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Skeptoid Episode Guide - Health

 

15 Sleep Myths (Skeptoid #954) - 15 popular myths about sleeping, debunked.
September 17, 2024
 
Dying of Excited Delirium (Skeptoid #951) - Turns out that the cause of death known as excited delirium is not an actual cause of death at all.
August 27, 2024
 
Medical Error Is Not the Third Leading Cause of Death (Skeptoid #948) - The claim that medical error is the third leading cause of death in the US has never been close to true.
August 6, 2024
 
Bullibility and the Cult of Wellness (Skeptoid #944) - Not only is the entire wellness industry BS, it exists because of people who are especially gullible.
July 9, 2024
 
Vampire Facials (Skeptoid #938) - This procedure promising facial rejuvenation is basically a full face tattoo of your own blood.
May 28, 2024
 
Coffee Myths (Skeptoid #936) - A roundup of 15 common myths about coffee. Which ones had you always believed?
May 14, 2024
 
COVID-19 and the Lab Leak (Skeptoid #933) - Was the SARS-CoV-2 virus of natural origin, or was it engineered in a Chinese research lab?
April 23, 2024
 
EMDR: Looking Past the Pain (Skeptoid #928) - This controversial treatment for PTSD involves moving the eyes side to side.
March 19, 2024
 
I Can't Believe They Did That: Human Guinea Pigs #3 (Skeptoid #927) - Part 3 in our roundup of scientists who took the ultimate plunge and experimented on themselves.
March 12, 2024
 
The Conspirituality of Enneagrams (Skeptoid #925) - Can everything important about you and those you interact with be boiled down to a single digit?
February 27, 2024
 
Reconsidering the Seveso Dioxin Disaster (Skeptoid #921) - Was this infamous 1976 dioxin disaster as bad as reported, or might it have been much worse than we thought?
January 30, 2024
 
DDT, 13 Years Later (Skeptoid #917) - A failure mode analysis of my most-hated episode ever: #230 on the use of DDT to fight malaria.
January 2, 2024
 
Stopping Hiccups with Science (Skeptoid #914) - Does science have a way to reliably cure the hiccups?
December 12, 2023
 
Kambo: Let It Go (Skeptoid #912) - Some believe that taking a deadly frog poison confers a vast array of New Age wellness benefits.
November 28, 2023
 
The Science of the 27 Club (Skeptoid #907) - Do lots of famous pop musicians really die at the age of 27, or is there something in science that just makes us think so?
October 24, 2023
 
Artificial Turf: Poisonous Pitches? (Skeptoid #905) - Some claim that artificial turf sports fields emit poisonous chemicals, making them dangerous for children.
October 10, 2023
 
Focusing in on Eye Exercises (Skeptoid #902) - Can you really make your eyesight better with a simple series of eye movements and exercises?
September 19, 2023
 
Berberine: Thin Body, or Thin Evidence? (Skeptoid #899) - This supplement is claimed by social media influencers to be Nature's Ozempic.
August 29, 2023
 
Finding the Third Man (Skeptoid #898) - Reports from some extreme adventurers say that a benevolent presence sometimes appears to provide comfort.
August 22, 2023
 
Handling Fentanyl: A Touchy Topic (Skeptoid #889) - Popular wisdom tells us that just touching fentanyl can produce a lethal overdose. What's the fact and what's the fiction?
June 20, 2023
 
The Dirty Secret of Dirty Electricity (Skeptoid #870) - Is there such a thing as a type of electricity running through your home's wiring that delivers horrific health impacts to anyone living there?
February 7, 2023
 
Human Mosquito Magnets (Skeptoid #862) - Is it true that mosquitoes like some people better than others?
December 13, 2022
 
Resignation Syndrome (Skeptoid #858) - In this bizarre psychiatric condition, healthy children lapse into a coma that may last for years.
November 15, 2022
 
