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You might have seen those robot-looking red light masks being sold for skincare purposes.
You might have thought — looks technological, but does it work?
It's not just red light. There are a spectrum of health claims from infrared to ultraviolet.
Norman and Tegan go through the rainbow to assess where there's evidence, and where there's not.
References:
Near Infrared Photoimmunotherapy: A Review of Recent Progress and Their Target Molecules for Cancer Therapy
Effect of NASA Light-Emitting Diode Irradiation on Wound Healing
Visible Red Light Emitting Diode Photobiomodulation for Skin Fibrosis: Key Molecular Pathways
Utilization of light-emitting diodes for skin therapy: Systematic review and meta-analysis
Photodynamic Therapy Using HMME for Port-Wine Stains: Clinical Effectiveness and Sonographic Appearance
Effect of Blue Light on Acne Vulgaris: A Systematic Review
The efficacy of violet light in the treatment of acne
Featured review: What are the benefits and risks of light therapy for treating atopic eczema?
Light therapy for preventing seasonal affective disorder
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Life can be exhausting, and while a nap might be in order, it’s rare you’ve got time to take one.
Caffeine can come to the rescue, but you might not be a fan of tea of coffee. Energy drinks are an alternative, but are they any good for you?
Norman and Tegan explain what modern energy drinks contain, and what the ingredients do.
What's That Rash? is on YouTube! Subscribe to ABC Science to watch the podcast.
References:
Prevalence and Amounts of Common Ingredients Found in Energy Drinks and Shots
International society of sports nutrition position stand: energy drinks and energy shots
Consumption of energy drinks by children and young people: a systematic review examining evidence of physical effects and consumer attitudes
Energy Drinks and Their Adverse Health Effects: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
A randomized, placebo-controlled crossover trial of a decaffeinated energy drink shows no significant acute effect on mental energy
Taurine deficiency as a driver of aging
This scientist treated her own cancer with viruses she grew in the lab
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Many people live sedentary lives, sitting in an office all day then coming home to sit on the couch all night.
What are the health harms of too much sitting? And do they compare to smoking as some headlines claim?
Norman and Tegan settle in to explain the risks, and what you can do to avoid them.
What's That Rash? is on YouTube! Subscribe to ABC Science to watch the podcast.
References:
Evaluating the Evidence on Sitting, Smoking, and Health: Is Sitting Really the New Smoking?
Trends in Self-Reported Sitting Time by Physical Activity Levels Among US Adults, NHANES 2007/2008–2017/2018
Recent Trends in Sedentary Time: A Systematic Literature Review
Sedentary behaviour and health in adults: an overview of systematic reviews
Around 10,000 steps a day may counteract health risks of high sedentary time
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We live in a world full of influencers pushing us products promising to keep us looking bouncy and youthful forever.
Collagen is a hugely important protein that does play a role in plumping up our skin — as well as supporting muscles, bones and connective tissues.
Norman and Tegan find out how effective collagen supplements are in skin care, and which kind you should look out for if you want to see results.
What's That Rash? is on YouTube! Subscribe to ABC Science to watch the podcast.
References:
Decreased Collagen Production in Chronologically Aged Skin
Effects of Oral Collagen for Skin Anti-Aging: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Effects of hydrolyzed collagen supplementation on skin aging: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Oral Collagen Supplementation: A Systematic Review of Dermatological Applications
The impact of collagen protein ingestion on musculoskeletal connective tissue remodeling: a narrative review
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These days, our mobile phones are rarely far away. Whether it’s in your hand, your pocket, or under your pillow at night.
Mobiles do emit radiation in order to connect to phone towers, which enables us to stay in contact with people and the internet.
But is that radiation doing us harm?
Norman and Tegan talk through the facts – what we do know, don’t know and suspect about our tech companions.
What's That Rash? is coming to YouTube! Keep an eye out for the video version of this episode on ABC Science.
References:
National Cancer Institute - Cell Phones and Cancer Risk
Mobile phone use and incidence of brain tumour histological types, grading or anatomical location: a population-based ecological study
Has the incidence of brain cancer risen in Australia since the introduction of mobile phones 29 years ago?
5G: the new generation of the mobile phone network and health
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Why are people with arthritis being told to stop eating potatoes, tomatoes and egg plants?
Vegetables in the nightshade family have been under scrutiny for decades, but the fad of cutting them out of our diets has seen a recent resurgence.
Norman and Tegan investigate where all this shade comes from, and whether there's any evidence to support it.
