- All articles

All articles

- Special Episode: Wendy Chin-Tanner & King of the Armadillos: 2025 Jul 15

- Episode 181 PCOS: Beyond the cysts: 2025 Jul 8

- Episode 180 Food Dyes: It’s all marketing: 2025 Jul 1

- Special Episode: Professor Steven Mithen & The Language Puzzle: 2025 Jun 25

- Ep 179 Fluoride 2: Fighting tooth and nail: 2025 Jun 17

- Ep 178 Fluoride 1: The real tooth fairy: 2025 Jun 16

- Special Episode: Dr. Wendy Kline & Exposed: 2025 Jun 16

- Episode 177 Toxic Shock Syndrome: A shock to the system: 2025 Jun 16

- Episode 176 Strychnine: The WD-40 of Victorian Medicine: 2025 May 22

- Special Episode: Dr. Adam Ratner & Booster Shots: 2025 May 22

JUL 15, 2025, 3:00 AM EDT | PODCAST | EPISODE PAGE

Special Episode: Wendy Chin-Tanner & King of the Armadillos

We’ve got a very special episode of the TPWKY book club this week! We’re featuring our very first fiction book: King of the Armadillos by Wendy Chin-Tanner. This novel tells the story of a young man named Victor, who is sent from his home in New York City to a federal treatment facility in Carville, Louisiana after a diagnosis of Hansen’s disease (then known as leprosy). After being ripped away from his family and the life he knew, Victor struggles to navigate his new situation, facing racism, stigma, and loneliness. Ultimately, he finds support in the lively community of Carville. Wendy joins us to discuss her creative process for this beautifully-written book, and how her father’s life provided the basis for Victor’s story. Tune in for a heartfelt conversation about a long-forgotten piece of public health history and the powerful meaning that diseases can hold.

This article was downloaded on Jul 15, 2025 at 9:01 AM EDT.

JUL 8, 2025, 3:00 AM EDT | PODCAST | EPISODE PAGE

Episode 181 PCOS: Beyond the cysts

What’s in a name? What can you really tell from a label like “polycystic ovarian syndrome”? And how much of that is more misconception than truth? The answer, as it turns out, is the former. In this episode, we delve into the world of PCOS, a world that shows us how preconceived notions of health and disease, gender and sexuality can do far more harm than good. For many people with PCOS, this condition violates society’s expectations of how you should look, act, or feel. And the resulting stigma and shame deepens the silence that often surrounds PCOS and leads to inadequate treatment and medical gaslighting. But thanks to the work of some incredible advocates, that silence is slowly fading. Tune in to discover the many lessons that PCOS can teach us, if only we are willing to learn.

History

- Williams, Stacey L. The psychology of PCOS: Building the science and breaking the silence. American Psychological Association, 2023.

- Azziz, Ricardo, and Eli Y. Adashi. “Stein and Leventhal: 80 years on.” American journal of obstetrics and gynecology 214.2 (2016): 247-e1.

- Dumesic, Daniel A., David H. Abbott, and Gregorio D. Chazenbalk. “An evolutionary model for the ancient origins of polycystic ovary syndrome.” Journal of clinical medicine 12.19 (2023): 6120.

- Meczekalski, Blazej. “Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: Past, Present and Future.” Journal of Clinical Medicine 12.11 (2023): 3808.

- Stein, Irving F. “Bilateral polycystic ovaries: Significance in sterility.” American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology 50.4 (1945): 385-398.

- Szydlarska, Dorota, Małgorzata Machaj, and Artur Jakimiuk. “History of discovery of polycystic ovary syndrome.” Advances in Clinical & Experimental Medicine 26.3 (2017).

- Witchel, Selma F., Ricardo Azziz, and Sharon E. Oberfield. “History of polycystic ovary syndrome, premature adrenarche, and hyperandrogenism in pediatric endocrinology.” Hormone research in paediatrics 95.6 (2022): 557-567.

Biology

- Teede, H.J., Tay, C.T., Laven, J.J., Dokras, A., Moran, L.J., Piltonen, T.T., Costello, M.F., Boivin, J., Redman, L.M., Boyle, J.A. and Norman, R.J., 2023. Recommendations from the 2023 international evidence-based guideline for the assessment and management of polycystic ovary syndrome. European journal of endocrinology, 189(2), pp.G43-G64.

- Teede, H.J., Misso, M.L., Costello, M.F., Dokras, A., Laven, J., Moran, L., Piltonen, T. and Norman, R.J., 2018. Recommendations from the international evidence-based guideline for the assessment and management of polycystic ovary syndrome. Human reproduction, 33(9), pp.1602-1618.

- Joham, A.E., Norman, R.J., Stener-Victorin, E., Legro, R.S., Franks, S., Moran, L.J., Boyle, J. and Teede, H.J., 2022. Polycystic ovary syndrome. The lancet Diabetes & endocrinology, 10(9), pp.668-680.

- Dong, J. and Rees, D.A., 2023. Polycystic ovary syndrome: pathophysiology and therapeutic opportunities. BMJ medicine, 2(1), p.e000548.

- Barber, T.M. and Franks, S., 2021. Obesity and polycystic ovary syndrome. Clinical endocrinology, 95(4), pp.531-541.

