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Can We Prevent Muscle Loss While Taking GLP-1 Weight-Loss Drugs?
GLP-1 medications like Zepbound have changed the way we treat obesity. But as more people lose significant amounts of weight, another question has emerged:
What happens to your muscle?
It's normal to lose some lean massâincluding muscleâduring weight loss. But researchers are now asking whether preserving more muscle could improve long-term health, particularly as we age.
In this episode, Dr. Eeks speaks with Dr. Richard Pratley, lead author of a new randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial investigating whether an investigational antibody called apitegromab can help preserve lean mass in people taking tirzepatide (Zepbound).
Together they discuss:
⢠Why people lose lean mass during weight loss
⢠What "lean mass" actually meansâand why it matters
⢠Why muscle preservation has become one of the biggest new questions in obesity medicine
⢠How apitegromab works by blocking myostatinâa protein that acts like a brake on muscle growth
⢠The results of the study and how much lean mass participants preserved
⢠Why preserving lean mass doesn't automatically mean preserving strength
⢠Whether concerns about muscle loss on GLP-1 medications have become exaggerated
⢠The importance of resistance training and adequate protein during weight loss
⢠Whether future obesity treatment will focus less on body weight and more on body composition
⢠The bigger question: Are we entering an era where one medication leads to anotherâor is there a better path???
This conversation explores one of the most interestingâand practicalâquestions in obesity research today: Can we lose fat without sacrificing too much muscle?
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Can using your smartphone on the toilet increase your risk of hemorrhoids?
In this episode of WTF Health News, Dr. Eeks explores one of the strangest health headlines of the yearâand yes, it's based on a real scientific study.
Researchers found that adults who reported using smartphones while sitting on the toilet had a 46% higher likelihood of hemorrhoids compared with people who didn't bring their phones to the bathroom. But does that mean your phone causes hemorrhoids?
Not exactly.
Dr. Eeks breaks down what the study found.
Topics discussed include:
Can smartphone use increase the risk of hemorrhoids? Why prolonged toilet sitting may matter more than straining The surprising study linking phones and hemorrhoids Why smartphone apps may distort our perception of time The difference between correlation and causation How technology quietly changes everyday human behaviorIf you've ever found yourself scrolling on the toilet for "just a minute"...this episode might make you think twice.
Source: Smartphone use on the toilet and the risk of hemorrhoids, Plos 0ne, 2025.
About WTF Health News
WTF Health News is a recurring series within Causes or Cures, where Dr. Eeks breaks down strange, surprising, and occasionally ridiculous health headlines with evidence, context, and a healthy dose of dry humor.
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Many people living with migraines say they can "feel a storm coming" before an attack. But is there scientific evidence that environmental exposures can influence migraine risk?
In this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks talks with Professor Gal Ifergane, neurologist and headache specialist, about his research on migraines and the environment. The conversation explores how air pollution, heat, solar radiation, and weather conditions may help lower the threshold for migraine attacks in people who are already susceptible.
Professor Ifergane explains why migraine is often considered a threshold disorder, where genetics, biology, and environmental exposures may all interact to influence when an attack occurs.
In this episode, you'll learn:
⢠Can air pollution trigger migraines?
⢠Are weather-related migraines real?
⢠Can heat, sunlight, or solar radiation increase migraine risk?
⢠How researchers study environmental migraine triggers
⢠Why some people may be more sensitive to environmental exposures than others
⢠What these findings could mean for migraine prevention
If you've ever wondered whether your surroundingsânot just your brainâcould influence migraine attacks, this episode explores what the current science says.
About Professor Gal Ifergane:
Professor Gal Ifergane is a neurologist, headache specialist, and clinical researcher who serves as Head of the Neurology Department and Chair of the Brain Medicine Division at Soroka Medical Center in Be'er Sheva, Israel. He is also a faculty member at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev.