References:
Deadly Nightshade: A Botanical Biography
Flavonoids, alkaloids and saponins: are these plant-derived compounds an alternative to the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis? A literature review
Risk assessment of glycoalkaloids in feed and food, in particular in potatoes and potato-derived products
α-Solanine attenuates chondrocyte pyroptosis to improve osteoarthritis via suppressing NF-κB pathway
Antioxidants in Potatoes: A Functional View on One of the Major Food Crops Worldwide
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We've been searching for a fountain of youth for millennia. How can we not only live longer, but live healthier for longer?
Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) is the latest anti-ageing candidate under the microscope.
Norman and Tegan explain what it is, and whether supplements promising to boost NAD actually do what's advertised on the bottle.
References:
NAD+ metabolism and its roles in cellular processes during ageing
NAD+ in Brain Aging and Neurodegenerative Disorders
What is really known about the effects of nicotinamide riboside supplementation in humans
Dietary Supplementation With NAD+-Boosting Compounds in Humans: Current Knowledge and Future Directions
The use of a systems approach to increase NAD+ in human participants
Specific ablation of Nampt in adult neural stem cells recapitulates their functional defects during aging
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Vampires and werewolves and zombies, oh my! Where did all these monsters come from?
Undiagnosed medical conditions might have fuelled the mythology behind some of these creatures.
Norman and Tegan delve into why vampires drink blood, why werewolves howl at the full moon and how a hex might have its intended effect.
References:
ABC's FrankenScience: Can Vampires Get Syphilis? and Witchcraft or Just a Placebo?
All in the Mind: What's behind a paranormal experience?
Porphyria and Vampirism—A Myth, Sensationalized
Moon and Health: Myth or Reality?
The undead in culture and science
Reversibility of apoptosis in cancer cells
Medical practice and placebo response: an inseparable bond?
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It’s hay fever season, and as you sniffle away next to an air purifier, you might be wondering why we haven’t cured such a common ailment.
Allergic rhinitis, as it’s scientifically known, has plagued people for generations. It's thought up to 24 per cent of Australians suffer from it.
Norman and Tegan run through what hay fever is, how we identified it and what can be done to treat it.
References:
Allergic Rhinitis: A Review
O Rose thou art sick… history of allergic rhinitis
I’m considering allergen immunotherapy for my hay fever. What do I need to know?
Ingestion of honey improves the symptoms of allergic rhinitis: evidence from a randomized placebo-controlled trial
The Potential use of Honey as a Remedy for Allergic Diseases: A Mini Review
Can you adapt to allergies or does the dog have to go?
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Many of us are disconnected from nature – we live in cities, work in offices, exercise indoors.
There is a hypothesis that our disconnection from the earth itself – the ground – is causing a range of illnesses.
But the people selling this hypothesis are also trying to sell you a range of expensive products.
Norman and Tegan debunk a pseudoscience that has been gaining traction.
References:
Electrical Grounding Improves Vagal Tone in Preterm Infants
Associations between Nature Exposure and Health: A Review of the Evidence
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Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is a flavour enhancer that often gets a bad wrap.
You might know someone who swears it makes them sick, or you yourself might steer clear of foods unless they have that 'no added MSG' label.
Norman and Tegan explain why the bad PR around MSG has more to do with shonky research and misconceptions than the ingredient itself.
References:
MSG in food - Food Standards Australia and New Zealand
A review of the alleged health hazards of monosodium glutamate
Monosodium glutamate sensitivity in asthma
Chinese-Restaurant Syndrome - New England Journal of Medicine
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If you've found yourself in a particular corner of health and wellness TikTok, chances are you've heard all about cortisol.
Influencers might be urging you to massage your face, stuff your mouth full of dates and even supplement your diet with sea moss.
Norman and Tegan explain why some of that MIGHT make you healthier, but not in the way that you think.
References
Forgotten episodes of the birth of cortisone
The effects of exercise intensity on the cortisol response to a subsequent acute psychosocial stressor
Signalling cognition: the gut microbiota and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis
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If you've ever complained about a bad night's sleep, you might've been urged to take melatonin.
It's a hormone our bodies naturally produce, and also a supplement that many claim can cure insomnia and leave you better rested.
But Norman and Tegan tuck into all the reasons we shouldn't be taking melatonin lightly.
References
What do we really know about the safety and efficacy of melatonin for sleep disorders?
Is melatonin safe for children?
