EP78: AI Chatbots & Your Mood, New study links daily AI use to depression risk and how to stay safe

EP84: Solving the "Teen Mood Bomb" with Micronutrients

Adolescent Irritability, Micronutrients, Mood Dysregulation, DMDD Treatment, Vitamins for Mental Health. The Balancing Emotions of Adolescents with Micronutrients (BEAM) study demonstrates that broad-spectrum micronutrients significantly improve clinical global functioning and reduce irritability in teenagers. The treatment proved particularly effective for those with Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD), showing large effect sizes with minimal side effects. References 1. Rucklidge, J. J., Sherwin, A. H., Mulder, R. T., Manna, L., & Boden, J. M. (2026). Efficacy and Safety of Micronutrient Treatment for Irritability in Adolescents: 8-Week Double-Blinded Randomized Placebo-Controlled Trial (BEAM). Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaac.2026.01.013 [https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaac.2026.01.013] -- Hosting provided by SoundOn [https://www.soundon.fm/]

EP83: Toddler Meltdowns? Check the Snacks

Being a parent to a 3-year-old is literally a full-time job with zero breaks and a lot of screaming. No joke, those "convenient" chicken nuggets might be the hidden reason your kid’s tantrums are getting out of control. This study of 2,077 Canadian children reveals that high consumption of ultraprocessed foods (UPFs) at age 3 is linked to increased anxiety, withdrawal, and hyperactivity by age 5. Replacing just 10% of these processed calories with minimally processed foods significantly improves behavioral scores. References * Kavanagh, M. E., Chen, Z. H., Tamana, S. K., Moraes, T. J., Simons, E., Turvey, S. E., Subbarao, P., Mandhane, P. J., & Miliku, K. (2026). Ultraprocessed food consumption and behavioral outcomes in Canadian children. JAMA Network Open, 9(3), e260434. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2026.0434 [https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2026.0434] -- Hosting provided by SoundOn [https://www.soundon.fm/]

EP82: Cracking the Feline Cancer Code

Researchers analyzed 493 feline tumor-normal pairs to map the first comprehensive feline "oncogenome". The study reveals that cats share striking genetic similarities with human cancers, particularly involving the TP53 gene and MYC alterations. These findings are a game-changer for precision oncology in pets, enabling targeted therapies once reserved for humans. Reference: * Francis, B. A., Ludwig, L., He, C., Dobromylskyj, M., Bertram, C. A., Aupperle-Lellbach, H., Wong, H., Foster, A. P., Arends, M. J., Suárez-Bonnet, A., Priestnall, S. L., Tatiersky, L., Castillo-Alcala, F., Rupp, A., Khachadoorian, A., Parlak, E., Inglebert, M., Umamaheswaran, S., Cheema, S., . . . van der Weyden, L. (2026). The oncogenome of the domestic cat. Science, 391(6787). https://doi.org/10.1126/science.ady6651 [https://doi.org/10.1126/science.ady6651] -- Hosting provided by SoundOn [https://www.soundon.fm/]

EP81: Is Your Sleep Sound Machine a Trap?

New research reveals that the popular "pink noise" machines are a double-edged sword, significantly slashing REM sleep cycles essential for brain health. Conversely, simple earplugs mitigated 72% of environmental noise interference, successfully protecting restorative deep sleep. References * Basner, M., Smith, M. G., Cordoza, M., Kayser, M. S., Carlin, M., Ecker, A. J., Gilad, Y., Park-Chavar, S., Rennie, K., Schneller, V., Walsh, S., Shou, H., Cao, Q., Younes, M., Aeschbach, D., & Jones, C. W. (2026). Efficacy of pink noise and earplugs for mitigating the effects of intermittent environmental noise exposure on sleep. Sleep, 00, 1-18. https://doi.org/10.1093/sleep/zsag001 [https://doi.org/10.1093/sleep/zsag001] -- Hosting provided by SoundOn [https://www.soundon.fm/]

EP80: Toxic Toxins in Extensions? Protect your scalp and health from hidden chemical threats

Getting ready for that massive career presentation and want your hair to look literally perfect? I feel you, but those stunning extensions might be leaching industrial-grade toxins directly into your pores. Recent analysis reveals that hair extensions often contain uncharacterized hazardous chemicals, including organotins and phthalates. Approximately 91% of tested samples contained chemicals listed under California's Proposition 65, which are linked to cancer and reproductive harm. Understanding these hidden risks is essential for making safer beauty choices. References: * Franklin, E. T., Favela, K., Spies, R., Ranger, J. M., & Rudel, R. A. (2026). Identifying Chemicals of Health Concern in Hair Extensions Using Suspect Screening and Nontargeted Analysis. Environment & Health. https://doi.org/10.1021/envhealth.5c00549 [https://doi.org/10.1021/envhealth.5c00549] -- Hosting provided by SoundOn [https://www.soundon.fm/]