On the Health Benefits of Drinking Alcohol (Skeptoid #857) - Some say that drinking moderate amounts of alcohol actually has certain health benefits.
November 8, 2022
 
Sniffing for Human Sex Pheromones (Skeptoid #855) - Do humans use pheromones to turn each other on? The science so far says... uhh, we have no idea.
October 25, 2022
 
Facilitated Communication Isn't (Skeptoid #831) - This discredited technique deceives loved ones into believing non-communicative people are able to communicate just fine by hiring one of these facilitators.
May 10, 2022
 
What ASMR Will Do for You (Skeptoid #829) - What is the state of the science behind this online video genre that combines relaxation with chills and shivers?
April 26, 2022
 
The Dark Side of Polyvagal Theory (Skeptoid #816) - A controversial mental health framework is also being peddled by unqualified coaches.
January 25, 2022
 
20 Years of Data from Portugal: Drug Decriminalization (Skeptoid #812) - 20 years ago, Portugal decriminalized all drugs in an effort to reduce addiction, incarceration, and negative health impacts. How has it worked?
December 28, 2021
 
Radon Therapy (Skeptoid #811) - Trying to treat pain or cancer by exposing yourself to a radioactive carcinogen provides only risk without the benefit.
December 21, 2021
 
Huna: New Age on an Island (Skeptoid #807) - Huna blends generic New Age spiritualism with a concocted version of Hawaiian tradition.
November 23, 2021
 
Probiotics Fact and Fiction (Skeptoid #801) - Some people promote probiotics as a miracle cure for just about anything. What can they really do?
October 12, 2021
 
Head Transplants (Skeptoid #784) - The facts and fiction of what's possible and what's already been tried in switching human heads.
June 15, 2021
 
CBD for Everything (Skeptoid #780) - Cannabidiol is sold as an additive to just about every kind of product you can imagine. Why?
May 18, 2021
 
Learning Styles, Re-examined (Skeptoid #764) - Most teachers believe that students have different learning styles and curricula can be tailored to it. Not so much.
January 26, 2021
 
Havana Syndrome, Microwaves, and Hearing RF (Skeptoid #761) - The lone exception to the science fact that radio cannot hurt you.
January 5, 2021
 
Examining Gulf War Illness (Skeptoid #755) - Some researchers believe there is no such thing as Gulf War Illness, and the rest have more questions than answers.
November 24, 2020
 
Phineas Gage, on Second Thought (Skeptoid #744) - A reexamination of the famous case of the man whose personality changed from a grievous brain injury.
September 8, 2020
 
Hinkley: The Erin Brockovich Case (Skeptoid #743) - The facts differ widely from what's generally believed to have been a mass poisoning.
September 1, 2020
 
Bill Gates Conspiracy Theories (Skeptoid #735) - Why is the world's greatest public health philanthropist charged with crimes against humanity?
July 7, 2020
 
Pandemic Conspiracies and Politics (Skeptoid #722) - How the conspiracy theories around today's pandemic compare to those of the past.
April 7, 2020
 
Diagnosing Chronic Lyme Disease (Skeptoid #718) - Often dismissed as purely pseudoscientific and nonexistent, chronic Lyme disease is not necessarily nothing.
March 10, 2020
 
Learning Languages from Brain Injuries (Skeptoid #716) - Popular stories on the Internet tell of people coming out of comas and suddenly speaking a new language.
February 25, 2020
 
Apple Cider Vinegar Woo (Skeptoid #712) - A test of the many sensational health claims made for apple cider vinegar.
January 28, 2020
 
All About Sex Addiction (Skeptoid #708) - The topic of sex addiction and what to do about it turns out to be more complicated than you may think.
December 31, 2019
 
MSG: How a Friendly Flavor Became Your Enemy (Skeptoid #706) - The history of this vilified flavoring is a wild ride through 20th century cultural influences.
December 17, 2019
 
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (Skeptoid #702) - These risky medical devices are increasingly being sold to treat conditions they don't treat.
November 19, 2019
 
