Chasing Life

The average person gets two to four colds a year. With all the missed school and work, that adds up to an economic impact of about $40 billion, according to some studies. So why haven’t we cured the common cold yet? CNN Medical Correspondent Meg Tirrell explores the science, the history, and the modern attempts to finally crack the case. Producer: Jesse Remedios Medical Writer: Andrea Kane Showrunner: Amanda Sealy Senior Producer: Dan Bloom Technical Director: Dan Dzula Executive Producer: Steve Lickteig Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

There’s a new sleep trend making waves: taping your mouth shut at night. Advocates say it can help you breathe better, sleep deeper, and even wake up more energized. But is it safe -- or could it put your health at risk? Sanjay breaks down what the science says about this viral “hack” and what doctors want you to know before you try it. Plus, a listener asks about calcium supplements and testosterone for bone loss. This episode was produced by Jennifer Lai Medical Writer: Andrea Kane Showrunner: Amanda Sealy Senior Producer: Dan Bloom Technical Director: Dan Dzula Executive Producer: Steve Lickteig Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Parkinson’s disease, a progressive movement disorder whose hallmark is damage to the dopamine-producing neurons in the brain, afflicts almost 12 million people worldwide. And the number of new cases is growing quickly. For roughly 13% of patients, genetics plays a key role. For many others, the underlying cause of the disease might be more mundane and insidious: environmental toxins — via the air we breathe, the water we drink, the food we eat and the chemicals with which we regularly come in contact. Neurologist Dr Michael Okun, co-author of The Parkinson’s Plan, joins CNN Chief Medical Correspondent Dr Sanjay Gupta to discuss where we stand today in our understanding of this disease, and the “PLAN” moving forward. This episode was produced by Andrea Kane Medical Writer: Andrea KaneShowrunner: Amanda SealySenior Producer: Dan BloomTechnical Director: Dan Dzula Executive Producer: Steve Lickteig Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dr. Sanjay Gupta explains the science behind collagen supplements and what you should keep in mind if you’re considering them. Plus, how Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation can help those with hard-to-treat depression. This episode was produced by Jesse Remedios. Showrunner: Amanda Sealy Senior Producer: Dan Bloom Technical Director: Dan Dzula Executive Producer: Steve Lickteig Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As a practicing neurosurgeon and CNN’s chief medical correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta can spot false health claims from a mile away. Still, he recently became the unwitting subject of an AI disinformation campaign that used his likeness to sell sham health products. On today’s episode, Dr. Gupta shares what happened, and offers tips to avoid getting duped by medical misinformation online. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We all have our cooking rituals, but are some of them unsafe? Dr. Sanjay Gupta gets to the bottom of handwashing hygiene, especially when handling raw meat. Plus, how to best store those hot and cold leftovers this holiday season. Producers: Sofia Sanchez, Leying Tang, Jesse Remedios Medical writer: Andrea Kane Showrunner: Amanda Sealy Senior producer: Dan Bloom Technical Director: Dan Dzula Executive Producer: Steve Lickteig Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Could the secret to living longer be as simple as what’s for dinner? Sanjay sits down with explorer and bestselling author Dan Buettner to discuss the science behind longevity, why taste (not willpower) drives healthy habits, and how affordable, plant-based recipes inspired by the world’s longest-living communities can help you thrive. Plus, hear how AI cracked the code on America’s favorite flavor trends -- and inspired the recipes in his new cookbook, The Blue Zones Kitchen: One Pot Meals. Our show was produced by Jennifer Lai. Medical Writer: Andrea Kane Showrunner: Amanda Sealy Senior Producer: Dan Bloom Technical Director: Dan Dzula Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The FDA is planning to remove the “black box” warning from many hormone treatments for menopause -- a major shift that could change care for millions of women in this country. On this week’s Paging Dr. Gupta, we break down what who this treatment could help and what you still need to know about its risks. This episode was produced by Jennifer Lai with assistance from Kyra Dahring and Leying Tang. Showrunner: Amanda Sealy Senior Producer: Dan Bloom Technical Director: Dan Dzula Executive Producer: Steve Lickteig Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the 1980s, Leland Vittert’s parents were told that nothing could be done about their son’s autism. But that didn’t stop them from trying. In his new