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The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is to professional mixed martial arts what the NFL is to American football, the NBA is to basketball, and the MLE is to hot-dog eating: the worldâs premier organization for hosting and promoting the sport. In fact, in the past three decades, the UFC has had more influence on the evolution of mixed martial arts than any other organization. In an article I wrote for Skeptical Inquirer last year (an article that got me Twitter-blocked by UFC President Dana White), I explored the organizationâs penchant for alternative therapiesâ specifically how cupping, cryotherapy, and acupuncture found their way into the UFCâs Las Vegas performance institute. Like a father dealing with his kidâs night terrors, I thought Iâd put it to bed. I was wrong. Alternative therapies are just the tip of the UFCâs pseudoscience iceberg.
The Skeptic's Guide to Sports Science BOOK: https://www.nbtiller.com
Skeptical Inquirer magazine: https://www.skepticalinquirer.org
Original article & references: https://skepticalinquirer.org/exclusive/back-inside-the-ufcs-pseudoscience-crisis/
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Bryan Johnson has spent tens of millions of dollars on a highly publicized quest to reverse the aging process. The tech millionaire follows a strict diet and fitness regimen, stacks multiple dietary supplements, obsesses over sleep hygiene, and subjects himself to a litany of medical tests to track his biological data. Harnessing his newfound celebrity, Johnson has become a false authority in the wellness space, touting supplements and alternative therapies and selling his own brand of olive oil.
This article isnât about Bryan Johnson. Rather, itâs about how Johnson could easily have been the muse for a new longevity initiative recently launched by luxury fitness chain Equinox. Their Optimize program, a lite version of Johnsonâs vision, harvests biological data from its clients (via blood tests, fitness and strength assessments, and wearable sensors) and uses it to create personalized fitness and nutrition programs. The program has been described by Equinox as âthe definitive approach to health optimizationâ thatâll âunlock the peaks of human potential.â But priced at $42,000 a year, the program is making headlines for the wrong reasons. Is Equinoxâs ultra-premium service worth the membership fee, or is it another cash grab in a wellness industry thatâs made longevity its latest plaything?
The Skeptic's Guide to Sports Science BOOK: https://www.nbtiller.com
Skeptical Inquirer magazine: https://www.skepticalinquirer.org
Original article & references: https://skepticalinquirer.org/exclusive/health-club-equinox-puts-a-price-on-longevity-just-42000-a-year/
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Fehlende Folgen?
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I was contacted in 2023 by a journalist writing for a major news outlet. In her emailâwhich was written with the terseness that only journalists and famous people seem to get away withâshe asked me to comment on a new study that had made a âmajor breakthroughâ in the best time of day to exercise to elicit optimal health. Itâs a subject that resurfaces periodically whenever the well of fashionable supplements or celebrity fitness trends runs dry, which it rarely does. I obliged and offered the kind of dispassionate and understated interpretation that scientists love and journalists hate. She didnât print my response; she didnât even reply to say thanks. Iâll tell you what I told her.
The Skeptic's Guide to Sports Science BOOK: https://www.nbtiller.com
Skeptical Inquirer magazine: https://www.skepticalinquirer.org
Original article & references: https://skepticalinquirer.org/exclusive/the-best-time-of-day-to-exercise-another-media-fail/
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âIf you donât tell your own story, someone else will tell it for you, and you probably wonât like how they do it.â âShirley Malcolm, American Association for the Advancement of Science.
We know that complex life likely evolved from single-celled organisms. As soon as microbes emerged from the primordial soup, they were shaped by natural selection, ensuring survival of the fittest. Eventually, though not inevitably, evolution would lead to great complexity. After microbes came the Cambrian explosionâa rapid diversification of complex life. The seas became populated with soft-bodied fish, and after a few billion years, the vertebrates emerged. Bony fish eventually found the sand from the sea. Through intermediate forms, fins produced limbs. Hominids eventually came to rule the Earth with color vision, grasping hands, and brains able to fashion tools such as typewriters and laptops we could use to oversimplify complex scientific phenomena.