His research focuses on migraine, headache disorders, stroke, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and the effects of environmental exposures on neurological health. His work examines how factors such as air pollution, heat, and weather conditions may influence migraine risk and severity, with the goal of improving prevention and treatment for people living with migraine and other neurological disorders.Work with me? Perhaps we are a good match.
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Can listening to music help protect your brain as you age?
In this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks talks with Professor Joanne Ryan about her research on music, dementia risk, cognitive decline, and healthy aging.
Drawing on data from thousands of older adults participating in the ASPREE Longitudinal Study of Older Persons (ALSOP), Professor Ryan discusses findings suggesting that frequent music engagementâincluding listening to music and playing a musical instrumentâwas associated with a lower risk of dementia and better cognitive outcomes over time.
The conversation explores:
⢠Whether listening to music can help reduce dementia risk
⢠How playing a musical instrument may affect brain health
⢠Proposed biological and cognitive mechanisms behind music's effects on the brain
⢠Music, memory, and why some people with dementia can still remember and perform music
⢠Whether certain types of music may be more beneficial than others
⢠The limitations of observational research and what questions still remain unansweredIf you've ever wondered whether your favorite playlist is doing more than entertaining you, this episode explores what the science currently says about music, memory, cognition, and the aging brain.
About Professor Joanne Ryan
Professor Joanne Ryan is a Principal Research Fellow and leader of the Biological Neuropsychiatry and Dementia research team at Monash University in Australia. Her research focuses on understanding the causes, prevention, and early detection of neuropsychiatric disorders, particularly dementia and depression.
Her team investigates biological, lifestyle, and environmental risk factors that influence brain health and works to identify preventive strategies that may reduce the incidence of dementia and cognitive decline. The group also studies biomarkers that may improve the timing and accuracy of diagnosis and help evaluate the effectiveness of interventions.
Professor Ryan has published extensively on aging, cognition, dementia risk factors, mental health, and preventive approaches to healthy brain aging.
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A recent asthma attack in a pet store sends Dr. Eeks down a rabbit hole of thoughts about breathing, chronic illness, menstruation woes, panic versus biology, strangers helping strangers, an anxious dog that needs emotional support during human emergencies, the cost of ambulance rides, and how the day rarely goes the way you think it will.
A story, a reflection...and a reminder that her lungs oppose intensity.
DISCLAIMER: Eeks Speakeasy is part storytelling, part health discussion, and part one public health nerd failing to make sense of the world. Nothing here is health or medical advice. It's just Eeks thinking out loud.
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Can you be genuinely happy and, even thrive, as a single person?
In this episode, Professor Elyakim Kislev, author of Happy Singlehood: The Rising Acceptance and Celebration of Solo Living, discusses the growing global trend toward singlehood and what the research says about happiness, loneliness, marriage, and solo living.
We explore the difference between being alone and being lonely, why some people enter relationships out of fear of loneliness, and most importantly, what distinguishes happy singles from unhappy singles.
Professor Kislev also discusses the concepts of social loneliness and emotional loneliness, common myths surrounding singlehood, and findings suggesting that many never-married older adults report high levels of well-being and life satisfaction.
We also examine cultural pressures surrounding marriage and family formation, whether marriage itself improves health and happiness, how researchers study these questions, and what it really takes to build a meaningful, connected, and fulfilling lifeâwhether you're single, married, dating, or somewhere in between.
Professor Elyakim Kislev is a faculty member in the School of Public Policy and Government at The Hebrew University and a Research Fellow at the Truman Research Institute for the Advancement of Peace. He earned his Ph.D. in Sociology from Columbia University and holds master's degrees in counseling, public policy, and sociology. A Fulbright Fellow and recipient of the Award for Outstanding Fulbright Scholars, his research focuses on singlehood, family, well-being, and social policy. He is the author of Happy Singlehood: The Rising Acceptance and Celebration of Solo Living.
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Today's Causes or Cures' WTF Health News with Dr. Eeks starts with olive oil and somehow ends with the microbiome.
