Clarity Lab
Siris Health
Clarity Lab is the official podcast of Siris Health, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit building a free educational platform and curating social media channels that feature experts presenting health and science in a clear, compelling manner.Every week, Derek Beres talks to one expert about one topic in their area of expertise.For more information visit our website.Donate to Siris Health here.Theme song: Soul'd Transitions by Luz Cafe
What MAHA *Could* Do Right
What if MAHA could do something really good for America? Kevin Klatt has an idea that would help the wellness-focused movement actually evolve: fund clinical nutrition studies. As Kevin wrote in a recent article, clinical nutrition has been woefully underfunded for over a generation. So when you see wellness influencers talking about the impact of food on the microbiome, you know they’re just spitballing with data—usually to sell you something. That could change—if RFK Jr has the will.Kevin Kl
Mar 12, • 24:29
What You Need to Know About Statins and Cholesterol
Wellness influencers love bashing statins and peddling cholesterol pseudoscience to sell supplements. Yet statins are one of the most effective—and most inexpensive—health interventions in medical history. I talk to subject expert, Dr Danielle Belardo, about statins and cholesterol basics. Dr. Danielle Belardo is a preventive cardiologist in Los Angeles, as well as an international speaker and published researcher. She partners with her patients through a team-based approach, blending cutting-e
Mar 5, • 23:21
The Battle for Reality
Misinformation is everywhere. Matthew Facciani spends his days trying to understand it.We discuss his definitions of misinformation and disinformation, how we engage with algorithms, and his focus on health misinformation.Matthew Facciani is a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Notre Dame. He is an interdisciplinary social scientist with a background in neuroscience and psychology and a PhD in sociology. His first book, Misguided: Where Misinformation Starts, How It Spreads, and What t
Feb 26, • 18:28
The World is...Toxic?
If you follow wellness influencers, you’d think we live in a toxic stew of modernity where every company and institution is out to get us—and thankfully, they have the detoxes that will save us.Dr Ryan Marino, a medical toxicologist, joins to dispel myths around toxicology.We discuss wellness pseudoscience as well as his area of expertise: addiction, and the stigmas around it.Ryan Marino, MD is a triple-board certified medical doctor actively practicing medical toxicology, emergency medicine and
Feb 19, • 19:11
How to Spot a Wellness Influencer
Have you ever been told coffee should go "in" the other end? Or that essential oils can cure your eye problems? Maybe $200 stones can cure the infertility that your electric car is causing?These are all real claims, and Mallory DeMille is there to point them out. With an educational and professional background in marketing, she's keen on the techniques wellness influencers use to sell products, science be damned.We talk about a few instances of science being damned by wellness influencers during
Feb 12, • 22:49
Beware the Sunscreen Truthers
According to sunscreen “truthers,” sunscreen is the real culprit behind skin cancer—not the sun. After they inform you of this tidbit, they’ll usually try to sell you a “natural” solution that, according to actual research, is not nearly as effective.Dr Michelle Wong has been using social media to educate people about cosmetics, including sunscreen, for years. We discuss the mechanisms behind sunscreen, cosmetic versus mineral sunscreens, when you should apply (and how often to reapply), why tal
Feb 5, • 20:24
3 Dangers of Nutrition Misinformation
Why do so many people think they can offer nutrition advice without having any training whatsoever? Diet plans and food advice are rampant in wellness land.Registered dietitian Danielle Shine cuts through the noise. We discuss the shortcomings of nutrition certification programs, the inflammation myth, seed oils, and the three greatest dangers of online nutrition misinformation.Danielle Shine is an accredited dietitian based in Australia, and a PhD candidate researching nutrition misinformation
Jan 29, • 18:41
Are Parabens Actually Toxic?
If you’ve listened to the Environmental Working Group, you’d know that parabens are toxic. But then you should wonder why you’re listening to the Environmental Working Group, a group infamous for making alarmist and outlandish claims.Cosmetic chemist Jen Novakovich joins Derek to discuss what parabens are and why they’re one of the most tested ingredients in cosmetics. They also discuss how EWG manipulates public understanding by cherrypicking studies, natural versus synthetic cosmetic ingredien
Jan 22, • 24:59
How to Read a Study
Want research to support whatever product you’re selling? There’s a study for that. How could that not be the case, considering over 14,000 studies are published every single day?Learning how to read a study is a valuable skill in an age of information overload. Dr Rohin Franics joins Derek Beres to discuss how he reads a study, the relevance of sample size, why studying supplements is really challenging, correlation versus causation, statists, preprints, and more.Dr Rohin Francis is a UK-based
Jan 15, • 25:19
Fighting Cancer Misinformation
Celery juice. Coffee enemas. Ozone therapy. The list of pseudoscientific cancer "treatments" is endless. Yet they all risk pushing people in vulnerable positions toward untenable "cures."Dr Andrea Love joins Derek Beres to discuss the dangers of cancer misinformation, as well as why the field of cancer research is so complex—and rewarding.Dr Andrea Love is an immunologist and microbiologist, as well as subject-matter expert in infectious disease immunology, cancer immunology, and autoimmunity. S
Jan 8, • 31:41
