The Body of Evidence

Latest Episodes:

074 - Ergonomics / Juul Controversy / Q&A Aug 08, 2021

Show notes

What does the body of evidence have to say on the topic of ergonomics? Plus: should a maker of vaping products have bought out an entire issue of an academic journal to publish its studies, and we answer questions from our listeners about osteoporosis and COVID contrarians.

Block 1:

Ergonomics: carpal tunnel syndrome and ergonomic keyboards (2:09)

Block 2:

Ergonomics: work breaks, arm supports, workplace interventions, standing desks, and computer glasses (11:27)

Block 3:

The controversy over Juul e-cigarettes and academic publishing (28:42)

Block 4:

Is this paper proof that strontium works for osteoporosis? (41:07)

What’s with MDs and PhDs becoming COVID contrarians? (45:33)

* 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) Cochrane review on ergonomic keyboards for carpal tunnel syndrome: https://www.cochrane.org/CD009600/NEUROMUSC_ergonomic-positioning-or-equipment-for-carpal-tunnel-syndrome

2) Cochrane review on various interventions for reducing neck pain: https://www.cochrane.org/CD008570/OCCHEALTH_ergonomic-interventions-preventing-work-related-musculoskeletal-disorders-upper-limb-and-neck-among

3) Cochrane review on various interventions for reducing neck pain: https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD008570.pub3/full?highlightAbstract=ergonomic%7Cergonom

4) Cochrane review on various interventions for reducing neck pain: https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD012886.pub2/full?highlightAbstract=ergonomic%7Cergonom

5) Cochrane review on ergonomics in dentistry practices: https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD011261.pub2/full?highlightAbstract=ergonomic%7Cergonom

6) Cochrane review on workplace interventions: https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD010912.pub5/full?highlightAbstract=ergonomic%7Cergonom

7) Sydney Morning Herald article on the lack of science in ergonomics: https://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/health-and-wellness/a-difficult-position-experts-question-whether-ergonomics-holds-up-20180910-p502w5.html

8) Our previous episodes on vaping: https://bodyofevidence.ca/005-e-cigarettes, https://bodyofevidence.ca/052-baldness-and-vaping, and https://bodyofevidence.ca/056-drinking-water-and-olivier-bernard

9) Philadelphia Inquirer article on the Juul controversy: https://www.inquirer.com/health/juul-pro-vaping-research-seeks-to-influence-fda-regulation-e-cigarettes-20210710.html

10) The paper on strontium for osteoporosis: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5310667/

Interview - Lindsay Duncan on Doping in Sport Jul 18, 2021

Show notes

Jonathan and Chris speak to Dr. Lindsay Duncan, a kinesiologist and co-director of the Theories and Interventions in Exercise and Health Psychology laboratory at McGill University. In light of the upcoming Summer Olympics, what are banned substances and why are they banned? How common is supplement use among athletes? And do superhero movies—with actors undergoing dramatic body transformations in a short amount of time—alter expectations in the gym?

1:45 Why are some competitive advantages allowed but not others?

5:17 The next frontier: gene editing

6:43 Banned substances cleared for medical use

11:29 Common performance-enhancing drugs

13:51 THC and alcohol

18:49 The possibility of accidental exposure

20:37 Protecting athletes from harm

26:09 Supplement use is incredibly common

29:04 The superhero physique

33:33 Celebrity trainers

36:48 Sleep and rest

40:25 Athletes’ use of social media

41:46 Preventing drug use in young athletes

44:22 Stripping away hype without affecting motivation

If you want to apply to be our social media manager, you find the details here: https://bodyofevidence.ca/looking-for-part-time-social-media-manager

* 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) Lindsay Duncan on Twitter: https://twitter.com/LindsayDuncan9

Cartoon #10: I'm Not Anti-Vaxx But... Jul 14, 2021

Show notes

073 - Fibromyalgia / Mixing Vaccines / Myocarditis Risk Jul 04, 2021

Show notes

What does the body of evidence have to say on the topic of fibromyalgia? Plus: assorted topical discussions about mixing COVID vaccines, the tiny/maybe/it’s nothing increased risk of myocarditis and pericarditis with the RNA vaccines, and long-term immunity following COVID vaccination.