Radon in Your Basement (Skeptoid #698) - Is this gas a risk you should worry about, or is it just another homeowner scam?
October 22, 2019
 
Glyphosate and Behavioral Economics (Skeptoid #676) - How misinformation spread over one of the safest herbicides becoming known as one of the most harmful.
May 21, 2019
 
Refeeding Syndrome and Sudden Death (Skeptoid #672) - Can starving people actually die immediately upon being given their first bite of food?
April 23, 2019
 
The Keto Diet (Skeptoid #664) - It's the latest fad diet, and people are trying it for just about any benefit you can think of.
February 26, 2019
 
Vaccine Denial: Failure Mode Analysis (Skeptoid #662) - The surprising history of how medical science's greatest success has become vilified by so many people.
February 12, 2019
 
All About Mindfulness (Skeptoid #647) - An examination of this super-trendy meditation technique to see whether it lives up to the hype.
October 30, 2018
 
Alternative Veterinary Medicine (Skeptoid #641) - Even in the 21st century, vets and pet owners are turning to prescientific, magic-based medical care.
September 18, 2018
 
Epigenetics Woo (Skeptoid #636) - This exciting new(ish) field in genetics has brought with it a slew of snake oil claims.
August 14, 2018
 
The Effects of Mandated GMO Labeling (Skeptoid #635) - We have good evidence for what to expect from mandated labeling of GMO foods, and it's not good.
August 7, 2018
 
Three Big Macs a Day (Skeptoid #629) - When we set aside pop food woo, we find that even multiple Big Macs can be part of a healthy daily diet.
June 26, 2018
 
Environmental Working Group and the Dirty Dozen (Skeptoid #623) - This company's annual press releases are intended to frighten you into buying organic.
May 15, 2018
 
The Inflammatory Diet (Skeptoid #614) - Why no, in fact you should not avoid certain foods to reduce your body's inflammation.
March 13, 2018
 
All About Grounding (Skeptoid #611) - Some New Agers believe that you can heal virtually any ailment simply by taking off your shoes.
February 20, 2018
 
Palm Oil Facts and Fiction (Skeptoid #608) - Is it a medical miracle, an environmental disaster, both, or neither?
January 30, 2018
 
Should Moms Eat Placentas? (Skeptoid #602) - The modern practice of Western mothers eating their placentas is a new and strange attention-seeking behavior.
December 19, 2017
 
The Big Pharma Conspiracy (Skeptoid #589) - Popular claims of a Big Pharma Conspiracy don't stand up to any rational scrutiny.
September 19, 2017
 
True or False Pregnancy (Skeptoid #572) - False pregnancies are not only real, they're probably more complex than you imagined.
May 23, 2017
 
Feral Children (Skeptoid #567) - Those stories about children raised by animals probably aren't what you've been led to believe.
April 18, 2017
 
Photographic Memory (Skeptoid #542) - Pop culture tells us that some people have photographic memories, but the truth is quite different.
October 25, 2016
 
Radiation Hormesis: Is It Good for You? (Skeptoid #539) - Some say that exposure to small amounts of dangerous radiation can protect you from cancer. No, it probably doesn't.
October 4, 2016
 
Antibiotics and Hormones in Beef (Skeptoid #517) - One of pop food woo's favorite claims is that drugs given to beef cattle pose a danger to humans.
May 3, 2016
 
Growing Skeptical of Hair Restoration (Skeptoid #504) - As long as people lose their hair, the market will remain flooded with sham remedies.
February 2, 2016
 
The Russian Sleep Experiment (Skeptoid #496) - Russian test subjects are said to have done unspeakably horrible things when sleep deprived.
December 8, 2015
 
Updated: Top 10 Worst Anti-Science Web Sites (Skeptoid #495) - The worst offending sites on the Internet for promoting bad misinformation.
December 1, 2015
 
