some-good-news The old recommendations: https://publications.aap.org/pediatrics/article-abstract/106/2/346/62820/Hypoallergenic-Infant-Formulas?redirectedFrom=fulltext The new recommendations: https://www.cps.ca/en/documents/position/allergenic-solids#ref2 Increasing food allergies: http://www.jacionline.org/article/S0091-6749(10)00575-0/abstract The LEAP study: https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1414850 The effect the LEAP study had on allergy rates in children" https://publications.aap.org/pediatrics/article/156/5/e2024070516/204636/Guidelines-for-Early-Food-Introduction-and?autologincheck=redirected Skin contact as a risk factor for peanut allergies: https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa013536 Oral Immunotherapy for peanut allergies: https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1812856 Met-analysis of immunotherapy for peanut allergies: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31030987/

In our ongoing quest to become a Grey's Anatomy rewatch podcast, we decided it would be a good idea to kick off the new year with another Grey's Anatomy focused episode.  Our editor, and certified Grey's Anatomy superfan, Robyn Flynn, brings more crazy cases and stories from one of the longest running medical dramas of all time. Could these cases actually happen in real life?! And, if so, how would the doctors deal with those patients and situations? Become a supporter of our show today either on Patreon or through PayPal! Thank you! http://www.patreon.com/thebodyofevidence/ https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=9QZET78JZWCZE Email us your questions at thebodyofevidence@gmail.com. Editor:    Robyn Flynn Theme music: "Fall of the Ocean Queen" by Joseph Hackl Rod of Asclepius designed by Kamil J. Przybos Chris' book, Does Coffee Cause Cancer?: https://ecwpress.com/products/does-coffee-cause-cancer Obviously, Chris is not your doctor (probably). This podcast is not medical advice for you; it is what we call information.

It's Part 2 of our end-of-year wrap up. Chris, Sophie, Robyn (behind the camera), and Tobi (wandering around) all join in to answer a potpourri of viewer questions. Also a video bonus for our Patreon members.

It's Part 1 of our end-of-year wrap up. Chris, Sophie, Robyn (behind the camera), and Tobi (wandering around) all join in to answer a potpourri of viewer questions. Also a video bonus for our Patreon members.

Hallux valgus (bunions) are more common in women than men and high heeled shoes are often blamed. But how much of the problem is environment and how much genetics?   Become a supporter of our show today either on Patreon or through PayPal! Thank you! http://www.patreon.com/thebodyofevidence/ https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=9QZET78JZWCZE   Email us your questions at thebodyofevidence@gmail.com.   Editor:    Robyn Flynn Theme music: "Fall of the Ocean Queen" by Joseph Hackl Rod of Asclepius designed by Kamil J. Przybos Chris' book, Does Coffee Cause Cancer?: https://ecwpress.com/products/does-coffee-cause-cancer   Obviously, Chris is not your doctor (probably). This podcast is not medical advice for you; it is what we call information. References: Bunions in unshod populations: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/13587573/ Prevalence of bunions in the general population: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20868524/ The 2004 Cochrane review on conservative therapies to treat bunions: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20868524/ More recent data on conservatie therapies to treat bunions: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34408037/ The 2024 Cochrane review on surgery to treat bunions: https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD013726.pub2/full

The global community has agreed to end the use of mercury in dental fillings. But is mercury in your mouth really dangerous and where else is mercury being used in the world?  Become a supporter of our show today either on Patreon or through PayPal! Thank you! http://www.patreon.com/thebodyofevidence/ https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=9QZET78JZWCZE   Email us your questions at thebodyofevidence@gmail.com.   Editor:    Robyn Flynn Theme music: "Fall of the Ocean Queen" by Joseph Hackl Rod of Asclepius designed by Kamil J. Przybos Chris' book, Does Coffee Cause Cancer?: https://ecwpress.com/products/does-coffee-cause-cancer   Obviously, Chris is not your doctor (probably). This podcast is not medical advice for you; it is what we call information. References: Minamata Convention COP-6 conference https://minamataconvention.org/en/news/minamata-convention-cop-6-agrees-end-use-dental-amalgam-2034-marking-historic-milestone WHO 1991 report on inorganic mercury: https://www.inchem.org/documents/ehc/ehc/ehc118.htm#PartNumber:1 Health Canada's 1996 report on mercury:  https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/drugs-health-products/reports-publications/medical-devices/safety-dental-amalgam-health-canada-1996.html

