Multiple studies found effect sizes of 0.5 to 0.7 for probiotics in people with diagnosed anxiety disorders, though the benefit is minimal for mild or subclinical anxiety.
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At 59:13 · chapter starts 58:10
Probiotics rank higher than many would expect, powered by a plausible mechanism: the vagus nerve connects gut and brain, GABA function in the brain is influenced by gut bacteria, and 90% of the body's serotonin is produced in the gut. Multiple studies find effect sizes of 0.5–0.7 for clinically diagnosed anxiety disorders, though the benefit is minimal for mild or subclinical anxiety. The major caveat is what one meta-analysis memorably called 'catastrophic heterogeneity' — the results and methodologies vary so wildly across studies that no coherent picture emerges on which strains work for which people. Drew predicts this area will become more powerful as personalized medicine develops the tools to match specific probiotic strains to specific individuals.
Approximately 90% of the body's serotonin is produced in the gut, which is part of the biological rationale for the gut-brain connection and the potential role of probiotics in mental health.
The U.S. Surgeon General's 2023 report on loneliness found that half of American adults report feeling lonely, marking a widespread epidemic of social isolation.
In a peer-reviewed study, Brain.fm's audio technology was shown to increase focus-related brainwave activity by 119%, according to the show's sponsor read.
The Easterlin Paradox shows that wealthier nations — and the wealthiest neighborhoods within them — tend to have the highest rates of anxiety, depression, loneliness, and suicide.
Mental health challenges are nearly universal — BetterHelp's own research found the majority of Americans experiencing symptoms right now.
When applying for Medicaid to cover nursing home costs, there is a 5-year look-back period that can disqualify applicants who gave away or spent down assets.
A broken pipe filled the Bad Friends studio with what the hosts identified as hydrogen sulfide — microscopic fecal aeroparticles — that the crew denied smelling.
Fei-Fei Li's father's liver surgery performed by a da Vinci robot resulted in 10 times less blood loss than a typical open liver surgery, thanks to laparoscopic precision.
Approximately 115 million adults in the US currently have prediabetes, most of whom are unaware, according to the Lingo sponsor segment.
Drug overdose deaths in the US fell from 110,000 to 80,000 in 2024, and then to roughly 70,000 — the largest single-year drop the CDC has ever recorded.
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