Verified by Metafact Ben McNeil

Hello everyone,
Fuelled by celebrity, Intermittent Fasting is creating a big buzz in dieting. From better weight-loss to anti-cancer claims to extending life, there's no shortage of bloggers, products, and companies looking to exploit the hype. That’s where Metafact comes in. We sourced 30 independent experts on fasting, cell biology, and endocrinology to help you separate the facts from the hype.
Today I’ve posted a 18-minute audio version of our Member Review of Intermittent Fasting for all Verified digest subscribers to listen to. It covers the origin, basics and whether the science matches the hype. Here’s what we found…
Intermittent Fasting Takeaways:
* Intermittent fasting is as effective for weight-loss than other diets.
* It may be easier for some to maintain - others not. There is no one-size-fits all weight loss approach.
* Most studies have only been done on animals. No human evidence exists that fasting promotes autophagy and extends life.
* The general hype doesn't match the science - more human studies needed. So don't believe the celebrities and wellness gurus just yet.
* Don’t start if you're pregnant or breastfeeding. Always speak to your healthcare professional when changing your diet.
The Intermittent Fasting Experiment
When we published our member review on Intermittent Fasting, a number of people contacted me saying they are giving it a try (mostly the 16:8 schedule). Although we found more hype than science on the majority of health claims (like killing cancer and reversing aging), experts did verify that Intermittent Fasting is as effective for weight loss as other diets, while potentially being easier to manage than other diets.
I’ve never dieted before but after the excess of the summer holiday period, I was curious so I started Intermittent Fasting on January 15th as an experiment. So what happened?
In general, I didn’t have an insatiable urge to eat by 11am - but I did see a big increase in the number of morning espressos to distract myself from the hunger. However, my ability to keep the fasting schedule of 16hrs (8pm to 12pm next day)…become intermittent at best. Why?
The biggest problem was my chaotic work-life schedule with young kids. What happens when my partner or kids come home late (after 8pm) - should I eat before they arrive? No, I’m not going to do that... And what happens when you go out with friends for dinner and the only dinner reservation is 8:30pm?
So the experiment had to end - schedules don’t work for me..If anyone has their own experience/insights, let me know in the comments below.
May the facts be with you!
Ben McNeil, Founder Metafact
Is organic food worth it?
March Metafact Review
Exclusive reviews for our fact-loving members.
Each month we investigate a topic voted by members by asking the world's top experts to review the evidence. Reviews are what you need to know. Read all the reviews here.
We gathered more than 20 of the world’s top researchers in organic agriculture, food science, and plant biology to share the facts about Organic Food. Is organic food healthier? Is it safer to eat or better for the environment? This review gives you the latest science-backed intelligence you need to know for your next trip to the grocery store.
If you enjoyed this edition of Verified, consider clicking the little heart (to give it a “like”), and sharing it with a friend where they can sign-up here:
Interested in becoming a Metafact member to get more access- go here.
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This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit newsletter.metafact.io

Hello everyone,
Is human intelligence fixed? Is IQ a good way to measure intelligence? Do brain games work? Do our parents determine our intelligence or is the environment important? These are some of the core questions we investigated recently in our review on Human Intelligence synthesizing answers from over 30 of the world’s top researchers and experts in neuroscience, psychology, and education.
Metafact Reviews in audio: Each month, members get to vote on a topic for us to investigate with the world’s experts. We have upcoming member reviews planned for ‘Organic Food’, ‘Turmeric’, ‘Vitamin C’ and ‘Regenerative Farming’. Although members have full access to all our written reviews here, to make it easier - I will record an audio version of each review within this digest for when you’re traveling, ironing or just like listening to audio more than text (or enjoy a very Australian accent).
Audio Episodes are published in Verified: This week I’ve produced an audio version of our Human Intelligence review that you can listen above or any podcast app. Although the audio version can’t give you the full picture of the written review, it’s the first of many audio translations and they will be published in this digest each week. So share this post to your friends and colleagues where they can sign up here:
Human Intelligence Takeaways:
* Genes play a big role in determining your intelligence - from 50-80% in the latter part of your life.
* But genes aren't determinative. Education and the environment are still critical for children.
* IQ tests are one way to measure intelligence. In general, they're fairly accurate at predicting certain outcomes like grades and general success in life.
* Brain games don't boost your intelligence, they just make you better at the tasks in the app. 
* Creativity declines from middle age(~44). But your general knowledge and vocabulary will likely increase over your life.
* Emotional intelligence is important. Difficult to test for but certain people are better at reading others' emotions.
I hope you enjoy this Metafact audio review. You can now make comments at the bottom each post (I’m told)…
May the facts be with you!
Ben McNeil, Founder Metafact
February Metafact Review:
How to get better sleep?
Exclusive reviews for our fact-loving members.
Each month we investigate a topic voted by members by asking the world's top experts to review the evidence. Reviews are what you need to know. Read all the reviews here.
We gathered more than 50 of the world’s top researchers in neuroscience and sleep research to share the facts about insomnia and ways to get better sleep. From finding out about the optimal sleep environment, using sleeping pills, diet, therapies or having a night-cap, this review gives you the latest science-backed intelligence you need to know to get better sleep.
If you enjoyed this edition of Verified, consider clicking the little heart (to give it a “like”), and sharing it with a friend where they can sign-up here:
Interested in becoming a Metafact member to get more access- go here.
All newsletter content subject to our Terms and Privacy policies