Block 1:

Fibromyalgia: what could be causing it? (3:00)

Block 2:

Fibromyalgia: diagnosing and treating it (10:02)

Block 3:

Mixing and matching COVID vaccines (28:20)

Block 4:

Myocarditis and pericarditis with the RNA vaccines (38:40)

Long-term immunity from COVID vaccines (51:35)

If you want to apply to be our social media manager, you find the details here: https://bodyofevidence.ca/looking-for-part-time-social-media-manager

* 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) Prevalence of fibromyalgia: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23203795/

2) Diagnostic criteria for fibromyalgia: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20461783/

3) Misdiagnosis of fibromyalgia, comparing physicians to criteria-based diagnosis: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/acr.23731

4) FM/a blood test for fibromyalgia (Science-Based Medicine post): https://www.skepdoc.info/a-blood-test-for-fibromyalgia/

5) FM/a blood test for fibromyalgia (AAFP article): https://www.aafp.org/afp/2021/0501/p566.html

6) Economic benefits after receiving a fibromyalgia diagnosis: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18311794/ and https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23024016/

7) Exercise for fibromyalgia: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28636204/

8) UK preprint on mixing and matching COVID vaccines (Com-COV trial): https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3874014

9) Ed Yong’s article on how the immune system is where intuition goes to die: https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2020/08/covid-19-immunity-is-the-pandemics-central-mystery/614956/

10) Nature paper on long-term immunity after receiving a COVID vaccine: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-021-03738-2

Interview - Tania Bubela on Vaccine Patents Jun 20, 2021

Show notes

Chris and Jonathan speak to Dean Tania Bubela from Simon Fraser University, an expert on scientific innovations and intellectual property. The big question: as we try to get COVID-19 vaccines into more arms and in a more equitable fashion worldwide, should the patents pharmaceutical companies have on these vaccines be lifted? And what would a better system look like when the next pandemic hits us?

3:45 What is a patent?

8:00 Patents in biomedicine

12:58 To lift or not to lift COVID-19 vaccine patents?

17:15 The potential of the mRNA platform

28:30 Bill Gates, his love of IP, and the Oxford University-AstraZeneca deal

35:34 A better system involving public-private partnerships

40:51 Do we need pharma?

46:22 Does pharma deserve our trust?

If you want to apply to be our social media manager, you can find the details here: https://bodyofevidence.ca/looking-for-part-time-social-media-manager

* 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) Tania Bubela on Twitter: https://twitter.com/bubela_tania

072 - Liver Disease / Sleep Disorder / Grab Bag Jun 06, 2021

Show notes

Liver disease (2:29 for part 1, 11:13 for part 2) // sleep disorder (28:42) // The omega-3 war (41:55), coffee and colorectal cancer (45:37), and RNA vaccines and myocarditis (48:44).

* 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) Jonathan’s article on the OURA ring: https://mcgill.ca/oss/article/covid-19-health-technology/magical-ring-was-claimed-predict-covid-19

2) Coffee consumption and colorectal cancer prognosis: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaoncology/article-abstract/2777346?utm_campaign=articlePDF&utm_medium=articlePDFlink&utm_source=articlePDF&utm_content=jamaoncol.2020.8479

Music Credits:

Lofi Chill Hip-Hop by WinnieTheMoog

Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/6347-lofi-chill-hip-hop

License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Morning Rhythm by Rafael Krux

Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/5338-morning-rhythm-

License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Interview - Clay Jones on Newborns and Kids May 23, 2021

Show notes

Jonathan and Chris delve into the world of newborns and medical care for children with Dr. Clay Jones, a paediatrician who practices in Massachusetts and who regularly writes for the Science-Based Medicine blog. From preventing SIDS to treating a fever (or not), we go through our listeners’ questions. In a week, our patrons will get a bonus episode with more from Clay!

2:04 COVID-19 vaccines in kids

6:27 “I’m not anti-vaccine but…” says Texas paediatrician

12:17 Chiropractic in children and babies

20:07 Best temperature for newborns (in Fahrenheit!)

22:36 Are diapers bad for the baby?

25:25 Safe sleeping

30:00 What predisposes to SIDS?

32:16 Do newborns dream? (An Inception on Elm Street)

37:37 Baby slings and hip dysplasia

42:57 Long-term outcome of very premature babies

45:44 Apgar scores (to get into daycare)

48:28 Fever

51:49 Teething

54:44 Recurring infections in kindergarten

57:16 RyRy’s impossible question

* 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) Clay Jones at Science-Based Medicine: https://sciencebasedmedicine.org/author/clayjones/

2) Clay Jones on Twitter: https://twitter.com/SBMPediatrics

071 - Menopause and Psychedelics May 09, 2021

Show notes

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

070 - Car Safety and the AstraZeneca Saga Apr 18, 2021

Show notes

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

Interview - Gid M-K on Australia's COVID-19 Response Apr 04, 2021

Show notes

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?