The Body of Evidence

Chris, Jonathan, and a mystery guest get together for an old-fashioned radio play. Are hot dogs and other red meat really as bad for your health as cigarettes? A doctor without a name boards an airplane and is soon asked to answer this question. It involves risk, hazard, and a budding romance.

Theme music: “Fall of the Ocean Queen“ by Joseph Hackl.

Assistant researcher: Aigul Zaripova

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!

Music:

Jazzy Comping 2 by Agnese Valmaggia

Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/8550-jazzy-comping-2

Licensed under CC BY 4.0: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Links:

1) To buy Chris’ book: https://doescoffeecausecancer.com/

Chris gets surprisingly aggressive (and hairy) during a football match, which leads the boys to discuss concussions. Jacob goes to a hockey game and finds a lot of people who are intimately familiar with mild traumatic brain injuries. How common are they, what’s the treatment for them, and should you let someone with a concussion fall asleep? Perhaps more importantly, would you let your kid play football (or hockey)? Also: a new iteration of the Canadian Food Guide gets rid of food groups; talcum powder strikes back; probiotics make surprising appearances in our food supply if we are to believe Canadians; and a joke few people will get. It’s Skeptics with a—wait, wrong show.

Vox pop by Jacob Meza of the So It Is Told podcast.

Jingle by Joseph Hackl.

Additional music by Seth Donnelly and Kevin MacLeod.

Theme music: "Troll of the Mountain Swing" by the Underscore Orkestra.

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!

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References

*Studies showing that helmet use reduces injuries in sports

1. Johnston KM, McCrory P, Mohtadi NG, Meeuwisse W. Evidence-Based review of sport-related concussion: clinical science. Clin J Sport Med 2001; 11:150.

2. Sulheim S, Holme I, Ekeland A, Bahr R. Helmet use and risk of head injuries in alpine skiers and snowboarders. JAMA 2006; 295:919.

3. Russell K, Christie J, Hagel BE. The effect of helmets on the risk of head and neck injuries among skiers and snowboarders: a meta-analysis. CMAJ 2010; 182:333.

4. Hollis SJ, Stevenson MR, McIntosh AS, et al. Incidence, risk, and protective factors of mild traumatic brain injury in a cohort of Australian nonprofessional male rugby players. Am J Sports Med 2009; 37:2328.

*Study of cognitive rest in adolescents post concussion

Thomas DG, Apps JN, Hoffmann RG, et al. Benefits of strict rest after acute concussion: a randomized controlled trial. Pediatrics 2015; 135:213.

*Study about prognosis post concussion

Triebel KL, Martin RC, Novack TA, et al. Treatment consent capacity in patients with traumatic brain injury across a range of injury severity. Neurology 2012; 78:1472.

*Studies about CTE

1. Bieniek KF, Ross OA, Cormier KA, et al. Chronic traumatic encephalopathy pathology in a neurodegenerative disorders brain bank. Acta Neuropathol 2015; 130:877.

2. Mez J, Daneshvar DH, Kiernan PT, et al. Clinicopathological Evaluation of Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy in Players of American Football. JAMA 2017; 318:360.

*Study linking NFL and Alzheimer’s

Lehman EJ, Hein MJ, Baron SL, Gersic CM. Neurodegenerative causes of death among retired National Football League players. Neurology 2012; 79:1970.

What does the body of evidence say on Ozempic and its impact on diabetes and obesity? Plus: can you trade in your antidepressant for a jog, and Chris returns to the hot seat to diagnose a teenage boy who fell during a baseball game!

Block 1:

(2:22) Ozempic/Wegovy: GLP-1 receptor agonists; the difference between them; Mounjaro; Trulicity; diabetes biology; glucagon-like peptides 1 and 2; the problem with GLP-1; DPP4 inhibitors

Block 2:

(12:33) Ozempic/Wegovy: The venom of the Gila monster; how semaglutide became a blockbuster drug; weight loss; the numerous clinical trials; the impact on the stock prices of dialysis companies; downsides; the Internet craze

Block 3:

(27:03) Is running as beneficial for depression as medication?