Black Mold: Peril or Prosaic? (Skeptoid #494) - Black mold is commonly believed to harbor many deadly diseases; but in fact removing it is often worse than leaving it.
November 24, 2015
 
Pouring Cold Water on Cryotherapy (Skeptoid #492) - Questioning whether this new spa treatment provides all the medical benefits it claims.
November 10, 2015
 
Male Circumcision (Skeptoid #471) - Infant male circumcision remains common in the United States. Today we look at the reasons and the implications.
June 16, 2015
 
Marijuana (Skeptoid #470) - In the last 50 years, marijuana has gone from menace to medicine. Which is it?
June 9, 2015
 
Baby Myths (Skeptoid #467) - A look at some common myths about babies and children.
May 19, 2015
 
Transgender: Fact or Fiction? (Skeptoid #463) - The Internet believes a lot of things about transgender people, but much of it isn't true.
April 21, 2015
 
Science Fails (Skeptoid #458) - Science has let you down time after time, and that's one reason why it gets better and better.
March 17, 2015
 
GMO Facts and Fiction (Skeptoid #454) - See if you know how many of these GMO "facts" are right.
February 17, 2015
 
Ideomotor Response (Skeptoid #451) - The Ideomotor Response underlies a number of occult phenomena and alt-med practices.
January 27, 2015
 
That Elusive Fibromyalgia (Skeptoid #440) - Some say fibromyalgia is a real disease, while others question the diagnosis.
November 11, 2014
 
Ionithermie (Skeptoid #436) - Ionithermie is not effective for slimming or cellulite removal -- or, for anything, really.
October 14, 2014
 
Albinism Facts and Fiction (Skeptoid #425) - Even in developed countries, myths persist about people who have albinism.
July 29, 2014
 
12 Step Programs (Skeptoid #423) - Religious-based twelve step programs are no better at stopping addiction than other programs.
July 15, 2014
 
Oil Pulling (Skeptoid #409) - This New Age alternative health fad is not, in fact, based on ayurveda.
April 8, 2014
 
Aromatherapy: Sniffing Essential Oils (Skeptoid #405) - If you're expecting the pleasant aroma of certain flowers and herbs to be a medical treatment, you may be disappointed.
March 11, 2014
 
Fukushima vs Chernobyl vs Three Mile Island (Skeptoid #397) - Years after the disaster, some claim that Fukushima radiation is still going to cause widespread death.
January 14, 2014
 
Student Questions: Food Woo, Food Woo, and More Food Woo (Skeptoid #395) - Skeptoid answers questions sent in by students, all of them this week pertaining to popular food pseudoscience.
December 31, 2013
 
The Hair of Samson (Skeptoid #393) - Hold onto your hats: Growing your hair long will not confer super strength or vitality upon you.
December 17, 2013
 
6 Problems with Wind Turbine Syndrome (Skeptoid #388) - Despite activist claims, wind turbines are not making anybody sick.
November 12, 2013
 
5 False Arguments for Raw Milk (Skeptoid #383) - Some people who enjoy raw milk also make up false claims that regular milk is more dangerous.
October 8, 2013
 
Salt Therapies (Skeptoid #376) - A new trend in spas is to let people relax in salt caves, and it's based on solid pseudoscience.
August 20, 2013
 
Listener Feedback: Alternative Medicine (Skeptoid #374) - Skeptoid answers a raft of listener emails pertaining to alternative medicine.
August 6, 2013
 
Legislating Pseudoscience (Skeptoid #368) - Lawmakers are often pressured by ideologues to pass laws based on bad science.
June 25, 2013
 
The Sedona Energy Vortex (Skeptoid #366) - Vortexes of spiritual energy are claimed to exist in Sedona, but science suggests we remain skeptical.
June 11, 2013
 
The 16 Personalities of Sybil (Skeptoid #361) - The book and movie "Sybil" told the story of a woman purported to have Multiple Personality Syndrome.
May 7, 2013
 
