Thanks for this really good post and reminder that the chronic illness space is going to become even more toxic. As a physician as well as someone with chronic migraine (along with a couple of less obvious chronic illnesses), I have an easier time sorting through the real information and garbage, but I know that people without my training and background can really use this kind of guidance. I'm hoping that the Senate does their "advice and consent" role and declines to move the RFK Jr. nomination through. Almost anyone would be a better choice. Again, good post!
oh wow. thank you so much! I really appreciate your pov. And yes - it is easier for those in the medical field and healthcare space to see through some of the misinfo/disinfo and I hope they'll join the ranks in fighting what's to come. It's so easy for people to be duped by so much of this because the language is incredibly convincing and people don't have the medical knowledge to apply critical thinking. Plus, so many men love the term biohacking 🤣
I really liked your point about how the wellness industry seems empathetic because they have time to listen during appointments and promise to get to the root cause. I know I've definitely been frustrated myself when doctors aren't able to do these things, and I think it's a crucial part of why people have trouble seeing through things that are just trying to scam them over. I've also seen a huge rise of medical misinformation on social media lately and I think that's probably similar (buying into false information because it's presented in a personable/relatable way).
yes! That's exactly it. people want an answer & science doesn't always have a concrete answer. And, sadly, doctors don't have the time to explain these things & answer these questions. Think about it: not that many conditions have a CURE, which is why doctors don't promise a cure. Instead, they outline a treatment plan that helps to manage the condition and hopefully help the person achieve remission but remission may not be forever.
According to the NIH, the ICD-10 has 70k codes associated with disease & related health problems & 7k being rare. Margaret Anderson previously of Faster Cures said there was just one "cure" and that was for Hepatitis C (according to a Washington Post fact check). FDA says that as of 2015 the FDA has approved 552 orphan drugs (but those are stressed to be treatments, not cures).
Enter the wellness world. They promise to listen, give you their time, and run so many tests so they can find the root cause. And then they promise a simple cure.
Medical doctors know the cause of many diseases, but those causes can be nebulous or not make sense to the patient, causing them to spin and look for answers & cures elsewhere. And suddenly they find a space where people listen & do the things they want a provider to do.
That’s such a good point, and not really one I’d thought about. While I do think the medical system could allow doctors to spend more time with patients so they can actually feel listened to, having no cure is kind of just something we have to accept for a lot of conditions, which I guess makes it trickier to address the issue of people claiming to have cures.
I recommend not listening, as his misinformation could trigger a stress response—spiking cortisol levels, activating the amygdala, and potentially impairing prefrontal cortex function. However, if you do listen, public fact-checking would be useful to rescue some of the thousands now misled into thinking ADHD is a circadian disorder
A PA (whom I saw when my usual provider was out of the office) at my pain clinic office in West Hartford, CT continually recommends the Huberman pod on migraine. Soooo infuriating.
omg. my medical director and I spent an entire day disparaging that episode. It was so misleading. and so many people trust him because "Huberman Lab" sounds so authoritative & knowledgeable! But his lab (when it was running) consisted of like one person and the focus was incredibly, incredibly narrow, and not at all related to the topics he covers on his podcast. The NY Mag article is very insightful and an excellent read.
I’ve becom pretty skeptical about content that uses medical or neuroscience topics as a sneaky way to sell supplements, and Andrew Huberman’s podcast is a prime example. Sure, he talks about some really interesting neuroscience stuff, but there’s this pattern of making big health claims that don’t always have solid backing. Like taking findings from animal studies and acting like they apply directly to humans. To me though the sponsorships with supplement companies are a big red flag for conflicts of interest. It kind of feels like all the science talk is just a clever way to pitch products instead of genuinely informing people. aka Hes pushed supplements for things like sleep or focus that don’t have a ton of evidence behind them. It’s not just frustrating. it actually makes it harder for people to trust science-based communication in general. I really need to take my own advice and stop listening. I like to nerd out on science podcasts and thought I could look past the conflicts of interest and holes in evidnece but its getting worse and worse.