A recent study suggests that older adults consuming more virgin olive oil may perform better on cognitive tests than those consuming more refined olive oil. Researchers also found differences in the gut microbiome because, at this point, the microbiome appears contractually obligated to show up in every health study.
Join Dr. Eeks in WTF Health News for a fun, quick, jargon-free look at what the study found, what it didn't find, and why nutrition science continues to keep us humble.
Source: For nerds and readers, here's a link to the study and to her plain-language blog.
About WTF Health News
WTF Health News is a recurring series within Causes or Cures, where Dr. Eeks breaks down strange, surprising, and occasionally ridiculous health headlines with evidence, context, and a healthy dose of dry humor.
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What makes you you?
Is it your memories? Your personality? Your sense of humor? Your motivation? What happens when a neurological disease changes one of those things?
In this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks talks with neurologist, neuroscientist, and author Dr. Masud Husain about his new book, Our Brains, Our Selves: What a Neurologist's Patients Taught Him About the Brain.
Drawing on the stories of seven patients with different neurological conditions, Dr. Husain explores how changes in the brain can profoundly affect identity, behavior, memory, motivation, humor, and our relationships with others.
We discuss pathological apathy after stroke, personality changes caused by frontotemporal dementia, memory and Alzheimer's disease, the neurological basis of humor, and how cultural and spiritual beliefs shape the way people understand illness. We also explore bigger questions about free will, responsibility, consciousness, and whether there may be aspects of human experience that lie beyond a purely biological explanation.
Dr. Husain shares what decades of caring for patients with neurological disorders have taught him about the brainâand about what it means to be human.
Dr. Masud Husain is Professor of Neurology and Cognitive Neuroscience at the University of Oxford and a Professorial Fellow at New College, Oxford. His work spans neurology, neuroscience, psychology, and brain imaging, with a focus on understanding how the brain supports cognition in both healthy individuals and people with neurological disorders. He is also Editor-in-Chief of Brain, one of the world's leading and most influential neurology journals. Our Brains, Our Selves is his first book.
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In this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks speaks with Dr. Judson Brandeis, a board-certified urologist, sexual medicine specialist, surgeon, author, and founder of BrandeisMD, about erectile dysfunction, sexual wellness, aging, intimacy, and the rapidly growing menâs penile enhancement industry.
Dr. Brandeis discusses his recent clinical research exploring whether nitric oxide boosting supplements may work synergistically with medications like Viagra to improve erectile function, as well as broader issues surrounding circulation, lifestyle, vascular health, mental health and sexual performance.
He also describes 10 things men can do right now to improve their sexual health.
The conversation explores:
What causes erectile dysfunction (ED) and why it becomes more common with agingThe role blood flow and nitric oxide play in erectionsHow ED can sometimes signal broader cardiovascular, metabolic or psychological issuesThe difference between prescription ED drugs and supplementsSide effects and limitations of Viagra and CialisShockwave therapy and other emerging approaches in sexual medicine âSexspanâ and maintaining sexual health later in life Relationship dynamics, intimacy, and communication Men understanding womenâs bodies and sexuality after menopause The psychology and emotional impact of erectile dysfunction Concerns surrounding the supplement industry and âmale enhancementâ products The difference between FDA approved medications and dietary supplementsDr. Brandeis also discusses his âP-Longâ protocol, which he describes as a safe and effective way to increase the length, girth and function of a healthy manâs penis.
Dr. Judson Brandeis is a board-certified urologist, surgeon, medical researcher, author, and physician educator with more than 25 years of experience in urology and menâs sexual health. Over his career, he has performed thousands of surgeries, helped pioneer surgical robotics, and served as Chief of Urology at John Muir Hospital and Hill Physicians for over a decade. Dr. Brandeis attended Brown University, earned his MD from Vanderbilt University, received a Howard Hughes research award at Harvard Medical School, and completed his surgery and urology residency at UCLA. In recent years, his work has focused on menâs wellness, sexual medicine, erectile function, intimacy, and âsexspan,â with an emphasis on helping men improve quality of life, physical intimacy, and overall health as they age.