- Moghetti, P., Tosi, F., Bonin, C., Di Sarra, D., Fiers, T., Kaufman, J.M., Giagulli, V.A., Signori, C., Zambotti, F., Dall’Alda, M. and Spiazzi, G., 2013. Divergences in insulin resistance between the different phenotypes of the polycystic ovary syndrome. The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, 98(4), pp.E628-E637.

- Madan, R. and Varghese, R.T., 2024. Assessing insulin sensitivity and resistance in humans. Endotext [Internet].

- Tsutsumi, R. and Webster, N.J., 2009. GnRH pulsatility, the pituitary response and reproductive dysfunction. Endocrine journal, 56(6), pp.729-737.

- Franks, S. and Hardy, K., 2018. Androgen action in the ovary. Frontiers in endocrinology, 9, p.452.

- Cannarella, R., Condorelli, R.A., Mongioì, L.M., La Vignera, S. and Calogero, A.E., 2018. Does a male polycystic ovarian syndrome equivalent exist?. Journal of endocrinological investigation, 41(1), pp.49-57.

- Di Guardo, F., Ciotta, L., Monteleone, M. and Palumbo, M., 2020. Male equivalent polycystic ovarian syndrome: hormonal, metabolic and clinical aspects. International Journal of Fertility & Sterility, 14(2), p.79.

- Sánchez-Garrido, M.A., Serrano-López, V., Ruiz-Pino, F., Vázquez, M.J., Rodríguez-Martín, A., Torres, E., Velasco, I., Rodríguez, A.B., Chicano-Gálvez, E., Mora-Ortiz, M. and Ohlsson, C., 2024. Superior metabolic improvement of polycystic ovary syndrome traits after GLP1-based multi-agonist therapy. Nature Communications, 15(1), p.8498.

- Teede, H., Moran, L., Morman, R., Gibson, M., Dokras, A., Berry, L., Laven, J.S., Joham, A., Piltonen, T., Costello, M. and Norman, R.J., 2025. Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: Perspectives from Patients and Health Professionals on Clinical Features, Current Name, and Renaming: A Longitudinal International Online Survey. *PRE-Print not yet peer reviewed. Available at SSRN:  https://ssrn.com/abstract=5163319  or  http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.5163319

Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, you won’t pay a penny more, but we’ll get a small commission which helps us keep things running. Thanks!

This article was downloaded on Jul 15, 2025 at 9:01 AM EDT.

JUL 1, 2025, 12:44 PM EDT | PODCAST | EPISODE PAGE

Episode 180 Food Dyes: It’s all marketing

This episode, we aren’t asking you to taste the rainbow, but we are scrutinizing the artificial dyes that give it its color. When you’re munching on brightly colored candies or dipping a french fry in purple ketchup, what exactly is it you’re tasting? In this episode, we take you through the story of food dyes, from their serendipitous discovery to their enthusiastic overuse, from much-needed regulation to controversial health findings. You’ve read the headlines, now get the full picture of artificial food dyes.

History

- Cobbold, Carolyn. A Rainbow Palate: How Chemical Dyes Changed the West’s Relationship with Food. University of Chicago Press, 2020.

- Alegbe, Emmanuel Ohifueme, and Taofik Olatunde Uthman. “A review of history, properties, classification, applications and challenges of natural and synthetic dyes.” Heliyon (2024).

- Ardila-Leal, Leidy D., et al. “A brief history of colour, the environmental impact of synthetic dyes and removal by using laccases.” Molecules 26.13 (2021): 3813.

- Arnold, L. Eugene, Nicholas Lofthouse, and Elizabeth Hurt. “Artificial food colors and attention-deficit/hyperactivity symptoms: conclusions to dye for.” Neurotherapeutics 9.3 (2012): 599-609.

- Burrows, JD, Adam. “Palette of our palates: a brief history of food coloring and its regulation.” Comprehensive Reviews in food science and food safety 8.4 (2009): 394-408.

- Clydesdale, Fergus M. “Color as a factor in food choice.” Critical reviews in food science and nutrition 33.1 (1993): 83-101.

- Foroni, Francesco, Giulio Pergola, and Raffaella Ida Rumiati. “Food color is in the eye of the beholder: The role of human trichromatic vision in food evaluation.” Scientific reports 6.1 (2016): 37034.

- Oplatowska-Stachowiak, Michalina, and Christopher T. Elliott. “Food colors: Existing and emerging food safety concerns.” Critical reviews in food science and nutrition 57.3 (2017): 524-548.

- Sharma, Vinita, Harold T. McKone, and Peter G. Markow. “A global perspective on the history, use, and identification of synthetic food dyes.” Journal of Chemical Education 88.1 (2011): 24-28.

Biology

- Lehto, S., Buchweitz, M., Klimm, A., Straßburger, R., Bechtold, C. and Ulberth, F., 2017. Comparison of food colour regulations in the EU and the US: a review of current provisions. Food Additives & Contaminants: Part A, 34(3), pp.335-355.

- From FDA News release “HHS, FDA to phase out petroleum-based synthetic dyes in nation’s food supply” released April 22,2025 https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/hhs-fda-phase-out-petroleum-based-synthetic-dyes-nations-food-supply.

- FDA “Color additives in Foods” current as of 07/06/2023  https://www.fda.gov/food/color-additives-information-consumers/color-additives-foods

- FDA. Regulatory Status of Color Additives. https://www.hfpappexternal.fda.gov/scripts/fdcc/index.cfm?set=ColorAdditives&sort=Use&order=ASC&startrow=151&type=basic&search=

- OEHHA 2021. Health Effects Assessment:  Potential Neurobehavioral effects of synthetic food dyes in children. Children’s environmental health center office of environmental health hazard assessment, California Environmental Protection Agency.

- WHO 2017. Evaluation of certain food additives. Eighty-fourth report of the joint FAO/WHO expert committee on food additives.

- EFSA, 2009. EFSA updates safety advice on six food colors. https://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/press/news/091112

- FDA/CFSAN 2011. Background document for the food advisory committee: certified color additives in food and possible association with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in children. March 30-31,2011. Meeting materials.

- EFSA Panel on Food Additives and Nutrient Sources Added to Food, 2009. Scientific Opinion on the re‐evaluation of Sunset Yellow FCF (E 110) as a food additive. EFSA Journal, 7(11), p.1330.

- EFSA Panel on Food Additives and Nutrient Sources Added to Food, 2009. Scientific Opinion on the re‐evaluation of Allura Red AC (E 129) as a food additive. EFSA Journal, 7(11), p.1327.

- EFSA Panel on Food Additives and Nutrient Sources Added to Food, 2009. Scientific Opinion on the re‐evaluation Tartrazine (E 102). EFSA Journal, 7(11), p.1331.

- European Food Safety Authority, 2015. Refined exposure assessment for Allura Red AC (E 129). EFSA Journal, 13(2), p.4007.

- EFSA Panel on Food Additives and Nutrient Sources added to Food (ANS), 2011. Scientific Opinion on the re‐evaluation of Erythrosine (E 127) as a food additive. EFSA Journal, 9(1), p.1854.

- Kobylewski, S. and Jacobson, M.F., 2012. Toxicology of food dyes. International journal of occupational and environmental health, 18(3), pp.220-246.

- Nigg, J.T., Lewis, K., Edinger, T. and Falk, M., 2012. Meta-analysis of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder symptoms, restriction diet, and synthetic food color additives. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 51(1), pp.86-97.

- Uldall Torp, N.M. and Thomsen, P.H., 2020. The use of diet interventions to treat symptoms of ADHD in children and adolescents–a systematic review of randomized controlled trials. Nordic journal of psychiatry, 74(8), pp.558-568.

- Miller, M.D., Steinmaus, C., Golub, M.S., Castorina, R., Thilakartne, R., Bradman, A. and Marty, M.A., 2022. Potential impacts of synthetic food dyes on activity and attention in children: a review of the human and animal evidence. Environmental Health, 21(1), p.45.

- McCann, D., Barrett, A., Cooper, A., Crumpler, D., Dalen, L., Grimshaw, K., Kitchin, E., Lok, K., Porteous, L., Prince, E. and Sonuga-Barke, E., 2007. Food additives and hyperactive behaviour in 3-year-old and 8/9-year-old children in the community: a randomised, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial. The lancet, 370(9598), pp.1560-1567.

- Bateman, B., Warner, J.O., Hutchinson, E., Dean, T., Rowlandson, P., Gant, C., Grundy, J., Fitzgerald, C. and Stevenson, J., 2004. The effects of a double blind, placebo controlled, artificial food colourings and benzoate preservative challenge on hyperactivity in a general population sample of preschool children. Archives of disease in childhood, 89(6), pp.506-511.

- Rowe, K.S. and Rowe, K.J., 1994. Synthetic food coloring and behavior: a dose response effect in a double-blind, placebo-controlled, repeated-measures study. The journal of pediatrics, 125(5), pp.691-698.

- Novais, C., Molina, A.K., Abreu, R.M., Santo-Buelga, C., Ferreira, I.C., Pereira, C. and Barros, L., 2022. Natural food colorants and preservatives: A review, a demand, and a challenge. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry, 70(9), pp.2789-2805.

- Arnold, L.E., Lofthouse, N. and Hurt, E., 2012. Artificial food colors and attention-deficit/hyperactivity symptoms: conclusions to dye for. Neurotherapeutics, 9(3), pp.599-609.

- Barciela, P., Perez-Vazquez, A. and Prieto, M.A., 2023. Azo dyes in the food industry: Features, classification, toxicity, alternatives, and regulation. Food and Chemical Toxicology, 178, p.113935.

- Gupta, S., Hawk, T., Aggarwal, A. and Drewnowski, A., 2019. Characterizing ultra-processed foods by energy density, nutrient density, and cost. Frontiers in nutrition, 6, p.70.

- Hess, Julie M., Madeline E. Comeau, Angela J. Scheett, Anne Bodensteiner, and Allen S. Levine. “Using Less Processed Food to Mimic a Standard American Diet Does Not Improve Nutrient Value and May Result in a Shorter Shelf Life at a Higher Financial Cost.” Current Developments in Nutrition 8, no. 11 (2024): 104471.

- Moodie, R., Stuckler, D., Monteiro, C., Sheron, N., Neal, B., Thamarangsi, T., Lincoln, P. and Casswell, S., 2013. Profits and pandemics: prevention of harmful effects of tobacco, alcohol, and ultra-processed food and drink industries. The lancet, 381(9867), pp.670-679.

Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, you won’t pay a penny more, but we’ll get a small commission which helps us keep things running. Thanks!

This article was downloaded on Jul 15, 2025 at 9:01 AM EDT.

JUN 25, 2025, 3:44 PM EDT | PODCAST | EPISODE PAGE

Special Episode: Professor Steven Mithen & The Language Puzzle

From the earliest grunts and gestures to the complex sentences we use today to convey a multitude of concepts, language has evolved to become one of humanity’s most powerful tools. It allows us to connect, create, conspire, control, console, catch up, and so much more. How did we come to have this uniquely human trait? What anatomical changes or cultural developments were necessary for language to evolve? What differentiates language from communication? In this TPWKY book club episode, Professor Steven Mithen joins us to discuss his latest book The Language Puzzle: Piecing Together the Six-Million-Year Story of How Words Evolved. By combining scholarship across wide-ranging fields such as archaeology, genetics, anthropology, linguistics, neuroscience, and more, Professor Mithen presents a compelling story of the origins of language. If you’ve ever wondered how babies can go from babbling one day and talking in a torrent of words the next, or how an individual language changes with each generation, this is the episode and book for you.

Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, you won’t pay a penny more, but we’ll get a small commission which helps us keep things running. Thanks!

This article was downloaded on Jul 15, 2025 at 9:01 AM EDT.

JUN 17, 2025, 3:00 AM EDT | PODCAST | EPISODE PAGE

Ep 179 Fluoride 2: Fighting tooth and nail

In last week’s episode, we traced the history of fluoridation (and the anti-fluoridation movement) to its roots in the early 20th century, but we left you wondering whether there’s anything to back up the health claims that anti-fluoridationists make. Today, we get deep into the weeds of the fluoride literature, explaining how this mineral works, the difference between topical and systemic fluoride, and whether fluoridation has been linked to any health issues. The details matter, and don’t you worry – we’ve got plenty of nitty gritty for you to feast on.

History

- Biology

- Pitts, N.B., Zero, D.T., Marsh, P.D., Ekstrand, K., Weintraub, J.A., Ramos-Gomez, F., Tagami, J., Twetman, S., Tsakos, G. and Ismail, A., 2017. Dental caries. Nature reviews Disease primers, 3(1), pp.1-16.

- Ten Cate, J.M. and Buzalaf, M.A.R., 2019. Fluoride mode of action: Once there was an observant dentist… Journal of dental research, 98(7), pp.725-730.

- Buzalaf, M.A.R., Pessan, J.P., Honório, H.M. and Ten Cate, J.M., 2011. Mechanisms of action of fluoride for caries control. Monographs in oral science, 22, pp.97-114.

- Taher, M.K., Momoli, F., Go, J., Hagiwara, S., Ramoju, S., Hu, X., Jensen, N., Terrell, R., Hemmerich, A. and Krewski, D., 2024. Systematic review of epidemiological and toxicological evidence on health effects of fluoride in drinking water. Critical reviews in toxicology, 54(1), pp.2-34.

- Kumar, J.V., Moss, M.E., Liu, H. and Fisher-Owens, S., 2023. Association between low fluoride exposure and children’s intelligence: a meta-analysis relevant to community water fluoridation. Public Health, 219, pp.73-84.

- Taylor, K.W., Eftim, S.E., Sibrizzi, C.A., Blain, R.B., Magnuson, K., Hartman, P.A., Rooney, A.A. and Bucher, J.R., 2025. Fluoride exposure and children’s IQ scores: a systematic review and meta-analysis. JAMA pediatrics.

- National Toxicology Program, 2024. NTP monograph on the state of the science concerning fluoride exposure and neurodevelopment and cognition: a systematic review. NTP Monograph, (8)

- Boehmer, T.J., 2023. Community water fluoridation levels to promote effectiveness and safety in oral health—United States, 2016–2021. MMWR. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 72.

- Guth, S., Hüser, S., Roth, A., Degen, G., Diel, P., Edlund, K., Eisenbrand, G., Engel, K.H., Epe, B., Grune, T. and Heinz, V., 2020. Toxicity of fluoride: critical evaluation of evidence for human developmental neurotoxicity in epidemiological studies, animal experiments and in vitro analyses. Archives of toxicology, 94, pp.1375-1415.

- Jack, B., Ayson, M., Lewis, S., Irving, A., Agresta, B., Ko, H. and Stoklosa, A., 2016. Health effects of water fluoridation: evidence evaluation report. National Health and Medical Research Council: Canberra.

- Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health. 2020. Community Water Fluoridation Exposure: A Review of Neurological and Cognitive Effects. Ottawa: CADTH Rapid Response Reports: summary with critical appraisal.

- Iheozor-Ejiofor, Z., Walsh, T., Lewis, S.R., Riley, P., Boyers, D., Clarkson, J.E., Worthington, H.V., Glenny, A.M. and O’Malley, L., 2024. Water fluoridation for the prevention of dental caries. Cochrane database of systematic reviews, (10).

- McLaren, L., Patterson, S., Thawer, S., Faris, P., McNeil, D., Potestio, M.L. and Shwart, L., 2017. Exploring the short-term impact of community water fluoridation cessation on children’s dental caries: a natural experiment in Alberta, Canada. Public Health, 146, pp.56-64.

- Nezihovski, S.S., Findler, M., Chackartchi, T., Mann, J., Haim, D. and Tobias, G., 2024. The effect of cessation of drinking water fluoridation on dental restorations and crowns in children aged 3–5 years in Israel–a retrospective study. Israel Journal of Health Policy Research, 13(1), p.50.

- Moore, D., Nyakutsikwa, B., Allen, T., Lam, E., Birch, S., Tickle, M., Pretty, I.A. and Walsh, T., 2024. How effective and cost‐effective is water fluoridation for adults and adolescents? The LOTUS 10‐year retrospective cohort study. Community Dentistry and Oral Epidemiology, 52(4), pp.413-423.

- James, P., Harding, M., Beecher, T., Browne, D., Cronin, M., Guiney, H., O’Mullane, D. and Whelton, H., 2021. Impact of reducing water fluoride on dental caries and fluorosis. Journal of dental research, 100(5), pp.507-514.

- Belotti, L. and Frazão, P., 2022. Effectiveness of water fluoridation in an upper‐middle‐income country: A systematic review and meta‐analysis. International Journal of Paediatric Dentistry, 32(4), pp.503-513.

- Miranda, G.H.N., Alvarenga, M.O.P., Ferreira, M.K.M., Puty, B., Bittencourt, L.O., Fagundes, N.C.F., Pessan, J.P., Buzalaf, M.A.R. and Lima, R.R., 2021. A systematic review and meta-analysis of the association between fluoride exposure and neurological disorders. Scientific reports, 11(1), p.22659.

- Do, L.G., Spencer, A.J., Sawyer, A., Jones, A., Leary, S., Roberts, R. and Ha, D.H., 2023. Early childhood exposures to fluorides and child behavioral development and executive function: a population-based longitudinal study. Journal of Dental Research, 102(1), pp.28-36.

- Broadbent, J.M., Thomson, W.M., Ramrakha, S., Moffitt, T.E., Zeng, J., Foster Page, L.A. and Poulton, R., 2015. Community water fluoridation and intelligence: prospective study in New Zealand. American journal of public health, 105(1), pp.72-76.

- Grandjean, P., Meddis, A., Nielsen, F., Beck, I.H., Bilenberg, N., Goodman, C.V., Hu, H., Till, C. and Budtz-Jørgensen, E., 2024. Dose dependence of prenatal fluoride exposure associations with cognitive performance at school age in three prospective studies. European Journal of Public Health, 34(1), pp.143-149.

- Farmus, L., Till, C., Green, R., Hornung, R., Mier, E.A.M., Ayotte, P., Muckle, G., Lanphear, B.P. and Flora, D.B., 2021. Critical windows of fluoride neurotoxicity in Canadian children. Environmental research, 200, p.111315.

- Green, R., Lanphear, B., Hornung, R., Flora, D., Martinez-Mier, E.A., Neufeld, R., Ayotte, P., Muckle, G. and Till, C., 2019. Association between maternal fluoride exposure during pregnancy and IQ scores in offspring in Canada. JAMA pediatrics, 173(10), pp.940-948.

- Aggeborn, L. and Öhman, M., 2021. The effects of fluoride in drinking water. Journal of Political Economy, 129(2), pp.465-491.

- Till, C., Grandjean, P., Martinez-Mier, E.A., Hu, H. and Lanphear, B., 2025. Health Risks and Benefits of Fluoride Exposure During Pregnancy and Infancy. Annual Review of Public Health, 46(1), pp.253-274.

- WHO: Chemical Safety and Health – Inadequate or excess fluoride. https://iris.who.int/bitstream/handle/10665/329484/WHO-CED-PHE-EPE-19.4.5-eng.pdf?sequence=1

- National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, 2021. Review of the Revised NTP Monograph on the Systematic Review of Fluoride Exposure and Neurodevelopmental and Cognitive Health Effects: A Letter Report.

- National Toxicology Program, 2019. Draft NTP monograph on the systematic review of fluoride exposure and neurodevelopmental and cognitive health effects. US Department of Health and Human Services: Washington, DC, USA.

- *opinion piece in JAMA pediatrics in response to 2025 meta-analysis: Lanphear, B.P., Den Besten, P. and Till, C., 2025. Time to Reassess Systemic Fluoride Exposure, Again. JAMA pediatrics.

- *opinion piece in JAMA pediatrics in response to 2025 meta-analysis: Levy, S.M., 2025. Caution Needed in Interpreting the Evidence Base on Fluoride and IQ. JAMA pediatrics.

- McLaren, L. and Petit, R., 2018. Universal and targeted policy to achieve health equity: a critical analysis of the example of community water fluoridation cessation in Calgary, Canada in 2011. Critical Public Health, 28(2), pp.153-164.

- Patel, B., Patrick, A. and Dyer, T.A., 2025. The ethics of community water fluoridation: Part 1-an overview of public health ethics. British Dental Journal, 238(5), pp.311-315.

- Patel, B. and Dyer, T.A., 2025. The ethics of community water fluoridation: Part 2-how has the ethics of community water fluoridation been appraised in the literature? A scoping review. British Dental Journal, 238(5), pp.336-343.

Biology

Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, you won’t pay a penny more, but we’ll get a small commission which helps us keep things running. Thanks!

This article was downloaded on Jul 15, 2025 at 9:01 AM EDT.

JUN 16, 2025, 4:12 PM EDT | PODCAST | EPISODE PAGE

Ep 178 Fluoride 1: The real tooth fairy

Is it just us, or does it seem like every other week there’s a new headline about some state or town banning water fluoridation? As it turns out, this has been going on for decades, basically since fluoride was first introduced. Why are some people opposed to fluoride? Is there any basis to their fears? What does fluoride actually do? And how the heck did we find out about it? This week and next, we’re deep diving into our first dental discussion about this revolutionary mineral. In the first of these episodes, we explore the origins of fluoridation and the outcry against it – how did tuberculosis, a gold rush town, and a dentist with an insatiable curiosity set the stage for one of the greatest public health achievements of the 20th century? And why has there been pushback against it since its inception? Tune in to find out.

History

- McNeil, Donald R. “The Fight for Fluoridation.” (1957).

- Murray, John J. Fluorides in caries prevention. 1976.

- American Dental Association. Fluoridation facts. American Dental Association, 2018.

- J. Crichton-Brown. “An address on tooth culture.” Lancet 2 (1892): 6-9.

- Carstairs, Catherine, and Rachel Elder. “Expertise, health, and popular opinion: Debating water fluoridation, 1945–80.” Canadian Historical Review 89.3 (2008): 345-371.

- Carstairs, Catherine. “Debating water fluoridation before Dr. Strangelove.” American journal of public health 105.8 (2015): 1559-1569.

- Caselitz, Peter. “Caries—ancient plague of humankind.” Dental anthropology: fundamentals, limits and prospects. Vienna: Springer Vienna, 1998. 203-226.

- Corbin, Stephen B. “Fluoridation then and now.” American Journal of Public Health 79.5 (1989): 561-563.

- Dean, H. Trendley, and Frederick S. McKay. “Production of mottled enamel halted by a change in common water supply.” American Journal of Public Health and the Nations Health 29.6 (1939): 590-596.

- Ismail, Amid I., Hana Hasson, and Woosung Sohn. “Dental caries in the second millennium.” Journal of dental education 65.10 (2001): 953-959.

- Kargul, Betul, Esber Caglar, and Ilknur Tanboga. “History of water fluoridation.” Journal of clinical pediatric dentistry 27.3 (2003): 213-217.

- Knutson, John W. “Water fluoridation after 25 years.” The Journal of the American Dental Association 80.4 (1970): 765-769.

- Lanfranco, Luis Pezo, and Sabine Eggers. Caries through time: an anthropological overview. Rijeka, Croatia: INTECH Open Access Publisher, 2012.

- Lotto, Matheus, et al. “Analysis of fluoride-free content on Twitter: topic modeling study.” Journal of Medical Internet Research 25 (2023): e44586.

- McKay, Frederick S. “An investigation of mottled teeth.” Schneider S: Public Health: The Development of a Discipline 2 (2008): 123.

- McKay, Frederick S. “The study of mottled enamel (dental fluorosis).” The Journal of the American Dental Association 44.2 (1952): 133-137.

- McKay, F. S., and G. V. Black. “Mottled teeth.” Dental Cosmos 58 (1916): I29.

- McNeil, Donald R. “America’s Longest War: The Fight over Fluoridation, 1950–.” The Wilson Quarterly (1976-) 9.3 (1985): 140-153.

- Mullen, Joe. “History of water fluoridation.” British Dental Journal 199.7 (2005): 1-4.

- Newbrun, Ernest. “Effectiveness of water fluoridation.” Journal of Public Health Dentistry 49.5 (1989): 279-289.

- Ripa, Louis W. “A half‐century of community water fluoridation in the United States: review and commentary.” Journal of Public Health Dentistry 53.1 (1993): 17-44.

- Smith, F. C. “Mottled enamel and brown stain: A condition affecting the teeth in certain localities.” Public Health Reports (1896-1970) (1916): 2915-2918.

Biology

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This article was downloaded on Jul 15, 2025 at 9:01 AM EDT.

JUN 16, 2025, 4:10 PM EDT | PODCAST | EPISODE PAGE

Special Episode: Dr. Wendy Kline & Exposed

For many of us, pelvic exams are a routine part of our healthcare. Of course, that doesn’t mean we don’t await them with some dread or anxiety; naturally, these exams evoke a wide range of emotions. But they are a cornerstone in gynecological preventative care – a relatively new one at that. In this TPWKY book club episode, we sit down with Dr. Wendy Kline, Historian of Medicine at Purdue University, to discuss her book Exposed: The Hidden History of the Pelvic Exam. Dr. Kline takes readers through various chapters in the story of this exam: its murky origins at the hands of J. Marion Sims, its stint as a psychological diagnostic tool used by some misogynistic doctors, and its reclamation by feminist physicians and activists who sought to connect with their own bodies. Tune in for a fascinating conversation that exposes all sides of the pelvic exam, with heroes, villains, and more.

Exposed

This article was downloaded on Jul 15, 2025 at 9:01 AM EDT.

JUN 16, 2025, 4:06 PM EDT | PODCAST | EPISODE PAGE

Episode 177 Toxic Shock Syndrome: A shock to the system

If you’ve ever read the little instructions pamphlet included in a box of tampons, you probably came across a paragraph calling attention to a condition called toxic shock syndrome (TSS). It describes the association between TSS and tampon use, symptoms of TSS, and guidance on how to reduce risk. This legally mandated warning label has formed an indelible link connecting tampons and TSS, and indeed, tampons form a large part of the story of TSS. But they are not the entire story. In this episode, we delve into that full story, examining what TSS actually is, the pathogens it’s associated with, and how it was first identified. If you’ve had TSS questions ever since you first heard of it in health class or on your box of tampons, this is the episode for you!

History

- Vostral, Sharra L. “Toxic shock: A social history.” Toxic Shock. New York University Press, 2018.

- Centers for Disease Control: Toxic-shock syndromeUnited States. Morbid Mortal Weekly Rep 29:229-230, May 23, 1980.

- Centers for Disease Control: Follow-up on toxic-shock syndrome-United States. Morbid Mortal Weekly Rep 29:297-299, June 27, 1980.

- Dan, Bruce B. “Toxic shock syndrome: Back to the future.” JAMA 257.8 (1987): 1094-1095.

- Davis, Jeffrey P., et al. “Toxic-shock syndrome: epidemiologic features, recurrence, risk factors, and prevention.” New England Journal of Medicine

- Hanrahan, Susan Noll, and Haworth Continuing Features Submission. “Historical review of menstrual toxic shock syndrome.” Women & health 21.2-3 (1994): 141-165.

- Petitti, Diana B., Arthur Reingold, and James Chin. “The incidence of toxic shock syndrome in Northern California: 1972 through 1983.” JAMA 255.3 (1986): 368-372.

- Todd, James, et al. “Toxic-shock syndrome associated with phage-group-I Staphylococci.” The Lancet 312.8100 (1978): 1116-1118.

- Tofte, Robert W., and David N. Williams. “Toxic shock syndrome: evidence of a broad clinical spectrum.” JAMA 246.19 (1981): 2163-2167.

Biology

- Berger, S., Kunerl, A., Wasmuth, S., Tierno, P., Wagner, K. and Brügger, J., 2019. Menstrual toxic shock syndrome: case report and systematic review of the literature. The Lancet Infectious Diseases, 19(9), pp.e313-e321.

- Reame, N.K., 2020. Toxic shock syndrome and tampons: The birth of a movement and a research ‘Vagenda’. The Palgrave handbook of critical menstruation studies, pp.687-703.

- Schlievert, P.M. and Davis, C.C., 2020. Device-associated menstrual toxic shock syndrome. Clinical Microbiology Reviews, 33(3), pp.10-1128.

- Lappin, E. and Ferguson, A.J., 2009. Gram-positive toxic shock syndromes. The Lancet infectious diseases, 9(5), pp.281-290.

- Atchade, E., De Tymowski, C., Grall, N., Tanaka, S. and Montravers, P., 2024. Toxic Shock Syndrome: a literature review. Antibiotics, 13(1), p.96.

- Silversides, J.A., Lappin, E. and Ferguson, A.J., 2010. Staphylococcal toxic shock syndrome: mechanisms and management. Current infectious disease reports, 12, pp.392-400.

- Burnham, J.P. and Kollef, M.H., 2015. Understanding toxic shock syndrome. Intensive care medicine, 41, pp.1707-1710.

- Neumann, C., Kaiser, R. and Bauer, J., 2020. Menstrual cup-associated toxic shock syndrome. European Journal of Case Reports in Internal Medicine, 7(10), p.001825.

- DeVries, A.S., Lesher, L., Schlievert, P.M., Rogers, T., Villaume, L.G., Danila, R. and Lynfield, R., 2011. Staphylococcal toxic shock syndrome 2000–2006: epidemiology, clinical features, and molecular characteristics. PloS one, 6(8), p.e22997.

- Hajjeh, R.A., Reingold, A., Weil, A., Shutt, K., Schuchat, A. and Perkins, B.A., 1999. Toxic shock syndrome in the United States: surveillance update, 1979-1996. Emerging infectious diseases, 5(6), p.807.

- Sharma, H., Smith, D., Turner, C.E., Game, L., Pichon, B., Hope, R., Hill, R., Kearns, A. and Sriskandan, S., 2018. Clinical and molecular epidemiology of staphylococcal toxic shock syndrome in the United Kingdom. Emerging Infectious Diseases, 24(2), p.258.

- Nelson, G.E., Pondo, T., Toews, K.A., Farley, M.M., Lindegren, M.L., Lynfield, R., Aragon, D., Zansky, S.M., Watt, J.P., Cieslak, P.R. and Angeles, K., 2016. Epidemiology of invasive group A streptococcal infections in the United States, 2005–2012. Reviews of Infectious Diseases, 63(4), pp.478-486.

- Billon, A., Gustin, M.P., Tristan, A., Bénet, T., Berthiller, J., Gustave, C.A., Vanhems, P. and Lina, G., 2020. Association of characteristics of tampon use with menstrual toxic shock syndrome in France. EClinicalMedicine, 21.

- Vostral, S., 2017. Toxic shock syndrome, tampons and laboratory standard–setting. CMAJ, 189(20), pp.E726-E728.

- Cowart, L. 2016. Women are still getting Toxic Shock Syndrome, and no one quite knows why. Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/speaking-of-science/wp/2016/03/21/women-are-still-getting-toxic-shock-syndrome-and-no-one-quite-knows-why/?noredirect=on/?variant=d846d44221ecba95

- CDC NNDSS Summary Data 2016-2022. https://wonder.cdc.gov/nndss-annual-summary.html

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This article was downloaded on Jul 15, 2025 at 9:01 AM EDT.

MAY 22, 2025, 2:15 PM EDT | PODCAST | EPISODE PAGE

Episode 176 Strychnine: The WD-40 of Victorian Medicine

This week, we’re coming at you with a classic TPWKY episode on one of the most notorious poisons out there: strychnine. Although strychnine might not flash across too many headlines these days, it was once imported by the ton in certain regions of the world. What did people want with so much strychnine? Depends on who you ask. Maybe it was for a revitalizing tonic, maybe a rat poison, or maybe it was to murder the founder of a famous university. Tune in to learn how this deadly poison acts on the body and keep listening for a very special musical treat.

History

- Buckingham, John. Bitter nemesis: the intimate history of strychnine. CRC press, 2007.

- White, Richard. Who Killed Jane Stanford?: A Gilded Age Tale of Murder, Deceit, Spirits and the Birth of a University. WW Norton & Company, 2022.

- Simon, Jonathan. “Naming and toxicity: a history of strychnine.” Studies in History and Philosophy of Science Part C: Studies in History and Philosophy of Biological and Biomedical Sciences 30.4 (1999): 505-525.

- Christie, Agatha. The Mysterious Affair at Styles. 1920.

Biology

- Patocka, J., 2020. Chapter 16: Strychnine. In Handbook of toxicology of chemical warfare agents (pp. 239-247). Academic Press.

- Palatnick, W., Meatherall, R., Sitar, D. and Tenenbein, M., 1997. Toxicokinetics of acute strychnine poisoning. Journal of Toxicology: Clinical Toxicology, 35(6), pp.617-620.

- Smith, B.A., 1990. Strychnine poisoning. The Journal of emergency medicine, 8(3), pp.321-325.

- Hardin, J., Galust, H., Bensel, A., Bierly, S., Seltzer, J., Friedman, N., Clark, R.F. and Campbell, C., 2023. Taking the bait: Strychnine poisoning. The American Journal of Emergency Medicine, 74, pp.197-e5.

- Hong, B., Grzech, D., Caputi, L., Sonawane, P., López, C.E.R., Kamileen, M.O., Hernández Lozada, N.J., Grabe, V. and O’Connor, S.E., 2022. Biosynthesis of strychnine. Nature, 607(7919), pp.617-622.

- Paradis, C., Dondia, D., Nardon, A., Blanc-Brisset, I., Courtois, A., Vaucel, J.A., French PCC research group and Labadie, M., 2022. Strychnine, old still actual poison: description of poisoning cases reported to French Poison Control Centers over the past thirteen years. Toxin Reviews, 41(4), pp.1172-1178.

- Prat, S., Hoizey, G., Lefrancq, T. and Saint‐Martin, P., 2015. An unusual case of strychnine poisoning. Journal of forensic sciences, 60(3), pp.816-817.

- Negin, B. and Jander, G., 2023. Convergent and divergent evolution of plant chemical defenses. Current opinion in plant biology, 73, p.102368.

- Gummin, D.D., Mowry, J.B., Beuhler, M.C., Spyker, D.A., Rivers, L.J., Feldman, R., Brown, K., Pham, N.P., Bronstein, A.C. and DesLauriers, C., 2023. 2022 Annual report of the national poison data system®(NPDS) from America’s Poison Centers®: 40th annual report. Clinical Toxicology, 61(10), pp.717-939.

- Gummin, D.D., Mowry, J.B., Beuhler, M.C., Spyker, D.A., Rivers, L.J., Feldman, R., Brown, K., Pham, N.P., Bronstein, A.C. and DesLauriers, C., 2024. 2023 Annual Report of the National Poison Data System®(NPDS) from America’s Poison Centers®: 41st Annual Report. Clinical Toxicology, 62(12), pp.793-1027.

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This article was downloaded on Jul 15, 2025 at 9:01 AM EDT.

MAY 22, 2025, 2:10 PM EDT | PODCAST | EPISODE PAGE

Special Episode: Dr. Adam Ratner & Booster Shots

For the past few months, measles has been in regular rotation in the news cycle here in the US, with outbreaks occurring across the country in regions with low vaccine uptake. These outbreaks represent a worrying trend in the rejection of scientific and medical expertise, with long-term consequences not only for those individuals refusing vaccines but also the communities to which they belong. In this TPWKY book club episode (recorded March 14, 2025), Dr. Adam Ratner joins us to discuss his book Booster Shots: The Urgent Lessons of Measles and the Uncertain Future of Children’s Health. With his firsthand experience treating children with measles and other vaccine-preventable diseases, Dr. Ratner provides a powerful perspective on the dangers of the measles virus and vaccine hesitancy. What can we learn from the history of measles and the measles vaccine rollout? Why is measles such a dangerous virus? Where do we go from here? Tune in for all this and more.

Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, you won’t pay a penny more, but we’ll get a small commission which helps us keep things running. Thanks!

This article was downloaded on Jul 15, 2025 at 9:01 AM EDT.

Table of Contents

This Podcast Will Kill You: 2025 Jul 15

All articles

Special Episode: Wendy Chin-Tanner & King of the Armadillos: 2025 Jul 15

Episode 181 PCOS: Beyond the cysts: 2025 Jul 8

Episode 180 Food Dyes: It’s all marketing: 2025 Jul 1

Special Episode: Professor Steven Mithen & The Language Puzzle: 2025 Jun 25

Ep 179 Fluoride 2: Fighting tooth and nail: 2025 Jun 17

Ep 178 Fluoride 1: The real tooth fairy: 2025 Jun 16

Special Episode: Dr. Wendy Kline & Exposed: 2025 Jun 16

Episode 177 Toxic Shock Syndrome: A shock to the system: 2025 Jun 16

Episode 176 Strychnine: The WD-40 of Victorian Medicine: 2025 May 22

Special Episode: Dr. Adam Ratner & Booster Shots: 2025 May 22