The Skeptic's Guide to Sports Science BOOK: https://www.nbtiller.com
Skeptical Inquirer magazine: https://www.skepticalinquirer.org
Original article & references: https://skepticalinquirer.org/exclusive/from-the-lab-to-the-layperson-a-pioneering-initiative-to-improve-the-translation-of-science/
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David had always found ice bathing after exercise to be intuitive. After all, people had been putting ice on their injuries for decades, and the RICE principleârest, ice, compression, and elevationâhad been a mainstay in the management of injuries since heâd learned it at school (despite questionable supporting evidence for efficacy). Heâd also seen athletes on social media lowering their lean, muscular bodies into tubs of cold water and claiming miraculous benefits. If it was good enough for them, it was good enough for him. Soon heâd be sharing his own #icebath stories on social media.
The Skeptic's Guide to Sports Science BOOK: https://www.nbtiller.com
Skeptical Inquirer magazine: https://www.skepticalinquirer.org
Original article & references: https://skepticalinquirer.org/exclusive/why-are-we-still-ice-bathing/
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Most readers wonât be familiar with Clark Stanley. And yet, to those who lived in the Old West, he was a household name. In the aging half of the nineteenth century, Stanleyâs theater company was one of several that toured rural towns selling magical health elixirs. For the townsfolk, seeing a Clark Stanley convoy kicking up dust on the horizon would have been an exhilarating sight. After unloading their carts and setting up their makeshift stage, Stanley and his crew treated the crowd to a thrilling show. Acrobats flipped, magicians tricked, and mustachioed musclemen bent bars and rods. Their only job was to whip the audience into a frenzy for the main event: the medicine man. And Clark Stanley was the most famous and revered of them all.
The Skeptic's Guide to Sports Science BOOK: https://www.nbtiller.com
Skeptical Inquirer magazine: https://www.skepticalinquirer.org
Original article & references: https://skepticalinquirer.org/exclusive/telling-true-stories-what-can-the-anti-science-community-teach-us-about-sci-comm/
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Christmas is a time for giving. For the snake oil salesmen of the world, however, itâs a time for taking. The holiday sees capitalism, the pressures of gift-giving, and dietary excesses coalesce, creating the perfect storm for consumer exploitation. The commercial world swells with baseless claims and pseudoscience. After a year covering political ideologies in professional sports, the health consequences of smartphone addiction, and my skepticism of anti-obesity drugs, I opted for a lighthearted transition into 2024. In this monthâs column, your resident pseudoscience Grinch brings you some festive fitness fads to look out for this holiday. And wouldnât you know it, there are five of them.
The Skeptic's Guide to Sports Science BOOK: https://www.nbtiller.com
Skeptical Inquirer magazine: https://www.skepticalinquirer.org
Original article & references: https://skepticalinquirer.org/exclusive/festive-fitness-fads-to-know-about-this-holiday/
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I wasnât expecting the New York Jets vs. the New York Giants game last month to trigger a traumatic flashback. A commercial for Nugenixâs âtotal testosterone-boosting formulaâ appeared during half-time, sending me spiraling through space-time to April 2022. It was the day Tucker Carlsonâs documentary The End of Men received its inaugural trailer. The Fox Nation special, written and starring the networkâs former news host, is a homoerotic jaunt through an alternative reality where low testosterone is the cause of Americaâs imminent decline and testicle tanning with infrared light is the solution.