Cupping for the Cure (Skeptoid #359) - Some believe that bruise-causing suction on the skin provides a variety of health benefits.
April 23, 2013
 
Facts and Fiction of the Schumann Resonance (Skeptoid #352) - The Schumann Resonance, 7.83Hz, is one natural radio band in our atmosphere, but holds no mystical powers.
March 5, 2013
 
Trinity: Interview with Dr. Oz, Alex Jones, and Deepak Chopra (Skeptoid #350) - Skeptoid interviews three of the most popular and controversial figures in modern pseudoscience.
February 19, 2013
 
Cleansing Diets: Why or Why Not? (Skeptoid #335) - Cleansing diets are trendier than ever. They are also a complete waste of your money.
November 6, 2012
 
Negative Calorie Food Myths (Skeptoid #322) - Negative calorie foods, said to require more energy to digest than they provide, are a popular food fad.
August 7, 2012
 
Left Handed Myths and Facts (Skeptoid #310) - Many popular anecdotes tell how and why some people are left-handed, but the true facts are even more interesting.
May 15, 2012
 
I Can't Believe They Did That: Human Guinea Pigs (Skeptoid #305) - A look at some of history's most famous scientists who experimented upon themselves.
April 10, 2012
 
The Toxic Lady (Skeptoid #291) - The story goes that in 1994, fumes from a woman's body knocked out most of an emergency room staff.
January 3, 2012
 
Pit Bull Attack! (Skeptoid #288) - Pit bulls have a reputation for being the most dangerous dog breed. Turns out the facts just don't support that.
December 13, 2011
 
Korean Fan Death (Skeptoid #287) - An urban legend in Korea states that running an electric fan at night can kill you.
December 6, 2011
 
Top 10 Worst Anti-Science Websites (Skeptoid #283) - My list of the worst offenders on the web in the promotion of scientific and factual misinformation.
November 8, 2011
 
Brainwashing and Deprogramming (Skeptoid #278) - Both brainwashing and its opposite, deprogramming, are equally mythological.
October 4, 2011
 
Wi-Fi, Smart Meters, and Other Radio Bogeymen (Skeptoid #273) - Demonizing radio transmitters as carcinogenic is popular, but is not supported by any reasonable science.
August 30, 2011
 
Curing Gays (Skeptoid #265) - Therapies intended to help gays become straight don't work.
July 5, 2011
 
Near Death Experiences (Skeptoid #261) - A comparison of the effects of hypoxia to the reports of a brush with the afterlife.
June 7, 2011
 
Mao's Barefoot Doctors: The Secret History of Chinese Medicine (Skeptoid #259) - Westerners' belief that Chinese have long relied on alternative medicine is due in part to clever book publishers.
May 24, 2011
 
Superhuman Strength during a Crisis (Skeptoid #255) - Popular stories tell of mothers lifting cars off their children. The science behind it is less than compelling.
April 26, 2011
 
The Exorcism of Anneliese (Skeptoid #248) - Exorcisms are a brutal torture ritual with no hope of actually helping a person who believes themselves possessed.
March 8, 2011
 
Gluten Free Diets (Skeptoid #239) - Gluten free diets provide no benefits at all for healthy people.
January 4, 2011
 
More Hollywood Myths (Skeptoid #238) - Was John Wayne's cancer death caused by filming downwind of the Nevada Test Site? ...and other Hollywood rumors.
December 28, 2010
 
IQ Testing (Skeptoid #235) - IQ tests are fundamentally flawed, hopelessly inconsistent, and almost completely useless.
December 7, 2010
 
DDT: Secret Life of a Pesticide (Skeptoid #230) - DDT can be both a killer of birds and a savior against malaria. Rarely is a question as black and white as we'd like.
November 2, 2010
 
Boost Your Immune System (or Not) (Skeptoid #227) - Although a lot of products promise to boost your immune system, there is actually no such thing.
October 12, 2010
 