This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit newsletter.metafact.io

Hello everyone,
Each month Metafact members vote on a topic for us to investigate with the world’s top experts (remember to vote here). We call these Metafact Reviews - and they are science-powered guides giving you the state of knowledge today on key topics.
One of our recent reviews was on Probiotics - which has become a huge $48billion industry with nearly 4million Americans using probiotics regularly. You can see its impact every visit we make to the grocery store with hundreds of probiotic fortified products from milk, yogurts to kombucha drinks. All these probiotic products and supplements try and lure you into believing the science behind them is solid. Are they?
We wanted to examine these claims, so we asked over 30 top gastroenterologists, microbiome and medical experts to share the facts. Today I wanted to share some of the key findings for everyone in both written form and in audio format (above).
As someone who has purchased probiotic yogurt in the past, the key things I learned from our review:
* Probiotics are safe but the evidence is weak on the benefits for healthy people, expectant mothers, and infants
* You don’t need probiotics to have a healthy gut, just eat lots of fiber (fruits, vegetable, whole-grains) and your microbiome will flourish
So if you don’t have a digestive condition, don’t waste your money on kombucha or Probiotic Yoghurt - I sure won’t anymore. Instead use the savings to buy more fruits, vegetables, and fibrous foods - or maybe you’d like to use some of the savings to become a Metafact member so we can examine more topics important to you :)
Enjoy our probiotics review and always remember…
May the facts be with you!
Ben McNeil
Founder, Metafact
The ‘Magic’ Yoghurt
For hundreds of years, people have been consuming foods that are supposed to promote good digestive health, but the modern science around probiotics is typically traced back to a guy named Élie Metchnikoff. An immunologist and Nobel laureate, Metchnikoff theorized in the early 1900s that a person’s health could be improved by introducing good bacteria to the gut’s microbiome via yogurt. His ideas languished for a time, but they began to gain steam in the 1990s, when the modern probiotics industry was born.
As a 2013 article in the journal Frontiers in Public Health recalled, “Metchnikoff’s concepts laid the foundation” for the science, but that same article notes that Metchnikoff’s work has spawned plenty of fringe medical theories about the role the gut plays in any number of ailments, both real and imagined.
CONSENSUS
Do probiotics make it past the stomach?
100% Affirmative via 5 experts
In order for probiotics to be most beneficial, they must be able to make it to the gastrointestinal tract. There are two related questions we needed to verify. The first: Do probiotics actually make it past the stomach? Some experts have cast doubt as to whether the bacteria in probiotics supplements can survive the acids found in the stomach.
The second question? If they do make it to the intestines, do probiotics organisms spend any meaningful amount of time there?
Let’s start with the first question. All of our experts agreed that probiotics do make it past the stomach. But the time of day when you take the probiotic can help in determining how much of the bacteria navigates all the way through your digestive tract. “Although the pH of the gut is generally considered to be highly acidic (i.e., pHnoted Case Western Reserve University professor Mahmoud Ghannoum. “Approximately two hours after eating, the pH then returns to pre-ingestion levels.” What does that mean? “This indicates that taking your probiotic after a meal makes sense since the acidity will decrease.”
So probiotics microorganisms do make it to the gut, but do they stay there for very long? Highly unlikely. “Actually, it is quite difficult to get new strains to establish in a healthy bacterial gut community,” wrote 

Hello everyone,
Each month Metafact members vote on a topic for us to investigate with the world’s top experts. We call these Metafact Reviews - and they are science-powered guides giving you the state of knowledge today.
Our launch review last month was on Vaccines - a topic plagued with internet misinformation and weaponized by technology companies. Today we have opened up our findings for everyone to read and share. From questions on supposed toxic ingredients to autism, herd immunity and the HPV vaccine - we want everyone to learn from what we’ve found with over 50 of the world’s top immunologists and public health experts.
To help our members and supporters, I have started recording an audio version of each review for those who prefer it, or want to listen while traveling, ironing or in the shower… If you don’t want to miss a recording, you can subscribe to the Fact Check it! podcast on Spotify, Anchor or Google.
Let me know what you think in the comments below and by all means share this to friends, family members and colleagues interested in signing up to the Verified newsletter:

