All Episodes

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.

Submit a question for our weekly mailbag at wellnessactually.fm.

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.

Submit a question for our weekly mailbag at wellnessactually.fm.

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...