All Episodes

What's the Deal with Pregnancy Brain?

This week, Emily and Perry are joined by actress Allison Williams to discuss all things pregnancy brain. Are the fog and forgetfulness due to actual brain shrinkage? Does it replenish itself postpartum? Do women ever actually "bounce back"? What's all this change in the service of, exactly? And, most importantly, how do we support the women in our lives going through this?

Plus: lactate gels at the Tour de France, Bryan Johnson's pesky autoimmune disease, and hail and farewell to the last American Polio survivor.

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What's the Deal with Cortisol?

This week, Emily and Perry take on cortisol, the much-maligned stress hormone blamed for heart attacks and stubborn belly fat. But how much heat should cortisol really be getting? How do you know when yours is too high? Too low? Is it ever really worth measuring? And you guys, what did Mendelian randomization ever do to Emily?!

Plus: the FDA signs off on ZYN pouches, explosive diarrhea in the Midwest, and apparently GLP-1s are really, really easy to get.

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What's the Deal with mRNA Vaccines?

This week, Emily and Perry explore the RNA, a molecule of extraordinary potential. What is it? How is it different from DNA? How have vaccines and an incredible array of potential medical treatments managed to unlock its magic? And what are the conspiracies that have been standing in the way? Prepare for medical science to shake hands with technological wonder.

Plus: the FDA vs. Whoop, unpacking botulism outbreaks in baby formula, and a mystery 'compassionate use' patient for retatrutide.

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What's the Deal with Full Body Scans?

This week, Emily and Perry debate full body scans: MRIs that scan your entire body like a giant humming hammer in search of nails. Will it find something wrong with you? (Yes.) Will it be something you should be worried about? (Almost always no.) But what if that one time it's the one thing that ends up saving your life? (Yeah, this is actually kind of complicated.)

Plus: a totally not shocking flu outbreak amongst our troops, fantastic news about the HPV vaccine and cervical cancer, and RIP blue and brown M&Ms.

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What's the Deal with Sleep?

This week, Emily and Perry tackle the weirdest, most wonderful thing all living things do: sleep. If evolution has forced us to be completely vulnerable for eight hours at a stretch, there must be a darn good reason. So what is actually happening to our brains when we sleep? What disrupts it, and how do we optimize for quality and quantity? And what are the risks of getting too little sleep...and enlisting chemical help to get more?

Plus: screwworm is (appropriately) nightmare fuel, a cure for Ozempic butt, and hard seltzer vs. your kidneys.

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What's the Deal with Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder (HSDD)?

This week, Emily and Perry are coming in hot to discuss the existence of sex, specifically whether or not women have a DSM-5-designated disorder when they don't want it, or if that's a pathology designed to sell women meds. Turns out the data of sexual desire is a complicated and noisy thing to study, but fortunately that's a turn-on for our intrepid hosts.

Plus: a diabetes conference gets politicized, losing sleep over getting sleep, and preventative HIV drugs in South Africa.

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What's the Deal with Cupping and Dry Needling?

This week, Emily and Perry dig into dry needling and cupping, the wellness equivalent to pain equals gain (maybe?). What are the therapeutic properties, and the risks, of yanking at or poking holes in your skin? Warning: this episode is not for the faint of heart.

Plus: extraordinary developments in pancreatic cancer treatment, Google wants to fill the air with millions of sterile mosquitoes, and also farts.

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What's the Deal with Red Meat?

This week, Emily and Perry sink their teeth into one of the most contested foods in nutrition: red meat. Does it actually deserve its bad reputation? They examine the appeal and the risks of the carnivore diet, explain the science behind why beef is red in the first place, and take a hard look at the methodological problems that have defined decades of nutritional research on meat.

Plus: peptides turn up in professional athletics, a reality check on mitochondrial misconceptions, and a troubling Ebola development.

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What's the Deal with Methylene Blue?

This week, Emily and Perry examine methylene blue—the synthetic dye beloved by wellness influencers that promises to energize your mitochondria, boost your mood, and improve your memory. They dig into the biology of the electron transport chain, the history of methylene blue’s real medical uses, and the surprisingly interesting MAO-inhibitor angle.

Plus: Driscoll’s strawberries and pesticide panic, an Ebola outbreak in the DRC, and the FDA’s tanning bed reversal. And in the mailbag: does cracking your knuckles really cause arthritis?

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What's the Deal with Psychedelics?

This week, Emily and Perry explore the science and therapeutic potential of psychedelic substances—what they are, what they do to our brains, and the myriad mental health problems that they seem to have a pretty interesting effect on.

Plus: a hantavirus update, the FDA commissioner and flavored vape approvals, and breast cancer research related to GLP-1 medications.

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What's the Deal with Colostrum?

This week, Emily and Perry explore bovine colostrum—the first milk produced after birth that’s now being marketed as a supplement for muscle growth, immunity, and gut health. Does it actually work? Who might it help? And what are the safety and ethical considerations around sourcing it from dairy cows?

Plus: Ozempic for alcohol use disorder, a hantavirus outbreak on a cruise ship, and updates on a former Surgeon General candidate.

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What's the Deal with Testosterone?

This week, Emily and Perry tackle testosterone—the second installment of their two-part hormone series. How does testosterone actually change over a man’s life? Does “manopause” exist? And if your levels are low, will replacing them fix your energy, mood, brain fog, and libido—or just one of those things?

Plus: flu vaccine mandates removed for military troops, fish oil headlines debunked, and exciting new breakthroughs in pancreatic cancer treatment. And in the mailbag: alcohol vs. soda vs. diet soda—is there a clear winner?

