The Battle for Reality

What if MAHA could do something really good for America? Kevin Klatt has an idea that would help the wellness-focused movement actually evolve: fund clinical nutrition studies. As Kevin wrote in a recent article, clinical nutrition has been woefully underfunded for over a generation. So when you see wellness influencers talking about the impact of food on the microbiome, you know they’re just spitballing with data—usually to sell you something. That could change—if RFK Jr has the will.Kevin Klatt is an assistant research scientist and instructor in the Department of Nutrition Sciences and Toxicology at UC Berkeley. He received his PhD in Molecular Nutrition from Cornell University and completed his dietetic internship at the National Institutes of Health Clinical Center.-- --Kevin Klatt on InstagramDonate to Siris Health | WebsiteTheme music: Soul'd Transitions by Luz Cafe

Wellness influencers love bashing statins and peddling cholesterol pseudoscience to sell supplements. Yet statins are one of the most effective—and most inexpensive—health interventions in medical history. I talk to subject expert, Dr Danielle Belardo, about statins and cholesterol basics. Dr. Danielle Belardo is a preventive cardiologist in Los Angeles, as well as an international speaker and published researcher. She partners with her patients through a team-based approach, blending cutting-edge medical care with comprehensive lifestyle changes, emphasizing nutrition, exercise, and stress management. Dr Danielle Belardo on InstagramWellness: Fact vs Fiction podcast-- --Donate to Siris Health | WebsiteTheme music: Soul'd Transitions by Luz Cafe

Misinformation is everywhere. Matthew Facciani spends his days trying to understand it.We discuss his definitions of misinformation and disinformation, how we engage with algorithms, and his focus on health misinformation.Matthew Facciani is a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Notre Dame. He is an interdisciplinary social scientist with a background in neuroscience and psychology and a PhD in sociology. His first book, Misguided: Where Misinformation Starts, How It Spreads, and What to Do About It, will be published by Columbia University Press in July.-- --Matthew Facciani on Threads | BlueskyDonate to Siris Health | WebsiteTheme music: Soul'd Transitions by Luz Cafe

If you follow wellness influencers, you’d think we live in a toxic stew of modernity where every company and institution is out to get us—and thankfully, they have the detoxes that will save us.Dr Ryan Marino, a medical toxicologist, joins to dispel myths around toxicology.We discuss wellness pseudoscience as well as his area of expertise: addiction, and the stigmas around it.Ryan Marino, MD is a triple-board certified medical doctor actively practicing medical toxicology, emergency medicine and addiction medicine. He works at the University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center and is an associate professor in the departments of emergency medicine and psychiatry at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine.-- --Donate to Siris Health | WebsiteTheme music: Soul'd Transitions by Luz Cafe

Have you ever been told coffee should go "in" the other end? Or that essential oils can cure your eye problems? Maybe $200 stones can cure the infertility that your electric car is causing?These are all real claims, and Mallory DeMille is there to point them out. With an educational and professional background in marketing, she's keen on the techniques wellness influencers use to sell products, science be damned.We talk about a few instances of science being damned by wellness influencers during this episode, along with the techniques they use, and red and even orange flags that you should watch out for.Mallory DeMille is a curious, creative, and quick-witted digital communications and social media professional who is passionate about the online misinformation landscape. She's a correspondent on the Conspirituality podcast and board member at Siris Health.-- --Donate to Siris Health | WebsiteTheme music: Soul'd Transitions by Luz Cafe

According to sunscreen “truthers,” sunscreen is the real culprit behind skin cancer—not the sun. After they inform you of this tidbit, they’ll usually try to sell you a “natural” solution that, according to actual research, is not nearly as effective.Dr Michelle Wong has been using social media to educate people about cosmetics, including sunscreen, for years. We discuss the mechanisms behind sunscreen, cosmetic versus mineral sunscreens, when you should apply (and how often to reapply), why tallow is not a replacement for sunscreen, and the shaky science behind the notion that sunscreen causes coral reef damage.Dr Michelle Wong is a chemistry PhD, science communicator, and cosmetic chemist who goes by Lab Muffin Beauty Science online. She’s also the author of The Science of Beauty, which I highly recommend.-- --Donate to Siris Health | WebsiteTheme music: Soul'd Transitions by Luz Cafe

Why do so many people think they can offer nutrition advice without having any training whatsoever? Diet plans and food advice are rampant in wellness land.Registered dietitian Danielle Shine cuts through the noise. We discuss the shortcomings of nutrition certification programs, the inflammation myth, seed oils, and the three greatest dangers of online nutrition misinformation.Danielle Shine is an accredited dietitian based in Australia, and a PhD candidate researching nutrition misinformation on social media. Read her seed oils carousel here.-- --Donate to Siris Health | WebsiteTheme music: Soul'd Transitions by Luz Cafe

If you’ve listened to the Environmental Working Group, you’d know that parabens are toxic. But then you should wonder why you’re listening to the Environmental Working Group, a group infamous for making alarmist and outlandish claims.Cosmetic chemist Jen Novakovich joins Derek to discuss what parabens are and why they’re one of the most tested ingredients in cosmetics. They also discuss how EWG manipulates public understanding by cherrypicking studies, natural versus synthetic cosmetic ingredients, sunscreen myths, and how cosmetics are formulated. Jen Novakovich is the host of The Eco Well podcast. She worked for a decade helping brands develop formulations, acting as a R&D liaison, guiding claims substantiation, and fact-checking marketing copy. Her niche expertise is in environmental sustainability, which includes ecodesign in R&D, substantiation, and regulatory compliance.-- --Donate to Siris Health | WebsiteTheme music: Soul'd Transitions by Luz Cafe

Want research to support whatever product you’re selling? There’s a study for that. How could that not be the case, considering over 14,000 studies are published every single day?Learning how to read a study is a valuable skill in an age of information overload. Dr Rohin Franics joins Derek Beres to discuss how he reads a study, the relevance of sample size, why studying supplements is really challenging, correlation versus causation, statists, preprints, and more.Dr Rohin Francis is a UK-based cardiologist currently working toward a PhD on imaging techniques for acute myocardial infarction at University College London. He runs the popular YouTube channel, Medlife Crisis. On occasion, he even raps.-- --Donate to Siris Health | WebsiteTheme music: Soul'd Transitions by Luz Cafe

Celery juice. Coffee enemas. Ozone therapy. The list of pseudoscientific cancer "treatments" is endless. Yet they all risk pushing people in vulnerable positions toward untenable "cures."Dr Andrea Love joins Derek Beres to discuss the dangers of cancer misinformation, as well as why the field of cancer research is so complex—and rewarding.Dr Andrea Love is an immunologist and microbiologist, as well as subject-matter expert in infectious disease immunology, cancer immunology, and autoimmunity. She writes the Immunologic newsletter.-- --Donate to Siris Health | WebsiteTheme music: Soul'd Transitions by Luz Cafe