Two new medical mysteries for Chris and Aigul to unpack. Why did this 44-year-old woman with Chron's disease develop a rash and why did a teenage cyclist with double vision develop an unstable gait?   Become a supporter of our show today either on Patreon or through PayPal! Thank you! http://www.patreon.com/thebodyofevidence/ https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=9QZET78JZWCZE   Email us your questions at thebodyofevidence@gmail.com.   Editor:    Robyn Flynn Theme music: "Fall of the Ocean Queen" by Joseph Hackl Rod of Asclepius designed by Kamil J. Przybos Chris' book, Does Coffee Cause Cancer?: https://ecwpress.com/products/does-coffee-cause-cancer   Obviously, Chris is not your doctor (probably). This podcast is not medical advice for you; it is what we call information. Links to the cases: https://reference.medscape.com/viewarticle/unresolved-rash-44-year-old-woman-crohns-disease-2025a1000q3g  https://reference.medscape.com/viewarticle/teenaged-cyclist-double-vision-and-unsteady-gait-2025a1000pqf  

Jevin West joins Chris to talk about teaching critical thinking and whether AI is a force for good or a force for evil. Both of them have passed the Turing Test so all fellow humans are welcome.   Become a supporter of our show today either on Patreon or through PayPal! Thank you! http://www.patreon.com/thebodyofevidence/ https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=9QZET78JZWCZE   Email us your questions at thebodyofevidence@gmail.com.   Editor:    Robyn Flynn Theme music: "Fall of the Ocean Queen" by Joseph Hackl Rod of Asclepius designed by Kamil J. Przybos Chris' book, Does Coffee Cause Cancer?: https://ecwpress.com/products/does-coffee-cause-cancer   Obviously, Chris is not your doctor (probably). This podcast is not medical advice for you; it is what we call information. References: 1) Red Pen Reviews: https://www.redpenreviews.org  

Nick Tiller returns to discuss whether saunas actually have health benefits and possibly completely contradict himself after his previous episode about ice baths. We dig into the data from Kuopio and the Finnish Kuopio Ischemic Heart Disease Risk Factor study and investigate whether there might be some risks associated with saunas.   Become a supporter of our show today either on Patreon or through PayPal! Thank you! http://www.patreon.com/thebodyofevidence/ https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=9QZET78JZWCZE   Email us your questions at thebodyofevidence@gmail.com.   Editor:    Robyn Flynn Theme music: "Fall of the Ocean Queen" by Joseph Hackl Rod of Asclepius designed by Kamil J. Przybos Chris' book, Does Coffee Cause Cancer?: https://ecwpress.com/products/does-coffee-cause-cancer   Obviously, Chris is not your doctor (probably). This podcast is not medical advice for you; it is what we call information. References: 1) Nick's Skeptical Inquirer article on the subject of saunas: https://skepticalinquirer.org/exclusive/are-saunas-good-for-you-yes-but/   2) The study purporting to show a 60% benefit in cardiovascular risk https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/07853890.2017.1387927#d1e290   3) A scientific review of the health benefits of sauns from the same authors: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0025619623000083   4) One of the few RCTs on the issue although it only uses surrogate endpoints: https://journals.physiology.org/doi/full/10.1152/japplphysiol.00322.2023  

EPISODE 152 – Why RFK Jr. is wrong to claim that Tylenol causes autism. According to the Wall Street Journal, RFK Jr. and the HHS are planning to release a report claiming acetaminophen (Tylenol/paracetamol) is inked to autism spectrum disorder. The evidence says he's wrong. Not just because the better quality studies show no link, not just because autism is probably mostly genetic with some minor environmental factors impacting its prevalence, but also because the alternatives to Tylenol for pain/fever control are much worse.   Become a supporter of our show today either on Patreon or through PayPal! Thank you! http://www.patreon.com/thebodyofevidence/ https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=9QZET78JZWCZE Email us your questions at thebodyofevidence@gmail.com. Editor:    Robyn Flynn Theme music: "Fall of the Ocean Queen" by Joseph Hackl Rod of Asclepius designed by Kamil J. Przybos Chris' book, Does Coffee Cause Cancer?: https://ecwpress.com/products/does-coffee-cause-cancer Obviously, Chris is not your doctor (probably). This podcast is not medical advice for you; it is what we call information. References: 1)    The Wall Street Journal article:  https://www.wsj.com/health/healthcare/rfk-jr-hhs-to-link-autism-to-tylenol-use-in-pregnancy-and-folate-deficiencies-e3acbb4c 2)    Chris article in the Montreal Gazette: https://www.montrealgazette.com/opinion/columnists/article1154467.html 3)    The safety warning about NSAIDs in pregnancy: https://www.fda.gov/safety/medical-product-safety-information/nonsteroidal-anti-inflammatory-drugs-nsaids-drug-safety-communication-avoid-use-nsaids-pregnancy-20 4)    The 2024 Swedish study that used sibling controls: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2817406 5)    Data showing the roughly 3:1 preponderance of males vs. females with autism https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34855727/ 6)    Some of the environmental factors that may affect autism spectrum disorder https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21746727/