Thanks for this really good post and reminder that the chronic illness space is going to become even more toxic. As a physician as well as someone with chronic migraine (along with a couple of less obvious chronic illnesses), I have an easier time sorting through the real information and garbage, but I know that people without my training and background can really use this kind of guidance. I'm hoping that the Senate does their "advice and consent" role and declines to move the RFK Jr. nomination through. Almost anyone would be a better choice. Again, good post!
oh wow. thank you so much! I really appreciate your pov. And yes - it is easier for those in the medical field and healthcare space to see through some of the misinfo/disinfo and I hope they'll join the ranks in fighting what's to come. It's so easy for people to be duped by so much of this because the language is incredibly convincing and people don't have the medical knowledge to apply critical thinking. Plus, so many men love the term biohacking 🤣
I really liked your point about how the wellness industry seems empathetic because they have time to listen during appointments and promise to get to the root cause. I know I've definitely been frustrated myself when doctors aren't able to do these things, and I think it's a crucial part of why people have trouble seeing through things that are just trying to scam them over. I've also seen a huge rise of medical misinformation on social media lately and I think that's probably similar (buying into false information because it's presented in a personable/relatable way).
yes! That's exactly it. people want an answer & science doesn't always have a concrete answer. And, sadly, doctors don't have the time to explain these things & answer these questions. Think about it: not that many conditions have a CURE, which is why doctors don't promise a cure. Instead, they outline a treatment plan that helps to manage the condition and hopefully help the person achieve remission but remission may not be forever.
According to the NIH, the ICD-10 has 70k codes associated with disease & related health problems & 7k being rare. Margaret Anderson previously of Faster Cures said there was just one "cure" and that was for Hepatitis C (according to a Washington Post fact check). FDA says that as of 2015 the FDA has approved 552 orphan drugs (but those are stressed to be treatments, not cures).
Enter the wellness world. They promise to listen, give you their time, and run so many tests so they can find the root cause. And then they promise a simple cure.
Medical doctors know the cause of many diseases, but those causes can be nebulous or not make sense to the patient, causing them to spin and look for answers & cures elsewhere. And suddenly they find a space where people listen & do the things they want a provider to do.
It's so misleading, manipulative, and predatory.
That’s such a good point, and not really one I’d thought about. While I do think the medical system could allow doctors to spend more time with patients so they can actually feel listened to, having no cure is kind of just something we have to accept for a lot of conditions, which I guess makes it trickier to address the issue of people claiming to have cures.
Andrew Huberman's podcast this week is on ADHD as a circadian disorder 🤣
Oh Lordy. How angry will it make me.
I recommend not listening, as his misinformation could trigger a stress response—spiking cortisol levels, activating the amygdala, and potentially impairing prefrontal cortex function. However, if you do listen, public fact-checking would be useful to rescue some of the thousands now misled into thinking ADHD is a circadian disorder
Thank you. I once listened to his migraine episode & that was It for me. But a circadian rhythm disorder???! My goodness
A PA (whom I saw when my usual provider was out of the office) at my pain clinic office in West Hartford, CT continually recommends the Huberman pod on migraine. Soooo infuriating.
omg. my medical director and I spent an entire day disparaging that episode. It was so misleading. and so many people trust him because "Huberman Lab" sounds so authoritative & knowledgeable! But his lab (when it was running) consisted of like one person and the focus was incredibly, incredibly narrow, and not at all related to the topics he covers on his podcast. The NY Mag article is very insightful and an excellent read.
I’ve becom pretty skeptical about content that uses medical or neuroscience topics as a sneaky way to sell supplements, and Andrew Huberman’s podcast is a prime example. Sure, he talks about some really interesting neuroscience stuff, but there’s this pattern of making big health claims that don’t always have solid backing. Like taking findings from animal studies and acting like they apply directly to humans. To me though the sponsorships with supplement companies are a big red flag for conflicts of interest. It kind of feels like all the science talk is just a clever way to pitch products instead of genuinely informing people. aka Hes pushed supplements for things like sleep or focus that don’t have a ton of evidence behind them. It’s not just frustrating. it actually makes it harder for people to trust science-based communication in general. I really need to take my own advice and stop listening. I like to nerd out on science podcasts and thought I could look past the conflicts of interest and holes in evidnece but its getting worse and worse.