The Health and Wellness Lie: How to Spot When You are Being Sold

What if many of the health, wellness, and performance products we spend money on are not delivering on their promises? In this episode, Martin is joined by physiologist, researcher and writer **Dr Nick Tiller**, author of *The Health and Wellness Lie*, for a critical look at the evidence behind some of the biggest claims in the wellness industry. From supplements and cold plunges to saunas, acupuncture, cupping, creatine and caffeine, Nick explains why a plausible-sounding mechanism, a scientific-looking claim or an elite athlete endorsement doesn't necessarily mean something works. The conversation also explores why we're so susceptible to wellness marketing, how our cognitive biases are exploited, and the difference between science communication and science commodification. Most importantly, Nick explains how to become a more critical consumer of health and performance information. Rather than simply telling you what works and what doesn't, he shows you how to recognise the mechanics behind the claims and make better decisions for yourself. ## About Nick Nick Tiller, Ph.D., is an exercise physiologist, researcher, and author whose work examines how science, misinformation, and marketing intersect in modern wellness culture. A Skeptical Inquirer columnist since 2021, and a writer for Psychology Today, he has written more than 150 general-audience articles and is an elected Fellow of the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry. His first book, The Skeptic's Guide to Sports Science was named one of Book Authority's "Best Sports Science Books of All Time." Chris van Tulleken describes his new book, The Health and Wellness Lie, as “a tour de force, debunking the myths and scams of the modern wellness industry.” ## Useful Links Nick’s website: https://www.nbtiller.com/   Nick’s book: https://linktr.ee/TheHealthandWellnessLie   ## Chapters 01:49 Whats The Harm 02:59 Supplements And Risks 05:29 Drugs Vs Supplements 10:24 Acupuncture Reality Check 13:03 Why People Believe 14:47 Cupping And Media Hype 18:31 When Placebos Kill 20:40 Science Communication Void 23:09 Influencers And Biases 28:40 Shiny Objects And Saunas 32:07 Sauna Study Misread 34:03 Sauna Versus Exercise 35:18 Cold Plunge Recovery Myth 38:04 Wellness Marketing Playbook 41:54 Back To The Basics 47:07 Creatine Hype And Bias 51:02 Caffeine Claims And Timing 54:24 Critical Thinking Framework 57:30 Closing Thoughts And Plugs ## About the Podcast For more expert-led conversations delivering evidence-based strategies to help you perform, recover, and adapt in high-pressure environments, check out our website https://www.ophp.co.uk/ Hosted by Human Performance specialist, researcher and educator Dr Martin I. Jones. If you found this podcast valuable, please take a moment to rate, share & review.  If you have feedback, guest suggestions or topics that you'd love us to cover, then do email us at [info@ophp.co.uk](mailto:info@ophp.co.uk) or connect with us on LinkedIn.  ## Production Edited and produced by Bess Manley Thanks for listening to **Optimising Human Performance**. This podcast is for people who can’t afford to fail. Each episode gives you practical, evidence‑based tools you can apply in the real world. For more about the podcast, speaking, coaching, and mentoring, visit: www.ophp.co.uk Connect with us: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ophp/ Instagram: **@ophumanperformance** If you found this episode useful, please **share it with one colleague**, subscribe, and leave a review – it helps us reach more people who operate in high‑stakes environments. * * * Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.