A viewer question prompts Chris and Sophie to look into scrambler therapy. A medical therapy for chronic pain with a silly name that sounds like it should be pseudoscience, but actually isn't. How is it different from Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS)? How good is the evidence and how much of the benefit is actually a placebo response.   Become a supporter of our show today either on Patreon or through PayPal! Thank you! http://www.patreon.com/thebodyofevidence/ https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=9QZET78JZWCZE  Email us your questions at thebodyofevidence@gmail.com.  Editor:    Robyn Flynn Theme music: "Fall of the Ocean Queen" by Joseph Hackl Rod of Asclepius designed by Kamil J. Przybos Chris' book, Does Coffee Cause Cancer?: https://ecwpress.com/products/does-coffee-cause-cancer Obviously, Chris is not your doctor (probably). This podcast is not medical advice for you; it is what we call information.  References: 1)    2016 review of scrambler therapy for chronic pain https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-016-3177-3 2)    2018 update https://doi.org/10.1177/1534735419845143 Key studies: Sabato (2005) – 226 patients: 80% had >50% pain reduction Marineo (2011) – RCT: 91% pain reduction in Scrambler group vs. 28% in controls Ricci (2012) – 82 patients: Mean pain scores dropped from 6.2/10 prior to treatment to 1.6 just after completing 10 treatment days to 2.9, 2 weeks after finishing treatment. Compagnone (2015) – 201 patients: pain went from 7.41 to 1.6 Notaro (2015) – All patients had ≥50% pain reduction; relief lasted ~8 weeks; sleep improved Pachman (2014) – 37 patients: 53% average pain reduction; effect lasted 10 weeks One 'no results' study:  Campbell (2013) – 14 patients, RCT with sham control; no improvement—but team lacked experience, which may have skewed results.

Rodney Schmaltz joins Chris to talk about teaching scientific skepticism to university students. How does learning about Big Foot, debunking photos of fairies, and going on a ghost hunt make you better at debunking pseudoscience? Also, how to speak to believers in pseudoscience without making the other person hate you.   Become a supporter of our show today either on Patreon or through PayPal! Thank you! http://www.patreon.com/thebodyofevidence/ https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=9QZET78JZWCZE   Email us your questions at thebodyofevidence@gmail.com.   Editor:    Robyn Flynn Theme music: "Fall of the Ocean Queen" by Joseph Hackl Rod of Asclepius designed by Kamil J. Przybos Chris' book, Does Coffee Cause Cancer?: https://ecwpress.com/products/does-coffee-cause-cancer   Obviously, Chris is not your doctor (probably). This podcast is not medical advice for you; it is what we call information. References: 1) Rodney's website that also hosts his Tedx talk: https://www.rodneyschmaltz.com/ 2) The Lilienfeld Alliance: https://sites.google.com/view/lilienfeldalliance/lilicon-2026?authuser=0

Leaky Gut Syndrome. Always a favorite of the pseudoscience crowd. But is there any medical validity to the concept. Chris and Sophie look deep into the concept to find out if the diagnosis of Leaky Gut holds water or is just full of holes. Become a supporter of our show today either on Patreon or through PayPal! Thank you! http://www.patreon.com/thebodyofevidence/ https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=9QZET78JZWCZE Email us your questions at thebodyofevidence@gmail.com. Editor:    Robyn Flynn Theme music: "Fall of the Ocean Queen" by Joseph Hackl Rod of Asclepius designed by Kamil J. Przybos Chris' book, Does Coffee Cause Cancer?: https://ecwpress.com/products/does-coffee-cause-cancer Obviously, Chris is not your doctor (probably). This podcast is not medical advice for you; it is what we call information.