You can learn more about Dr. Brandeis and his work at:
BrandeisMDWork with me? Perhaps we are a good match.
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Do you cough a lot?
Does someone you know cough a lot?
What if you could actually measure it, continuously?
For people with chronic cough, those question matters.
Because right now, most of what we know about cough comes from self-report. And thatâs not very precise.
In this episode, Dr. Eeks speaks with Dr. Peter Small from Hyfe, a company using AI to continuously detect and count coughs, turning a common but poorly measured symptom into something objective. Hyfe is the FIRST company to create a tool to continuously monitor coughing.
Their technology processes sound in real time and records cough events without storing audio, allowing for long-term, privacy-preserving monitoring.
Hyfe is part of a growing field called acoustic epidemiology, which uses body sounds, like coughs, to better understand health and disease patterns.
We talk about:
what a cough actually is, and how you define and quantify ithow many people struggle with chronic coughwhat âcontinuous cough monitoringâ looks like in real lifebad coughs vs good coughshow Hyfe measures coughwhy measuring cough is useful for people who want to monitor their health more closelyand whether cough monitoring and patterns could eventually be used for public health surveillanceWe also discuss cough suppression therapy (CST), a behavioral treatment often delivered by speech-language pathologists, which has been shown to significantly reduce symptoms in many patients with chronic cough. Hyfe plans to offer it as a digital therapy folks can access from home.
Dr. Peter Small is the Chief Medical Officer of Hyfe, where he focuses on using acoustic AI to improve human health. An infectious disease specialist, he has spent his career developing global health solutions, with a particular focus on tuberculosis. His work has spanned Stanford University, the Gates Foundationâwhere he led major TB initiativesâand global programs in India, Madagascar, and Nepal, using technology to expand access to care.
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In this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks speaks with Dr. Amrita Vijay, a gut microbiome scientist who studies how diet shapes the microbiome and influences inflammation, mood, and overall health.
Her research tested three different dietary approaches over six weeks: a prebiotic fiber (inulin), omega 3 supplementation, and a synbiotic combining fermented kefir with prebiotic fiber. All three interventions reduced inflammatory markers compared to control, with the synbiotic approach showing broader effects across multiple markers.
We break down what prebiotics, probiotics, and synbiotics actually mean in real life, how inflammation was measured, and how quickly diet can influence inflammation in the body.
We also discuss the role of the microbiome, and how to think about food-based approaches for tackling inflammation and chronic illnesses.
About the Guest
Dr. Amrita Vijay is a gut microbiome scientist and researcher specializing in the intersection of diet, the gut microbiome, and health. She has conducted nutritional intervention studies in both India and the UK, exploring how food influences inflammation, mood, and overall well being. Her work focuses on translating microbiome science into practical, evidence based strategies for improving health. She has received the Best Research Award and Best Achievement Award from the University of Nottingham.
(Follow her on Instagram!)
What we cover
What prebiotics, probiotics, and synbiotics mean in real termsWhy it's important to reduce inflammationWhy inflammatory markers are importantHow fiber, omega 3s, and fermented foods affect inflammationWhy the synbiotic intervention showed broader effectsHow quickly diet can influence inflammationThe role of the gut microbiome Whether food based interventions may shape the future of inflammation researchTakeaway
Simple dietary interventions including prebiotic fiber, omega 3s, and fermented foods may reduce inflammation, and even short term changes in diet can lead to measurable shifts in the body.
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In this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks sits down with transplant surgeon and author Dr. Josh Mezrich to talk about xenotransplantationâthe use of animal organs, primarily from pigs, to try to address the massive shortage of human donor organs.
More than 100,000 people in the U.S. are currently waiting for a transplant. For many, time runs out. Xenotransplantation offers a possible path forward, but itâs not a simple one.
This conversation walks through both sides.
We talk about the historyâfrom early, controversial experiments using primates to todayâs gene-edited pig organsâand whatâs actually happening right now in human patients. But we also spend time on the part that often gets pushed aside: the ethical questions.
What are we asking of these animals?
How are they treated in the process?
And how do we weigh that against the possibility of saving human lives?We discuss:
⢠The evolution of xenotransplantation and key scientific breakthroughs
⢠Real-world cases of patients receiving pig organs
⢠The role of CRISPR and genetically engineered pigs
⢠Ethical concerns around animal welfare and the use of nonhuman primates in research
⢠Whether focusing on animal organs shifts attention away from improving human organ donation systems
⢠The risks, including cross-species disease transmissionDr. Mezrich also shares insights from his new book Every Living Creature, which explores both the promise and the discomfort of this field.
Dr. Mezrich is a transplant surgeon and Professor at the University of Wisconsin, where he holds the Mark A. Fischer Chair in Transplantation and serves as Surgical Director of the kidney transplant program. His clinical and research work focuses on liver and kidney transplantation, including how factors like the microbiome and biomarkers influence organ quality. He is also the author of How Death Becomes Life and his latest book, Every Living Creature, which explores the science and ethics of xenotransplantation.
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Can what you eat influence your risk of colorectal cancer?
In this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks speaks with Dr. Fred Tabung, PhD, MSPH, a researcher studying diet, metabolism, and cancer prevention, about how certain dietary patterns may reduce colorectal cancer risk.
Drawing on data from nearly one million people across the United States and Europe, Dr. Tabung explains how low insulinemic and anti-inflammatory diets are linked to lower colorectal cancer risk, and what this means for real-world prevention.
We explore how insulin and inflammation may influence cancer pathways, how diet connects to obesity and Type 2 diabetes, and how those conditions are linked to cancer. We also discuss why early onset colorectal cancer is increasing in younger adults.
The conversation also covers childhood and early life exposures, the microbiome, and what a population level approach to diet and cancer prevention could realistically look like.
What we cover
What low insulinemic and anti-inflammatory diets actually mean Foods associated with lower colorectal cancer risk How insulin and inflammation may influence cancer development The link between diet, obesity, Type 2 diabetes, and cancer Why early onset colorectal cancer may be increasing What a population level nutrition strategy for cancer prevention might look likeDr. Fred Tabung is an Associate Professor of Internal Medicine at The Ohio State University and a researcher at the Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center â James, where he leads the Diet, Metabolism, and Cancer Prevention Outcomes Lab. His work focuses on how dietary patterns influence cancer risk and progression, particularly through pathways related to inflammation and insulin. Using large-scale population studies and clinical research, he aims to identify practical, evidence-based dietary strategies for cancer prevention and improved outcomes across the cancer continuum.
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Can a plant-derived polysaccharide formula affect Alzheimerâs symptoms? A researcher explains his study, and its limits.
In this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks speaks with researcher Dr. John Lewis about his study investigating an aloe polymannose multinutrient supplement in Alzheimerâs disease.
We discuss what polymannose is, why he feels mainstream wellness gets sugar wrong, why the intervention combines multiple nutrients rather than a single compound, and the biological theories behind how it might influence inflammation and immune signaling.
Dr. Lewis also walks through the study design, including the open-label approach, the cognitive and functional outcomes measured, his thoughts on testing against a placebo, and how to interpret mixed results across different tests.
We also talk about the bigger question: what early nutrition studies can suggest â and what they cannot yet prove.
John E. Lewis, Ph.D., is Founder and President of Dr Lewis NutritionÂŽ and a Voluntary Associate Professor at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. His research focuses on nutrition, dietary supplementation, and exercise in human health and disease, and he has led or contributed to over 30 studies and more than 180 peer reviewed publications.
Dr. Lewis has presented his work nationally and internationally, mentored students across all levels of training, and delivered a TEDx talk on nutrition and brain health. He is also a Diplomate and Faculty Member of the Medical Wellness Association and continues to promote evidence based approaches to health and wellness.
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In this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks speaks with neurologist and neuroscientist Dr. Majid Fotuhi about brain aging, memory, intelligence, Alzheimerâs disease, and his new book: The Invincible Brain: The Clinically-Proven Way to Age-Proof Your Brain and Stay Sharp for Life
We explore whether Alzheimerâs is being overdiagnosed and the idea that what we call Alzheimerâs may actually be a mix of different conditions.
Dr. Fotuhi breaks down intelligence beyond IQ, including why IQ tests were originally designed to detect deficits, and how environment can shape cognitive potential. We talk about memory, why we forget names but remember certain details, and he shares fun exercises anyone can do to significantly improve their memory.
We also examine how technology may be affecting the brain, the concept of use it or lose it, and the role of neuroplasticity in shaping brain function over time.
The conversation then turns to prevention. We cover genetics, including the APOE gene, and what you can do to lower your risk, even if you have the high-risk gene. We discuss lifestyle factors such as exercise, sleep, diet, and what having a sense of purpose means for your brain health. We also talk about current treatments, including antibody therapies targeting plaques, and why reducing plaques does not always improve function.
Finally, Dr. Fotuhi shares his approach to building brain reserve and maintaining cognitive health through his Brain Fitness Program.
Dr. Majid Fotuhi is a neurologist and neuroscientist trained at Johns Hopkins University and Harvard Medical School. He serves as an adjunct professor at the Mind Brain Institute at Johns Hopkins and also teaches at George Washington University and Harvard. With nearly four decades of experience in clinical care, research, and teaching, Dr. Fotuhi has developed a multidisciplinary approach to improving brain health and cognitive performance. His Brain Fitness Program combines personalized assessment with targeted lifestyle and cognitive interventions, with results published in peer reviewed journals. He is the author of several books, including Boost Your Brain, and is widely recognized for his work on memory, neuroplasticity, and successful aging, with lectures and media appearances around the world.
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Exploring the Spiritual Realm
Where spiritual belief meets health, culture, and skepticismDisclaimer: This episode discusses spiritual and metaphysical beliefs that are not evidence-based medical treatments. Nothing in this conversation is medical or public health advice. If you have a health concern, please seek care from a licensed clinician. This is entertainment only.
In this episode, Dr. Eeks sits down with Master Nick Eagle, a man whose life has taken a dramatic and unexpected turn.
Before becoming a spiritual teacher, Nick Eagle was Nick Hawk, best known as the star of Gigolos, the Showtime series that followed male escorts in Las Vegas. He built a larger-than-life personaâmuscular, confident, and unapologetically masculine. Along the way, he became a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt, ran a stripper booking agency, wrote for Penthouse, and appeared in outlets like Cosmopolitan and TMZ.
Today, he goes by Master Nick Eagle.
He now leads a very different life...teaching meditation, studying philosophy, practicing yoga, and guiding others through what he describes as spiritual awakening. He runs retreats in Arizona and is the author of The Golden Laws of Enlightenment, a book centered on transcending suffering and connecting to a deeper sense of self.
In this conversation, we explore:
His transition from nightlife and performance to spirituality and teachingHow he defines masculinity...then vs. nowWhat prompted his personal transformationHis approach to meditation, Reiki, and Kundalini practicesThe philosophy behind his teachings and retreatsWhat it means to âreinventâ your identityThis episode touches on spiritual perspectives that may not align with conventional medical or scientific views. Listeners are encouraged to approach these ideas thoughtfully and seek qualified medical advice when needed.
At its core, this is a conversation about identity, reinvention, and what happens when the life youâve built no longer feels like your own.
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In this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks speaks with Gil Bashe, author of Healing the Sick Care System, about why the US healthcare system is failing the very people it is meant to serve.
Bashe argues that the problem isnât a lack of innovation or investment, but a system that has drifted away from empathy, human connection and patient-centered care. We discuss the growing disconnect between physicians, insurers, hospitals, and patients, the pressures that turn medical encounters into brief transactions, and how this fragmentation contributes to rising costs, declining trust, doctor burnout and patients who feel left behind.
The conversation also explores medical debt, the prevention gap in U.S. healthcare spending, the impact of poverty on health outcomes, and the unintended consequences of overspecialization.
Bashe shares why he believes the future of healthcare must focus on empathy, collaboration, prevention, and measurable patient outcomes.
Gil Bashe is Chair Global Health and Purpose at FINN Partners.
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In this episode of the Causes or Cures Podcast, Dr Eeks speaks with Dr. Sam West, a researcher at the University of Oxford, about his study on what happens after people stop taking GLP 1 weight loss medications.
While much of the attention has focused on how these drugs work while people are taking them, this conversation looks at what happens when people stop. Dr West discusses how quickly weight tends to return (and how much), what happens to cardiometabolic markers after stopping treatment, and how these outcomes compare with weight regain after behavior-based interventions.
They also explore what these findings mean in practice, including long-term weight maintenance, patient expectations, and how insurers may weigh coverage for these medications.
This episode offers important real world context for one of the most widely discussed drug classes in medicine today.
Dr. Sam West is a postdoctoral researcher with the Health Behaviours team based in the Department of Primary Care Health Sciences at the University of Oxford. He completed his PhD with the Nutritional Physiology Research Group at the University of Exeter, where his research centred around assessing how modulating dietary protein form influences postprandial skeletal muscle metabolism. His current research focuses on understanding how lifestyle (diet and exercise) and pharmaceutical interventions can be used in the treatment and management of obesity and type 2 diabetes.
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"So how'd that person die?"
In this episode of Causes or Cures, Iâm joined by forensic pathologist Dr. Roger Byard, an internationally recognized expert who has spent decades investigating deaths that are rare, misunderstood, and often deeply unsettling.
Fatal animal encounters involving kangaroos, roosters, cattle, and donkeysWhether pets truly consume their deceased owners, and what the evidence showsThe real story behind the death of Rasputin and why the myths refuse to dieCannibalism, including its different forms and the true cases that shaped how we understand itHistorical fears of being buried alive and the strange methods once used to confirm deathThe one case that has stayed with Dr. Byard long after the autopsy was finished
We talk about what really happens at the edges of life and death, including:Dr. Byard is a repeat guest on Causes or Cures. The topic of his first episode was the forensic elements of killer selfies.
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SUBSCRIBE to her WEEKLY newsletter here!Topics include forensic pathology, unusual causes of death, animal attacks, Rasputinâs death, cannibalism case studies, and historical death practices.
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In this episode, Dr. Eeks talks with Joel Stanley, entrepreneur and biotech founder, about the long and often misunderstood road from plant based therapies to FDA approved medicines.
Joel shares the personal story behind building Charlotteâs Web, the company named after a young girl whose experience with severe epilepsy helped spark a global conversation about medical cannabis. He reflects on what it was like to grow a family run operation into a major force that reshaped public perception, while navigating science, regulation, and skepticism.
The conversation then turns to Joelâs current work at Ajna BioSciences, where he is pursuing FDA approval for botanical drugs, including a botanical-based drug being studied for autism, with trials to be conducted in 2 countries. Joel explains where this research currently sits in the regulatory process and why he has chosen the traditional drug approval route rather than supplements or wellness markets.
We also dig into the key differences between botanical drug development and conventional pharmaceutical development, from standardization challenges to clinical trial design, and why plant based medicines are often held to a different and sometimes contradictory standard.
Finally, Joel discusses his research into psychedelics, including psilocybin for depression, and why he believes these compounds represent more than a passing trend.
This episode is a grounded look at science, policy, and the tension between nature and modern medicine.
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You can contact Dr. Eeks at bloomingwellness.com.
Follow Eeks on Instagram here.Follow Public Health is Weird
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On Youtube.
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SUBSCRIBE to her WEEKLY newsletter here!Support the show
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