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What's the Deal with Hormone Replacement Therapy?

This week, Emily and Perry dive into the complicated world of hormone replacement therapy in the first installment of a two-part series on exogenous hormones. What do hormones actually do for women, what happens when levels decline, and what’s the real story behind the historical misconceptions linking HRT to breast cancer?

Plus: a new type of diabetes, a normie CDC nominee, and the reclassification of psychedelics.

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What's the Deal with Continuous Glucose Monitors?

This week, Emily and Perry look at continuous glucose monitors (CGMs)—the tiny sensors that have transformed diabetes management and are now showing up on the wrists of perfectly healthy people trying to optimize their diet. What does glucose actually do in your body, what happens when it spikes, and does knowing your number in real time actually help you eat better? Plus the potential downsides of too much self-monitoring data.

Plus: shifting birth rate trends, Jay Bhattacharya's contested COVID vaccine research report, and the fortification of corn tortillas with folate.

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What's the Deal with Protein?

This week, Emily and Perry dig into the macronutrient of the moment: protein. From what it actually is to how much you actually need, and what more of it might do for your muscles, brain, and waistline—plus a kidney doctor's honest take on whether all that extra protein is hard on your kidneys.

Plus: the FDA approves a new oral GLP-1 drug, benzyl alcohol is named allergen of the year, and kratom is having a troubling moment at the gas station. And in the mailbag: does shockwave therapy actually work?

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What's the Deal with Creatine?

This week, Emily and Perry tackle creatine, a beloved amino acid derivative with surprisingly robust health properties. What are they actually doing to our muscles, and our brain? Pop a gummy, or stir in some powder, and find out.

Plus: Casey Means might be out for Surgeon General, stem cells don't help heart attacks, and just how much sugar intake affects your kids.

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What's the Deal with Stem Cell Therapy?

This week, Emily and Perry go toe-to-toe with the scammier side of the wellness industry: regenerative medicine clinics that claim to inject you with stem cells. Are they the fountain of youth? (No.) Are they even injecting you with stem cells? (Not really.) Are they preying on sick people? (Most definitely yes.) From knee cartilage to sickle cell disease, we've got the miraculous, the bad, and the truly ugly of stem cell therapy.

Plus: the generational woes of lead poisoning, debunking stress as a cause of cancer, and doulas for all!

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What's the Deal with Microplastics?

This week, Emily and Perry dive into the here, there, and everywhere of microplastics. We know they're in the air we breathe and the water we drink, but how bad are they for us, really? How do our bodies respond to them, and how long do they even stay inside us? And can they be avoided?

Plus: Leucovorin approved to treat autism, whether ChatGPT is a trustworthy triage nurse, and curious reports of painful sex in college students.

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What's the Deal with Red Light Therapy?

This week, Emily and Perry shine a light on red light therapy: its origins, its heroic use of the mighty mitochondria, and the supposed countless benefits (better mood, wound healing, skin tightening, hair regrowth? You betcha!) of sitting in front of a hot red light that may or may not even be able to penetrate your skin. Plus: the disturbing return of polio, whether multivitamins have an effect on epigenetic aging, and if the pitch clock, while good for Emily's enjoyment of baseball, is ruining pitchers' shoulders. Submit a question for our weekly mailbag at wellnessactually.fm.

What's the Deal with GLP-1s?

This week, Emily and Perry discuss GLP-1s, those blockbuster weight-loss drugs that have taken the world by storm -- and not just what you already know about them. From the origins in Gila monster venom to the surprisingly long history of their use, they explore their effectiveness, side effects, lingering questions about long-term use, and the weird knock-on effects in both the brain and our society (protein water?). These drugs are here to stay, so let's understand them from every angle. Plus: RFK vs. Dr. Mike, a concerning Surgeon General pick, and unsurprising data around football head injuries. Submit a question for our weekly mailbag at wellnessactually.fm.

What's the deal with cold plunges and saunas?

This week, Emily and Perry plunge, as it were, into the temperature extremes: cold plunges and saunas. Is there any actual value to shocking your body with ice water or sweating out an ocean? Or are we just gluttons for punishment?  Plus: soaring measles rates, Jay Bhattacharya's double federal appointment, and pandemics lurking under the ice. Submit a question for our weekly mailbag at wellnes...

What's the deal with peptides?

This week, Emily and Perry tackle peptides, the purported panacea for all health ailments. Can an injection of these tiny bits of protein actually boost your metabolism, plump up your skin, heal your injuries, and overall prolong your life? And what could possibly go wrong when you inject a peptide stack of dubious origin anyway? Plus: mRNA flu vaccines, hormone replacement therapy, and the opt...

What's the deal with declining sperm counts?

In our inaugural episode, Emily and Perry talk all things sperm: whether it's on the decline, how to juice its quality, the perils of tight underwear, and what a high sperm count says about your manliness (spoiler: absolutely nothing). Plus, vitamin K shots at birth, the keto diet to treat schizophrenia, and, in honor of the Olympics, whether penis pumping helps your air time. Submit a question for ...

Official Trailer: Wellness, Actually with Emily Oster & Perry Wilson, MD

GLP-1s. Colostrum. Microplastics. Red light therapy. Vaccines. There’s a staggering amount of health and wellness news and information, and it’s bombarding us everywhere we look. Who’s got time to parse it out, to verify it, and then to actually do the work of improving our health? And what if those wellness influencers actually knew how to read a medical study? That’s why we’re here. We are Em...