memoir, anchor and reporter Vittert reveals his autism diagnosis for the first time and details how his family, especially his father, helped him achieve personal and professional success. Producer & Medical Writer: Andrea Kane Showrunner: Amanda Sealy Senior Producer: Dan Bloom Technical Director: Dan Dzula Executive Producer: Steve Lickteig Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It seems like everyone’s wearing Bluetooth headphones these days. But should you be worried about the risk of cancer from this technology? Dr. Sanjay Gupta breaks it down. Plus, are protein shakes actually a shortcut to bad nutrition? Producer: Jesse Remedios Showrunner: Amanda Sealy Senior Producer: Dan Bloom Technical Director: Dan Dzula Executive Producer: Steve Lickteig Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We've come a long way in integrating technology into our daily lives, but could wearable tech actually help you live longer? From detecting heartbeat irregularities to flagging signs of hypertension and hearing loss, devices like the Apple Watch are becoming unexpected players in preventive care. In a conversation taped before a live audience at The Paley Center for Media in New York, Dr. Sanjay Gupta talks with Dr. Sumbul Desai, Apple’s Vice President of Health, about how these tools are quietly transforming the way we think of health – and putting more control in the hands of users, one tap at a time. Our show was produced by Jennifer Lai, with assistance from Leying Tang and Kyra Dahring. Medical Writer: Andrea Kane Showrunner: Amanda Sealy Senior Producer: Dan Bloom Technical Director: Dan Dzula Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Americans are buying more organic food than ever, whether it’s apples from Washington or avocados from Mexico. But when that label says “organic,” especially on something grown thousands of miles away, how do you know it’s truly organic? We get to the bottom of that on this week’s Paging Dr. Gupta. Plus, grounding sheets claim to help with sleep and pain...but does the science back that up? This episode was produced by Jennifer Lai with assistance from Leying Tang. Showrunner: Amanda Sealy Senior Producer: Dan Bloom Technical Director: Dan Dzula Executive Producer: Steve Lickteig Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Author Jonathan Gluck says most cancer stories take one of two forms: “He or she fought valiantly and died, or he or she fought valiantly and survived.” But Gluck, who was told in the prime of life that he had an incurable type of blood cancer, has a different kind of story. Dr. Sanjay Gupta sits down with Gluck to discuss his new book, “An Exercise in Uncertainty: A Memoir of Illness and Hope,” and what two decades of living with cancer have taught him – and might teach us – about living well. Producer & Medical Writer: Andrea KaneShowrunner: Amanda Sealy Senior Producer: Dan BloomTechnical Director: Dan Dzula Executive Producer: Steve Lickteig Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Why do some people faint at the sight of blood, while others barely flinch? Dr. Sanjay Gupta explains the surprising science behind blood phobia. Plus, what you need to know about artificial sweeteners. Producer: Jesse Remedios Showrunner: Amanda Sealy Medical Writer: Andrea Kane Senior Producer: Dan Bloom Technical Director: Dan Dzula Executive Producer: Steve Lickteig Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A few years ago, vaping was at the top of every parent’s list of worries — including Sanjay’s. But in just a few short years, the landscape has shifted again. Teen vaping rates have dropped, but new nicotine products have quickly taken their place. Dr. Pamela Ling, a professor at University of California San Francisco who has spent her career studying the tobacco industry’s tactics, joins Dr. Sanjay Gupta to talk about why nicotine remains such a moving target — and how parents can help their kids stay ahead of it. We have updated this episode after Phillip Morris International, the maker of ZYN, provided additional information regarding its product. Producer: Jesse Remedios Senior Producer: Dan Bloom Showrunner: Amanda Sealy Technical Director: Dan Dzula Executive Producer: Steve Lickteig Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It’s that time of year again when many Americans have to choose a health insurance plan — a decision that will affect, and possibly haunt them throughout the entire year. Worst of all: many are forced to make a choice with imperfect information. To help walk us through open enrollment, Dr. Sanjay Gupta talks to Elisabeth Rosenthal, senior contributing editor at KFF Health News, who has made it her mission to demystify the process. This episode was produced by Andrea Kane and Sofía Sanchez Showrunner: Amanda Sealy Senior Producer: Dan Bloom Technical Director: Dan Dzula Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Since the 1990s, healthcare has been at the heart of America’s political debate and it’s