Block 4:

(36:42) The case of the baseball player’s heart

Jingle by Joseph Hackl

Theme music: “Fall of the Ocean Queen“ by Joseph Hackl

Assistant researcher: Aigul Zaripova

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) History of GLP-1 receptor agonists: https://www.statnews.com/2023/09/30/weight-loss-ozempic-nobel-prize-science/

2) Liraglutide vs. exenatide: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(12)61267-7

3) Meta-analysis of GLP-1 receptor agonists: https://doi.org/10.1111/dom.12849

4) A brief summary of the SUSTAIN studies, all 11 of them, which demonstrated the efficacy of semaglutide and its cardiovascular benefit: https://diabetes.medicinematters.com/semaglutide/type-2-diabetes/a-quick-guide-to-the-sustain-trials/12206922

5) A brief summary of the STEP trials, all 10 of them, which tested semaglutide as a weight loss medications even in non-diabetics: https://diabetes.medicinematters.com/semaglutide/obesity/quick-guide-step-trials/18854832

6) Announcement that the FLOW trial is being stopped prematurely: https://www.novonordisk.com/news-and-media/news-and-ir-materials/news-details.html?id=166327 & https://www.investors.com/news/technology/novo-nordisk-stock-pops-after-hinting-weight-loss-drug-treats-kidney-disease/

7) GI side effects of GLP-1 receptor agonists: https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2023.19574

8) Gid M-K’s Slate article: https://slate.com/technology/2023/10/exercise-depression-anxiety-treatment-effectiveness-ssris-research.html

9) Study on running to treat depression: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0165032723002239?via%3Dihub#s0065:~:text=https%3A//doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2023.02.064

10) Details on the DEA-Quebec app to find an AED near you: https://www.jacquesdechamplain.com/en/major-update-to-the-dea-quebec-application/

11) Government of Canada’s definition of a pesticide: https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/environmental-workplace-health/reports-publications/environmental-contaminants/human-biomonitoring-resources/glyphosate-in-people.html

It’s Not Twitter, But It’ll Do:

1) Jonathan’s article on how natural health products and dietary supplements are regulated: https://www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/critical-thinking-health-and-nutrition/false-reassurance-dietary-supplement-regulation

2) Jonathan’s article on fentanyl: https://www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/medical-critical-thinking/you-wont-die-touching-fentanyl

3) Chris’ article in Medscape about the COSMOS study: https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/996926

4) Chris’ Gazette article on coated vs. uncoated aspirin: https://montrealgazette.com/opinion/columnists/christopher-labos-the-bare-facts-about-coated-aspirin

Arthritis: what it is; osteoarthritis vs. inflammatory arthritis; rheumatism; the risks and benefits of treatments // biosimilars, the “generic drugs” of biologics // Q&A: Chris’ qualms about omega-3 supplements for your heart // The Health Canada Ministry of Truth // Natural products claiming to cure cancer

Jingle by Joseph Hackl

Additional original music by Seth Donnelly

Theme music: "Troll of the Mountain Swing" by the Underscore Orkestra.

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!

Reference:

1) Cochrane review on exercise for arthritis: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26405113

2) Aquatic exercise and arthritis: https://www.cochrane.org/CD005523/MUSKEL_aquatic-exercise-people-osteoarthritis-knee-or-hip

3) Weight loss and arthritis improvement: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17204567

4) Tylenol meta-analyses:

https://www.bmj.com/content/350/bmj.h1225

https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(17)31744-0/fulltext

5) Review on topical NSAIDs: https://www.cochrane.org/CD007402/SYMPT_topical-non-steroidal-anti-inflammatory-drugs-acute-musculoskeletal-pain-adults

6) Capsaicin as a treatment for chronic pain: https://www.cochrane.org/CD007393/SYMPT_capsaicin-applied-skin-chronic-neuropathic-pain-adults

7) Corticosteroids injections:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26490760

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28510679

8) Knee braces and orthotics: https://www.cochrane.org/CD004020/MUSKEL_braces-and-orthoses-for-osteoarthritis-of-the-knee

9) Duloxetien for knee pain: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26176791

10) Glucosamine and chondroitin: https://www.nejm.org/doi/10.1056/NEJMoa052771?url_ver=Z39.88-2003&rfr_id=ori:rid:crossref.org&rfr_dat=cr_pub%3dwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

11) Trials fo knee surgery for arthritis: https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1505467

12) The omega-3 for cardiovascular disease meta-analysis: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31567003?fbclid=IwAR31Z3qq07L9RULPuvFVyzTKavjgde3Mgl_A2LD7BTtw2u4ZZNvat8wAzEU

13) The CTV report on homeopathy: https://bit.ly/2IlNRSx

14) Bad Science Watch report on natural health products and cancer claims: https://badsciencewatch.ca/natural-health-product-retailers-sell-cancer-cures/

Music Credits:

Meanwhile in Bavaria by Kevin MacLeod

Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/4028-meanwhile-in-bavaria

License: