Welcome to What’s Up Docs?, the podcast where doctors and identical twins Chris and Xand van Tulleken explore core issues around every aspect of our health and wellbeing.

In today’s episode, the Doctors explore core strength. When most people think of a “strong core”, they picture sculpted six-pack abs - but there’s much more beneath the surface. Chris and Xand will unpack the real meaning of core strength - what it is, why it matters, and how it's different from simply having visible abs.

They speak to physiotherapist James Moore to find out why core strength is essential not just for athletic performance, but for everyday stability, posture, injury prevention, and long-term health, and break down what we should be doing to build a truly strong and functional core - no matter your fitness level.

If you want to get in touch, you can email us at [email protected] or WhatsApp us on 08000 665 123.

Presenters: Drs Chris and Xand van Tulleken

At the BBC:

A Loftus Media production for BBC Radio 4

Hair we go again! Chris and Xand are back with a bonus episode, as they continue their conversation with Dr Christos Tziotzios, Consultant Dermatologist and Senior Lecturer at Kings College London. They learn about a particular type of hair loss which predominantly affects women, investigate the hair growth cycle, and discuss the psychological impact of losing your hair. Plus, what connects the Black Death hundreds of years ago with modern-day hair loss?

If you’d like to share your thoughts on this or any other topic covered on the podcast, you email us at [email protected] or Whatsapp on 08000 665 123.

Presenters: Drs Chris and Xand van Tulleken

At the BBC:

A Loftus Media production for BBC Radio 4.

Welcome to What’s Up Docs?, the podcast where doctors and identical twins Chris and Xand van Tulleken untangle the confusion around every aspect of our health and wellbeing.

In today’s episode, the Doctors explore hair loss. Chris and Xand, who've both battled the receding tide of hair loss (and the accompanying existential dread), are getting to the follicle of the matter.

They'll be digging into what causes it, how different types of hair loss affect men and women, and asking if there’s anything we can do about it. Cures for baldness are almost as old as medicine itself, but what does the evidence actually say about those treatments constantly being marketed to us?

Chris and Xand get the bald truth from Dr Christos Tziotzios, Consultant Dermatologist and Senior Lecturer at King's College London, who has recently pioneered treatments for some auto-immune forms of alopecia as well as investigating the psychological impact of hair loss in both men and women.

If you want to get in touch, you can email us at [email protected] or WhatsApp us on 08000 665 123.

Presenters: Drs Chris and Xand van Tulleken

At the BBC:

A Loftus Media production for BBC Radio 4

In this ‘uncut’ special episode, recorded before an audience at the Hay Festival in Wales, Chris and Xand discuss the anatomy of the smile, explore its evolutionary origins and examine some of the health claims about the power of the smile.

Can a smile really give your brain the same reward as two thousand bars of chocolate? Will putting a pencil in your mouth make you feel happy? And how do you fake the perfect smile when realising you’ve failed to win a BAFTA for the eighth time?! Expect some science and some silliness and a dog that looks like a loaf of bread.

Featuring Professor Ben Garrod from the University of East Anglia, Dr Magdalegna Rychlowska from Queen’s University, Belfast, Sinead Rushe from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in London and jack the African street dog.

If you want to get in touch, you can email us at [email protected] or WhatsApp us on 08000 665 123.

Presenters: Drs Chris and Xand van Tulleken

At the BBC:

A Loftus Media production for BBC Radio 4.

Welcome to What’s Up Docs?, the podcast where doctors and identical twins Chris and Xand van Tulleken explore every aspect of our health and wellbeing.

In this special episode, recorded before a live audience at the Hay Literary Festival in Wales, Chris and Xand discuss the anatomy of the smile, its evolutionary origins and some of the health claims about smiling. Is smiling uniquely human? Can the simple act of moving our muscles to form a smile make you feel happier? And is smiling the same across cultures and genders? To find out, they’re joined by several experts and an African street dog named Jack.

Featuring Professor Ben Garrod from the University of East Anglia, Dr Magdalegna Rychlowska from Queen’s University, Belfast and Sinead Rushe from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in London.

If you want to get in touch, you can email us at [email protected] or WhatsApp us on 08000 665 123.

Presenters: Drs Chris and Xand van Tulleken

At the BBC:

A Loftus Media production for BBC Radio 4

Chris and Xand continue their conversation about boredom with Dr Wijnand Van Tilburg. They discuss what happens in our brains when we feel bored, whether some people are more prone to boredom than others, and why boredom isn’t always a bad thing.

Presenters: Drs Chris and Xand van Tulleken

At the BBC:

A Loftus Media production for BBC Radio 4.

Welcome to What’s Up Docs?, the podcast where doctors and identical twins Chris and Xand van Tulleken explore every aspect of our health and wellbeing.

In this episode, they want to find out whether we can conquer boredom. Why do we experience boredom? Do we experience it less than we used to? And how can we motivate ourselves to complete tasks we find boring? They speak to Dr Wijnand Van Tilburg, experimental social psychologist at the University of Essex, to find out.

Presenters: Drs Chris and Xand van Tulleken

At the BBC:

A Loftus Media production for BBC Radio 4

Chris and Xand take a deeper dive into the world of protein. They are joined by Nita Forouhi, Professor of Population Health and Nutrition at the University of Cambridge, to discuss which groups of people might need more protein in their diets, how we can best optimise our protein intake, and the joys and challenges of Nita’s research.

If you’d like to share your thoughts on this or any other topic covered on the podcast, you email us at [email protected] or Whatsapp on 08000 665 123.

Presenters: Drs Chris and Xand van Tulleken

At the BBC:

A Loftus Media production for BBC Radio 4.

Welcome to What’s Up Docs?, the podcast where doctors and identical twins Chris and Xand van Tulleken untangle the confusion around every aspect of our health and wellbeing.

In this episode, they want to get to the bottom of the hype around protein. Should we be worried about not getting enough? What are the best sources of protein? And are protein supplements fact or fad? They speak to Nita Forouhi, Professor of Population Health and Nutrition at the University of Cambridge, to find out.

If you want to get in touch, you can email us at [email protected] or WhatsApp us on 08000 665 123.

Presenters: Drs Chris and Xand van Tulleken

At the BBC:

A Loftus Media production for BBC Radio 4

Drs Chris and Xand van Tulleken dig deeper into hormone replacement therapies for the menopause and are joined again by Professor Mary Ann Lumsden, gynaecologist and academic at the University of Glasgow. Can testosterone replacement be effective in women? What are the benefits of HRT? Is it right for everyone? And are there gaps in the research?

If you want to get in touch, you can email us at [email protected] or WhatsApp us on 08000 665 123.

Presenters: Drs Chris and Xand van Tulleken

At the BBC:

Assistant Commissioner: Greg Smith

A Loftus Media production for BBC Radio 4.