Quantity of Melatonin and CBD in Melatonin Gummies Sold in the US
Clinical trial on the effect of regular tea drinking on iron accumulation in genetic haemochromatosis
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Iron deficiency is incredibly common, especially in menstruating women.
But this mineral is vital. Our bodies use iron to make haemoglobin, which carries oxygen to our cells.
Norman and Tegan take us through what it means to have adequate iron levels, and what it takes.
References
A Review of Nutrients and Compounds, Which Promote or Inhibit Intestinal Iron Absorption
Intermittent iron supplementation for reducing anaemia and its associated impairments in adolescent and adult menstruating women
The yersiniabactin transport system is critical for the pathogenesis of bubonic and pneumonic plague
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It's a tale as old as time – as you age, hangovers hit harder. The tolerance of your youth wastes away.
There's no doubt that any alcohol consumption is bad for you. But that doesn’t mean people aren't drinking.
Norman and Tegan explain what alcohol is doing to the body, and why the after effects get harder to cope with as you get older.
References
The Assessment of Overall Hangover Severity
Aldehyde dehydrogenase isozyme variation and alcoholism in Japan
Endogenous formation of 1-propanol and methanol after consumption of alcoholic beverages
Understanding trends in Australian alcohol consumption—an age–period–cohort model
The Alcohol Hangover Research Group: Ten Years of Progress in Research on the Causes, Consequences, and Treatment of the Alcohol Hangover
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We get a LOT of questions about sleep – on everything from cheese dreams to sleep farts.
Why do you jerk awake as you're drifting off? Why are you itchy as soon as you get into bed?
Norman and Tegan snooze through some sleep-related questions in this rapid-fire special.
References
Too Sour to be True? Tart Cherries (Prunus cerasus) and Sleep: a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
Dreams of the Rarebit Fiend: food and diet as instigators of bizarre and disturbing dreams
Sleeping position during early and mid pregnancy does not affect risk of complications
The Relationship between Sleeping Position and Sleep Quality: A Flexible Sensor-Based Study
Nocturnal Pruritus: The Battle for a Peaceful Night’s Sleep
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It might not seem like it, but we humans are electrical beings. We rely on electrical impulses to stay alive.
So can we rely on electrical impulses … to get swole?
Norman and Tegan investigate the various claims surrounding electrical muscle stimulation.
References
Functional Electrical Stimulation and Spinal Cord Injury
Effects of Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction on Quadriceps Strength, Function, and Patient-Oriented Outcomes : A Systematic Review
Feasibility and efficacy of progressive electrostimulation strength training for competitive tennis players
Effects of Whole-Body Electromyostimulation on the Energy-Restriction-Induced Reduction of Muscle Mass During Intended Weight Loss
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The Mediterranean diet is the most well studied dietary pattern out there. So – what is it?
It’s more than just vegetables, whole grains, healthy fats and sparing consumption of meat.
Norman and Tegan take us through ALL the elements that make up this way of eating, which has been attributed to a myriad of health benefits.
References
Scientific evidence supporting the newly developed one-health labeling tool “Med-Index”
Mediterranean diet and health outcomes: a systematic meta-review
Perspective: Beyond the Mediterranean Diet—Exploring Latin American, Asian, and African Heritage Diets as Cultural Models of Healthy Eating
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In some parts of the world sauna bathing is a daily activity.
In Finland, it would even be rude to deny an invitation to get hot and sweaty with a business associate.
As well as being culturally significant, the sauna has many touted health benefits – from protecting against cardiovascular disease, to fending off cognitive decline.
Norman and Tegan sort through the evidence.
References
The multifaceted benefits of passive heat therapies for extending the healthspan: A comprehensive review with a focus on Finnish sauna
Association Between Sauna Bathing and Fatal Cardiovascular and All-Cause Mortality Events
Cardiovascular and Other Health Benefits of Sauna Bathing: A Review of the Evidence
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Many people go through phases of nail biting in childhood, and fewer people continue biting their nails into adulthood.
It's a habit that can be difficult to break – especially when anxiety can be a trigger, along with boredom.
Norman and Tegan take us through the current treatments available for people who want to stop munching on their cuticles.
References
Onychophagia and onychotillomania can be effectively managed
Prevalence and correlates of clinically significant body-focused repetitive behaviors in a non-clinical sample
Habit reversal vs. negative practice treatment of nailbiting
A review of N-acetylcysteine in the treatment of grooming disorders
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