The Things We Eat... (Skeptoid #216) - A look at what's really in food reveals the foolishness of the idea of "good food" and "bad food".
July 27, 2010
 
Is Barefoot Better? (Skeptoid #185) - Some advocate that going barefoot is better for the health and strength of your feet.
December 22, 2009
 
Vaccine Ingredients (Skeptoid #180) - The claims made about the dangerous chemicals in vaccines are all either false or misrepresented.
November 17, 2009
 
Organic vs. Conventional Agriculture (Skeptoid #166) - Organic agriculture provides no benefits whatsoever over science-based farming.
August 11, 2009
 
Ten Most Wanted: Celebrities Who Promote Harmful Pseudoscience (Skeptoid #125) - A critical look at the pseudoscientific antics of some of today's celebrities.
October 28, 2008
 
How Dangerous Is Cell Phone Radiation? (Skeptoid #117) - There is neither evidence nor plausible hypothetical foundation for cell phone signals to be at all dangerous.
September 2, 2008
 
Despicable Vulture Scumbags (Skeptoid #89) - My thoughts on a company that sells useless pseudoscientific hardware to an ALS victim.
February 26, 2008
 
Super Sized Fast Food Phobia (Skeptoid #88) - Unlike what's said in highly dramatized Hollywood shockumentaries, fast food is not especially unhealthy.
February 19, 2008
 
MonaVie and Other "Superfruit" Juices (Skeptoid #86) - Superfruit juices are nothing more than super ripoffs. Don't waste your money.
February 5, 2008
 
The Detoxification Myth (Skeptoid #83) - Despite its sciencey-sounding name, there is no such thing as "detoxification" beyond what your body already does.
January 15, 2008
 
Are Microwave Ovens Safe? (Skeptoid #80) - An examination of the various claims that microwaved food and water are poisonous.
December 25, 2007
 
Medical Myths in Movies and Culture (Skeptoid #78) - A skeptical examination of pop-culture medical beliefs, like dramatically stabbing someone in the heart with a syringe.
December 11, 2007
 
Electromagnetic Hypersensitivity: Real or Imagined? (Skeptoid #72) - Some claim to be hypersensitive to electromagnetism. Science has already solved what's really going on.
October 30, 2007
 
How to Drink Gnarly Breast Milk (Skeptoid #71) - Proponents of colostrum supplements believe that it has a whole range of benefits.
October 23, 2007
 
Raging (Bioidentical) Hormones (Skeptoid #70) - An examination of the popular trend in women's health, bioidentical hormone therapy.
October 16, 2007
 
Will Drinking from Plastic Bottles Kill You? (Skeptoid #60) - A popular fad holds that plastic water bottles leach toxic chemicals into your water. Don't believe it.
August 9, 2007
 
All About Fluoridation (Skeptoid #58) - A few fringe activists claim that fluoridation of water carries more danger than benefit.
July 30, 2007
 
Autism and Chelation: A Recipe for Risk (Skeptoid #55) - An examination of the lethal pop-culture fad of chelating autistic children.
July 15, 2007
 
Mercury Fillings (Skeptoid #36) - Mercury amalgam fillings do not release toxic levels of mercury into the body, and are harmless.
April 1, 2007
 
Natural Hygiene: Health Without Medicine (or Wisdom) (Skeptoid #28) - Natural Hygiene is a misguided, prescientific notion that nature provides everything to heal anyone of anything.
February 19, 2007
 
Chemtrails: Real or Not? (Skeptoid #27) - Some believe that airplane contrails are really dangerous chemicals being sprayed by the government.
February 15, 2007
 
Organic Food Myths (Skeptoid #19) - It's marketed as a revolution in health and the environment, but it's better described as a counterproductive fad.
January 5, 2007
 
Wheatgrass Juice (Skeptoid #6) - Wheatgrass juice contains virtually nothing of nutritional value to the human body.
November 9, 2006
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

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