The Skeptic's Guide to Sports Science BOOK: https://www.nbtiller.com
Skeptical Inquirer magazine: https://www.skepticalinquirer.org
Original article & references: https://skepticalinquirer.org/exclusive/testosterone-supplements-summoning-the-specter-of-tucker-carlson/
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The world watched in awe as Michael Phelpsâthe most decorated Olympian in historyâadded another five gold medals to his record-breaking tally at the Rio Games in 2016. This he did with conspicuous purple bruises across his back and shoulders, caused by cupping therapy. Today, itâs so common for an elite athlete to fraternize with pseudoscience, it gets lost in the small print of the back page news. But Phelps is no ordinary athlete. Heâs won more gold medals than anyone in history. He has over five million followers on social media. His views on training and recovery hold tremendous sway, and his unwitting endorsement of cupping thrust the ancient Chinese therapy into the modern spotlight.
The Skeptic's Guide to Sports Science BOOK: https://www.nbtiller.com
Skeptical Inquirer magazine: https://www.skepticalinquirer.org
Original article & references: https://skepticalinquirer.org/exclusive/phelps-dives-deeper-into-the-pseudoscience-of-cupping/
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The Gila Monster is North Americaâs only venomous Lizard. The reptile can grow to twenty-two inches and has a vicious bite thatâs as toxic as that of the western diamondback rattlesnake. While studying the lizardâs venom in the 1990s, Dr. John Engâan endocrinologist at the Veterans Administration Center in New Yorkâdiscovered a compound with a similar molecular structure to a protein called GLP-1, which regulates blood glucose in humans. But while GLP-1 had a half-life of just a few minutes, the lizard protein, which Eng called Exendin-4, had a half-life of several hours. Seeing its potential to treat metabolic disease, Eng began experimenting with Exendin-4 and later licensed his discovery to Amylin Pharmaceuticals of San Diego. After a decade of research, Exenatide was approved by the FDA as the worldâs first âGLP-1 receptor agonist.â It forever changed the management of Type 2 diabetes and may prove to be our most powerful weapon in the ongoing war on obesity.
The Skeptic's Guide to Sports Science BOOK: https://www.nbtiller.com
Skeptical Inquirer magazine: https://www.skepticalinquirer.org
Original article & references: https://skepticalinquirer.org/exclusive/my-healthy-but-waning-skepticism-of-weight-loss-drugs/
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When it comes to Grand Slam titles, Novak Djokovic has eclipsed every other male tennis player in history. Heâs the only man to be the reigning champion of all four majors simultaneously across three surfaces, and by securing his 23rd trophy at the French Open 2023, the Serbian national perhaps cemented his place as the greatest player of all time. Such prominence invites scrutiny, and in several competitions this past year, it was difficult to overlook a conspicuous device taped to Djokovicâs chest. The Italian manufacturer of TaoPatch claims their device uses nanotechnology to âconvert natural body heat into microscopic beams of light to stimulate the nervous system.â They maintain that the device is supported by thousands of physicians and over 50 clinical studies, but of the eight studies cited on their website, only four were related to the device and only one was placebo-controlled. Djokovic has called TaoPatch the biggest secret of his career. Scientists have called it nonsense. For Djokovic, itâs just the tip of a pseudoscience iceberg which, due to his notoriety, is creating a ripple effect throughout the sporting world.
The Skeptic's Guide to Sports Science BOOK: https://www.nbtiller.comSkeptical Inquirer magazine: https://www.skepticalinquirer.orgOriginal article & references: https://skepticalinquirer.org/exclusive/novak-djokovic-and-the-pseudoscience-grand-slam/Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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The plot for the epic fantasy series Lord of The Rings centered on, well, a ring. Not just any ring, but a magic ring. The âone ring to rule them allâ bestowed immense power on its owner: the power of invisibility, the power to dominate the wills of others, and power over the bearers of subservient rings. But in this monthâs column, I discuss jewelry with such extraordinary properties, itâd make even Bilbo Baggins envious. These charms and trinkets can harness quantum energy fields, resonate with the bodyâs intrinsic frequencies, emit magnetic pulses, and surround the owner with protective and healing energies. From sports performance to health and healing, there are earrings, necklaces, bracelets, and rings for every desire. And, unlike âThe One Ringâ that was forged in the fires of Mount Doom, these knickknacks can be found at your local pharmacy.