still being contested today. Why is our health system so complicated? And how can we fix it? To help demystify it, Dr. Sanjay Gupta talks to Elisabeth Rosenthal, the doctor turned health journalist who wrote, An American Sickness: How Healthcare Became Big Business and How You Can Take It Back. She's currently senior contributing editor at KFF Health News. This episode was produced by Sofía Sanchez and Leying Tang Medical Writer: Andrea Kane Showrunner: Amanda Sealy Senior Producer: Dan Bloom Technical Director: Dan Dzula Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Are the straws from our reusable water bottles leaching microplastics or toxic chemicals? We sip to the bottom of that question on this week’s Paging Doctor Gupta. Plus, hypertension is rising among young people. Do we need to start paying attention earlier? This episode was produced by Sofía Sánchez, Andrea Kane, and Nadia Kounang Showrunner: Amanda Sealy Senior Producer: Dan Bloom Technical Director: Dan Dzula Executive Producer: Steve Lickteig Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Cancer used to be something you worried about later in life — but not anymore. More and more young adults are being diagnosed, and doctors are trying to figure out why this is happening. Dr. Sanjay Gupta talks with oncologist Dr. Kimmie Ng about what’s behind this rise, why colorectal cancer is leading the trend, and the signs you shouldn’t ignore. You can find more information and resources at the Young-Onset Colorectal Cancer Center at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. This episode was produced by Kyra Dahring. Medical Writer: Andrea Kane Showrunner: Amanda Sealy Senior Producer: Dan Bloom Technical Director: Dan Dzula Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Does tiger balm, that intense-smelling ointment that we rub into our muscles to relieve aches and pains, actually do anything? We get to the bottom of that on this week’s Paging Doctor Gupta. Plus, can already being on an antibiotic protect you from someone else’s pneumonia? This episode was produced by Andrea Kane and Jennifer Lai. Showrunner: Amanda Sealy Senior Producer: Dan Bloom Technical Director: Dan Dzula Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dr. Sanjay Gupta sits down with Dr. Marty Makary, U.S. FDA Commissioner to dig beyond the headlines of this Administration’s latest efforts to “Make America Healthy Again.” This conversation took place on Friday, September 26th, 2025. Our show was produced by Jennifer Lai, with assistance from Leying Tang, Kyra Dahring, Jesse Remedios, and Nadia Kounang. Medical Writer: Andrea KaneShowrunner: Amanda Sealy Senior Producer: Dan BloomTechnical Director: Dan Dzula Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

President Trump has linked the use of acetaminophen — brand name: Tylenol — during pregnancy to autism in children. In this episode of Paging Dr Gupta, Dr. Sanjay Gupta answers questions about how strong that association is. Plus, what are the consequences of not treating a fever during pregnancy? Producer: Andrea Kane Showrunner: Amanda Sealy Senior Producer: Dan Bloom Technical Director: Dan Dzula Executive Producer: Steve Lickteig Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Is delegating tasks and even thinking to digital devices making us lose our minds, or at least some brain function? Dr. Sanjay Gupta and neuroscientist Baroness Susan Greenfield, Oxford University professor and author of “Mind Change: How Digital Technologies Are Leaving Their Mark on Our Brains,” discuss and debate how screen time might be impacting our human connections and own cognitive abilities. Plus, Greenfield gives us three ways to reclaim our digital independence. Producer: Sofía Sánchez Medical Writer: Andrea KaneShowrunner: Amanda SealySenior Producer: Dan BloomTechnical Director: Dan Dzula Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The kissing bug disease — aka: Chagas disease — is slowly becoming endemic in certain parts of the United States. Dr. Sanjay Gupta explains what you need to know about detecting it, treating it and avoiding it. You’ll also learn if it can infect your fur babies, too. Producer: Andrea Kane Showrunner: Amanda Sealy Senior Producer: Dan Bloom Technical Director: Dan Dzula Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Public health is, in the words of this week’s guest, “the organized actions of society to make people safer and healthier.” Unfortunately, to some, it feels like the country is waging a war against the very institutions entrusted to carry out that mission. Dr. Sanjay Gupta sits down with public health expert and former CDC director Dr. Thomas Frieden about the critical and often-invisible role of public health, and what he hopes to accomplish with his new book, The Formula For Better Health. This episode was produced by Andrea Kane Showrunner: Amanda Sealy Senior Producer: Dan Bloom Technical Director: Dan Dzula Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices