What's That Rash?

The world is full of distractions, and our biggest one might be the phone in our hands.

Many people feel their attention spans have suffered from endlessly "doomscrolling" online.

Norman and Tegan discuss what has actually happened to our attention in the age of social media.

Check out Science Friction: Brain Rot for more on what technology is doing to our brains.

References:

• A comprehensive review of attention tests: can we assess what we exactly do not understand?
• Quantifying attention span across the lifespan
• Are attention spans really shrinking? What the science says
• Is there a Flynn effect for attention? Cross-temporal meta-analytical evidence for better test performance (1990–2021)
• Memory failure predicted by attention lapsing and media multitasking
• Cognitive control in media multitaskers
• Digital self-control interventions for distracting media multitasking - A systematic review
• “Phone in the Room, Mind on the Roam”: Investigating the Impact of Mobile Phone Presence on Distraction
• Brain Drain: The Mere Presence of One’s Own Smartphone Reduces Available Cognitive Capacity 

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We've received questions from listeners worried that other people can smell their age.

So is "old person smell" a thing? And do you need expensive soap to combat it?

Norman and Tegan discuss some of the science underpinning this supposed phenomenon, and where marketing tricks play a part.

References:

• 2-Nonenal Newly Found in Human Body Odor Tends to Increase with Aging
• Measurement of 2-nonenal and diacetyl emanating from human skin surface employing passive flux sampler—GCMS system
• Analyses of volatile organic compounds from human skin
• The effect of polyphenol-containing soap on reducing body odor in middle-aged and elderly men
• The Smell of Age: Perception and Discrimination of Body Odors of Different Ages
• Diet quality and the attractiveness of male body odor

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Introvert or extrovert, we've all been told about the importance of social connection to our health.

Isolation can have knock-on effects for your brain health – and the health of the rest of your body.

Norman and Tegan unpack how many friends the average person "needs" and what happens when you're alone but not lonely.

References:

• Social ties and health: the benefits of social integration
• Social isolation: a predictor of mortality comparable to traditional clinical risk factors
• The Connection Prescription: Using the Power of Social Interactions and the Deep Desire for Connectedness to Empower Health and Wellness
• Friendships, Subjective Age, and Life Satisfaction of Women in Midlife
• The American Friendship Project: A report on the status and health of friendship in America
• Social connection linked to improved health and reduced risk of early death – World Health Organization
• Differential Social Cognitive Performance in Older Adults With Mild Cognitive Impairment and Dementia
• Introvert vs Social Anxiety: How to tell the difference 

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You might've heard you'll burn more fat if you exercise in the morning before, or in lieu of breakfast.

There is some research to back that claim up, but the science on fasted exercise isn’t clear cut.

Norman and Tegan work through the evidence on exercising on an empty stomach, and what you can do to maximise your workouts.

References:

• Effects of fasted vs fed-state exercise on performance and post-exercise metabolism: A systematic review and meta-analysis
• Effect of Overnight Fasted Exercise on Weight Loss and Body Composition: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
• Interval training in the fed or fasted state improves body composition and muscle oxidative capacity in overweight women
• Effects of exercise before or after meal ingestion on fat balance and postprandial metabolism in overweight men
• Effects of time-restricted eating with exercise on body composition in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis
• Exercising in the Fasted State Reduced 24-Hour Energy Intake in Active Male Adults
• Appetite, energy intake and resting metabolic responses to 60 min treadmill running performed in a fasted versus a postprandial state
• Fasting Before Evening Exercise Reduces Net Energy Intake and Increases Fat Oxidation, but Impairs Performance in Healthy Males and Females
• Fasted cardio is an attempt to burn stored fat

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• Do glasses make your eyesight worse?

Sit back and relax. Close your eyes. Imagine you're sitting on a calm beach. Now, do you feel more open to suggestion?

Hypnotherapy has been around for centuries, and you might've heard about it being used for everything from PTSD to addiction and even IBS.

Norman and Tegan guide us through the evidence for using hypnosis in a therapeutic setting, and whether there are any downsides.

References:

• Brain Activity and Functional Connectivity Associated with Hypnosis
• Not everyone can be hypnotized - and researchers are one step closer to understanding why
• Functional Brain Basis of Hypnotizability
• A Systematic Review of Hypnosis for Clinical Pain Relief
• The effectiveness of hypnosis for pain relief: A systematic review and meta-analysis of 85 controlled experimental trials
• Hypnosis as a non-pharmacological intervention for invasive medical procedures - A systematic review and meta-analytic update
• Gut-directed hypnotherapy for IBS: what is it and what are the options?
• Gut-Directed Hypnotherapy for Irritable Bowel Syndrome: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
• Does hypnotherapy help people who are trying to stop smoking? - Cochrane Review
• Effectiveness of hypnosis in adults with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• A Meta-Analysis of Hypnotherapeutic Techniques in the Treatment of PTSD Symptoms
• Hypnotherapy in the Treatment of Chronic Combat-Related PTSD Patients Suffering From Insomnia: A Randomized, Zolpidem-Controlled Clinical Trial
• Ericksonian hypnotherapy versus cognitive behavioral therapy for post-traumatic stress disorder
• The Prefrontal Cortex and Suggestion: Hypnosis vs. Placebo Effects

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As we age, levels of a vital molecule called nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) decline. Could reversing this be the key to eternal youth?

There’s huge interest in NAD-boosting supplements like nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN). But is there good evidence that they can help us live longer, healthier?

Norman and Tegan unpack how NAD+ became the focus of anti-aging proponents.

This episode first aired on November 4, 2024.

References:

• NAD+ metabolism and its roles in cellular processes during ageing
• NAD+ in Brain Aging and Neurodegenerative Disorders
• What is really known about the effects of nicotinamide riboside supplementation in humans
• Dietary Supplementation With NAD+-Boosting Compounds in Humans: Current Knowledge and Future Directions
• The use of a systems approach to increase NAD+ in human participants
• Specific ablation of Nampt in adult neural stem cells recapitulates their functional defects during aging

Shift workers make a lot of sacrifices to keep the world running. What are they sacrificing in terms of their own health?

There are harms associated with working at all hours against your body clock.

Norman and Tegan work through what those are, and what you can do to protect against them.

References:

• 5 long-term health effects of shift work
• Shift work can harm sleep and health: What helps?
• Coping with shift work
• Shift work and health outcomes: an umbrella review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses of epidemiological studies
• Shift work and long work hours and their association with chronic health conditions: A systematic review of systematic reviews with meta-analyses
• Relationship between long-term shift work; night work; sleep deficiency and stroke: A systematic review and meta-analysis
• Shifting Rhythms: A Systematic Review Exploring the Multifaceted Effects of Shift Work and Circadian Disruption on Employee Cardiovascular Health
• Exercise interventions for sleep and cognitive dysfunction in shift workers: a systematic review of randomized trials 

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When you're done with your weekly grocery shop, how colourful is your trolley?

We know eating lots of fruits and vegetables is good for you, but colour could matter.

Norman and Tegan discuss what gives fruit and veggies their hue and whether it's important when it comes to healthy eating.

References:

• Phytonutrients: Paint your plate with the colours of the rainbow
• Clinical Evidence of the Benefits of Phytonutrients in Human Healthcare
• Eat a Rainbow – Nutrition Australia
• Phytochemicals: Principles and Practice
• What’s the Difference Between Sweet Potatoes and Potatoes?
• Role of Phytonutrients in the Prevention and Treatment of Chronic Diseases: A Concrete Review
• Major phytochemicals, their sources, active sites, and the related health benefits
• Effect of Fruit and Vegetable Consumption on Human Health: An Update of the Literature
• Adding variety to your diet lowers disease risk. But what does variety mean?
• Which Colour of Bell Pepper Has Most Nutrients? 

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How much time does your oral hygiene routine take? You brush, floss, interdent, maybe even use a tongue scraper.

Is using a mouthwash going to give you any additional benefit? Or could you be doing some harm?

Norman and Tegan answer questions about the effectiveness of mouthwash, what it does to your oral microbiome and why there might be a link to blood pressure.

References:

• Oral microbiome: Unveiling the fundamentals
• Effectiveness of Mouthwashes in Managing Oral Diseases and Conditions: Do They Have a Role?
• Effect of Adjunctive Use of Commercial Daily Mouthwashes on Periodontal Health: An Umbrella Review
• Effect of post-brushing mouthrinse solutions on salivary fluoride retention
• Mouthwash Effects on the Oral Microbiome: Are They Good, Bad, or Balanced?
• Effects of chlorhexidine and a polyherbal mouthwash on the oral microbiome and user satisfaction: a randomized controlled trial
• The Effects of Antimicrobial Mouthwashes on Systemic Disease: What Is the Evidence?
• Oral hygiene, mouthwash usage and cardiovascular mortality during 18.8 years of follow-up
• Does Mouthwash Use Affect Oral Cancer Risk? A Comprehensive Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
• An update on mouthwashes: advice for dental practitioners 

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Continuous glucose monitors, or CGMs, have transformed how people with diabetes manage their blood sugar.

But in wellness circles, more and more people without diabetes are being encouraged to try these devices.

Norman and Tegan get to the bottom of what these devices can actually tell you, and the potential harms.

References:

• The wellness inspired rise of continuous glucose monitors for people without diabetes, including those with metabolic disorders – BMJ features
• Continuous glucose monitoring in non-diabetic populations: a systematic review of observational and interventional studies with meta-analysis 
• Blood glucose monitoring devices: current consideration – Australian Prescriber
• The Use of Continuous Glucose Monitoring to Diagnose Stage 2 Type 1 Diabetes
• Associations of continuous glucose monitor derived time in range and glycaemic variability with diet lifestyle and demographics
• Different Glucose Variability in Women With Polycystic Ovary Syndrome With and Without Insulin Resistance: A Pilot Study
• Understanding the benefits and psychological burdens of using continuous glucose monitoring for lifestyle change: A mixed-methods cross-sectional study
• Unintended Consequences: The Intersection of Diabetes Technology and Disordered Eating Risk 

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