The Skeptic's Guide to Sports Science BOOK: https://www.nbtiller.comSkeptical Inquirer magazine: https://www.skepticalinquirer.orgOriginal article & references: https://skepticalinquirer.org/exclusive/magic-jewelry-and-the-irony-of-ignorance/Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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How desperate to lose weight would you have to be before youâd let a surgeon slice a hole in your abdomen and remove three-quarters of your stomach? This is âsleeve gastrectomy,â a common bariatric surgery that reduces stomach size and decreases appetite by blunting the release of ghrelinâa hormone that stimulates hunger. More than 1.5 million Americans have elected for bariatric surgery in the last 10 years, having repeatedly tried and failed to lose weight via conventional means. All bariatric surgeries carry significant risk, including bleeding, infection, gastrointestinal leaks, and even death. Theyâre also expensive and met with varying degrees of success. Even so, the benefits are often deemed to outweigh the risks, and for years surgery has been the last bastion of hope for sections of an obese population that are otherwise hopeless. Whatâs more, the number of bariatric surgeries performed is rising year on year. Now, promising new drugs Ozempic and Wegovy, therapies for type II diabetes and obesity, respectively, are showing documented success in clinical trials. Lauded by some as âbreakthrough weight loss treatmentsâ that will reduce dependence on surgery, yet vilified by others for promoting drug dependency, Ozempic and Wegovy are now making the predictable transition from clinical therapy to commercial shortcut. The implications could be disastrous for population health.
The Skeptic's Guide to Sports Science BOOK: https://www.nbtiller.comSkeptical Inquirer magazine: https://www.skepticalinquirer.orgOriginal article & references: https://skepticalinquirer.org/exclusive/ozempic-and-wegovy-for-obesity-landmark-therapies-with-forgotten-flaws/Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Itâs hard work beating people up for a living. A professional mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter typically trains year-round, fusing fighting disciplines such as boxing, kickboxing, wrestling, and Brazilian Ju Jitsu with concurrent resistance and endurance training. They must carefully balance stress and recovery to bring improvements rather than injuries and infections, and then, during fight camp, they complete an intensive eight- to twelve-week training program that culminates in a grueling weight cut to shed 10 percent of their body weight (approximately fifteen pounds for a lightweight fighter). And thatâs just to get ready for the contest. They must then enter the cage to trade punches, kicks, elbows, knees, throws, holds, and submissions with another professional fighter while an adoring crowd bays for blood. The two continue until someone gives up, loses on points, or loses their consciousness. Given the clear imperative to perform and recover, why is it that so many fighters use products and services that, by modern scientific standards, are so patently useless?
The Skeptic's Guide to Sports Science BOOK: https://www.nbtiller.comSkeptical Inquirer magazine: https://www.skepticalinquirer.orgOriginal article & references: https://skepticalinquirer.org/exclusive/inside-the-ufcs-pseudoscience-crisis/Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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I used to be obsessed with martial arts superstar Bruce Lee. I watched all his movies, read his books, and studied his moves (quite ineffectually). Aside from his martial arts skills and philosophies, it was Leeâs physique that distinguished him from other action heroes of the time. Standing five feet seven inches (172 cm) tall, his compact, muscular frame was perfectly suited to his explosive style of combat. And when Lee punched and kicked through his enemies with unmatched speed and dexterity, his every muscle and sinew leapt off the screen. It was quite a statement, therefore, when Lee was pictured in Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story (played by Jason Scott Lee, no relation) using an electric stimulator to train his muscles.