Enjoy our vaccines review and always remember…
May the facts be with you!
Ben McNeil
Founder, Metafact
The most damaging medical hoax of the 20th Century
In 1998, the medical journal The Lancet published an article titled “Ileal-lymphoid-nodular hyperplasia, non-specific colitis, and pervasive developmental disorder in children.” Authored by British doctor Andrew Wakefield and 11 coauthors, the article purported to find evidence that the MMR vaccine -- which targets measles, mumps, and rubella -- caused autism and gastrointestinal disorders.
In the years following the publication, hundreds of studies demonstrated no link between vaccines and autism, and scientists harshly criticized Wakefield’s methodology and his failure to disclose conflicts of interests. In 2010, The Lancet fully retracted the original article and Wakefield was stripped of his medical license that same year.
But by then, the damage was already done. Many parents, fearful of causing their children to develop autism, refrained from vaccinating them, and we’re now treated to regular headlines of measles and mumps outbreaks among children. The journal The Annals of Pharmacotherapy characterized Wakefield’s study as "perhaps the most damaging medical hoax of the 20th Century.” Despite the paper’s retraction, vaccine misinformation continues to proliferate and social media and the “anti-vaccination” movement are showing no signs of slowing down.
Because of the wide dispersal of misinformation, it’s important to hear directly from the experts about the importance of vaccinations. That’s where Metafact comes in. In this week’s review, we hear from a range of scientists across the globe about vaccine side effects, supposed toxic ingredients, and the safety of herd immunity. Stay tuned...
Of milkmaids, kings and Edward Jenner
In 1796, London was gripped with fear. One in five of deaths came from smallpox, a contagious air-borne virus that would cripple the immune system. Smallpox dates back thousands of years. The mummy of Egyptian King Ramses V, who died in 1157BC, was found to bear the trademark rash. It kills approximately one in three of those infected. Today, smallpox is famous for being the first disease that humankind eradicated from the planet. This immense achievement came about from a serendipitous discovery in country England.
In the 18th century, something curious happened to milkmaids in the English countryside. They would never get smallpox. In 1762 a milkmaid gloated to a curious boy that “I shall never have smallpox for I have had cowpox [and] I shall never have an ugly pockmarked face”. The teenager was Edward Jenner who later became a doctor.
In 1796, Jenner tested the milkmaid idea. He infected eight-year old James Phipps with cowpox using pus gathered from the blisters of Sarah Nelmes, a milkmaid. He then exp

Hello Metafact members and subscribers!
I realise how busy you are and keeping up with all of the new material from us is hard (whether it’s the weekly consensus or monthly reviews) - so I’ve created a podcast called ‘Fact Check it!’ that translates the member content so you can listen when convenient. I probably should really call it ‘Google is not your doctor’!
In the launch episode, I explain the problem and the evolution of our new model to fact-check the internet. You can also read it below. I will start to share future episodes in this digest and will cover a single question or topic we’ve fact-checked with the world’s experts. You can listen and subscribe to the podcast on Spotify, Anchor or Google.
Metafact is funded 100% by our members, who get to choose a topic we investigate in our Monthly Review. This month the vote is close between ‘Intermittent Fasting’ and ‘Sleep’ - so if you haven’t yet voted, please do so here as voting ends soon.
Thanks everyone & may the facts be with you!
Ben McNeil
Founder
From John Oliver on climate science to Dr Google - the evolution of Metafact…
My Story
As a career scientist, I’ve always been aware of the persistence of media misinformation, but I didn’t come to fully understand how it seeps into the public discourse until 2009. That year, I and 25 other climate scientists compiled a report called The Copenhagen Diagnosis; it was a summary of all the peer-reviewed research on the evidence of climate change and the causes behind it. We presented the report during a widely-covered climate meeting attended by President Barack Obama and several other world leaders.
After the event, I noticed a big uptick in the number of interview requests I received from journalists. And while some of these reporters presented the research responsibly, I quickly noticed a disturbing trend in which articles would place my quotes right next to those opposing claims the science of climate change. The problem was those opposing were never an actual climate scientist - they were often someone else. 
I remember having to debate the science with a Lord from the British Parliament, who ironically called into question my own scientific credentials.  As a scientist, I question everything, including the science of climate change  - that’s what I’m trained to do - look for holes and try and win the next Nobel Prize. 
Questioning is critical, debate is good - its healthy. But false debates just misinform people. You can always find someone to oppose your position - even someone who doesn’t believe in gravity. Debates makes for entertaining viewing. But it doesn’t help progress the hard facts that everyone should be working off. 
I found reporters would often present “both sides” to argument as if they had equal merit - in political or social debates that makes sense as we all have different ways at viewing the world.  In science there isn’t a left or right - it’s based around the universal laws of physics that dictate whether something is true. Your feelings or ideology means nothing to what the evidence says. 
Given advertising serves as the business model of media, it seemed that reporters and producers were looking for debates and shouting matches to keep the viewer entertained. This early experience for me was immensely disheartening.
Then in 2014 I watched a clip from John Oliver - and it was the most insightful segment I’ve seen on how the media can misrepresent scientific facts so easily. Here’s a clip of his segment called “A statistically representative debate on climate change”. 
Beyond the 97% consensus
But it’s not just the 97% of climate scientists that are getting misrepresented in the media. On any topic or question from health to technology, the media often misrepresent the facts either by presenting false debates or what is now more likely, publish click-bait headlines that cherrypick one study. How often have you heard o