The Skeptic's Guide to Sports Science book: https://www.nbtiller.comSkeptical Inquirer magazine: https://www.skepticalinquirer.orgOriginal article & references: https://skepticalinquirer.org/exclusive/electric-muscle-stimulation-the-devil-is-in-the-detailHosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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The least-used app on my phone is âphone.â The diverse functionality of the smartphoneâtexting, talking, video streaming, gaming, social networkingâhas changed the way we work, play, and communicate. I still wonder if Steve Jobs, when he introduced the iPhone at the Macworld San Francisco Keynote Address in 2007, anticipated the influence Appleâs revolutionary creation would have on human behavior. He probably did. Just fifteen years after its release, numerous copycat devices have made the smartphone nearly ubiquitous.
The Skeptic's Guide to Sports Science book: https://www.nbtiller.comSkeptical Inquirer magazine: https://www.skepticalinquirer.orgOriginal article & references: https://skepticalinquirer.org/exclusive/the-physical-toll-of-your-smartphone-addiction/Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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All doctrines have demons, some more literal than others. What I mean by this is that ideologies tend to endure because theyâve a common antagonist against whom proponents can rally. For example, the Abrahamic religions brandish the Devil; politicians demonize members and policies of the opposing party; athletes and supporters unite against an opposing sports team; homeopaths fuel fear of âbig pharmaâ; and proponents of the keto diet denounce carbohydrates, or âbig carb,â for their role in diabetes, inflammation, and cardiovascular disease. In the world of barefoot running, itâs the modern sneaker industry, condemned for supplying generations of runners with highly cushioned soles that have weakened their leg muscles, collapsed the arches of their feet, and predisposed them to high rates of injury.
The Skeptic's Guide to Sports Science book: https://www.nbtiller.comSkeptical Inquirer magazine: https://www.skepticalinquirer.orgOriginal article & references: https://skepticalinquirer.org/exclusive/barefoot-running-conspiracies-and-controversies/Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Health and wellness scams have endured the ages by exploiting (1) scientific naivetĂ© and (2) our innate desire for simple solutions to complex problems. The Mesopotamians made substantial contributions to science and technology. They were the first to use irrigation in agriculture, the first to forge tools from bronze and iron, and the first to use looms to weave cloth from wool. But despite these accomplishments, they were known to treat illnesses by offering amulets and incantations to the gods and evil spirits that they believed inflicted disease in retribution for the âsins of mankind.â
The Skeptic's Guide to Sports Science book: https://www.nbtiller.comSkeptical Inquirer magazine: https://www.skepticalinquirer.orgOriginal article & references: https://skepticalinquirer.org/exclusive/health-wellness-and-the-quick-fix-fallacy/Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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The media backlash was swift and severe. More severe, in fact, than if an Olympic athlete had tested positive for a banned substance. For years, Brian Johnsonâa.k.a. The Liver Kingâhas marketed his brand on the core values of primal living founded on his self-derived âAncestral Tenets.â Primarily through viral social media coverage, Johnson purportedly made more than $100 million per year. But leaked emails recently revealed that his astounding physique wasnât due to his diet of raw animal organs and powerful supplements, as he claimed, but instead his extensive use of anabolic steroids.
The Skeptic's Guide to Sports Science book: https://www.nbtiller.comSkeptical Inquirer magazine: https://www.skepticalinquirer.orgOriginal article & references: https://skepticalinquirer.org/exclusive/the-liver-king-lies-and-logical-fallacies/Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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In terms of medical knowledge, the ancient world was primitive by modern standards. It had no germ theory to prevent the spread of disease, no anesthetics to pacify patients before surgery, and no evidence-based medicine to counteract the belief that âhumorsââblood, yellow bile, black bile, and phlegmâinfluenced the body and its emotions. The ancients were also highly superstitious: Greeks and Romans would drink the blood of fallen gladiators, believing it to confer strength and vitality and that it was a cure for epilepsy.
The Skeptic's Guide to Sports Science book: https://www.nbtiller.comSkeptical Inquirer magazine: https://www.skepticalinquirer.orgOriginal article & references: https://skepticalinquirer.org/exclusive/the-backward-world-of-retro-walking/Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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