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A new online trend among young men known as 'looksmaxxing' is raising concerns about body image and mental health. Paul Hollingsworth explains.

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CBC

a day ago

• CBC

Anorexia is normally treated with therapy. Now a Canadian team is trying the gut

Social Sharing This story is part of CBC Health's Second Opinion, a weekly analysis of health and medical science news emailed to subscribers on Saturday mornings. If you haven't subscribed yet, you can do that by clicking here. Anorexia is a life-threatening eating disorder that can manifest as an intense preoccupation on weight loss. It's classified as a mental illness and normally treated with talk therapy, known as family-based therapy, but that's only effective for about half of the mostly women and girls who have it. Those who don't improve may go to hospital and get locked into a relentless cycle of gaining weight and recovering from malnourishment, followed by weight loss and damage to organs, including changes to the brain from starvation. Now, Canadian researchers are testing a new approach, tapping into the growing understanding of the gut-brain connection. They're going to try treating teens with fecal transplants, to change the bacteria in their gut. "We know that once the symptoms set in and the brain changes, it's really hard to change the course, so if we can intervene early in the adolescent years, we have the best chance," said Dr. Jennifer Couturier, a child psychiatrist and associate professor of psychiatry at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ont. In fecal microbial transplants, a small sample of stool from a healthy person is purified to concentrate the beneficial bacteria minus the waste. The microbiome is then put in a capsule, which the recipient takes for therapeutic purposes. Couturier and her team have Health Canada approval to run a randomized clinical trial in an initial group of 20 females aged 12 to 17 diagnosed with anorexia. They will either take oral capsules along with standard family-based treatment to stabilize nutrition and avoid the harmful effects of starvation or family-based treatment alone. McMaster's own stool bank Fecal transplants have been tested in a small handful of adults with anorexia, including one who restored her weight. In this trial, the McMaster researchers will use the university's own stool bank of donations. Dr. Nikhil Pai, a gastroenterologist at McMaster and a co-investigator on the trial, credited the university's contributions for funding the research and starting the pediatric stool bank. "This is not affiliated with any company," Pai said. "We developed this entirely in-house using carefully screened pediatric donors." Pai said the screening checks for infectious diseases, similar to how blood donations are assessed. Staff at the stool bank then prepare the capsules, which can't be mass produced. WATCH | Exploring the power of poop: There are a few reasons Pai and some other doctors are optimistic participants will benefit. One comes from animal studies. Researchers transplanted gut microbes from humans with anorexia to normal mice models, and found the mice reduced their food intake as if anorexic. Then, when gut microbes from healthy humans were given, the effect reversed. Secondly, young guts are subject to change. Pai said the gut microbiome is malleable in children and teens. "It actually is a very different landscape in adolescence, where if you can make a change, you not only may see some improvement in terms of outcomes for anorexia nervosa in the short term, but … the sustained response," Pai said. Butterflies in the stomach With every meal, trillions of gut bacteria turn breakfast, lunch and dinner into molecules called metabolites that affect the brain. Pai, who also works at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, said large population-based studies show a few types of bacteria can have an outsized effect on the brain through the gut-brain axis, a connection between the two. "When we feel a bit nervous, sometimes we feel butterflies in our stomach," as a symptom of the nervousness, Pai said. "It's no surprise that we often have these intestinal symptoms that come along with the psychological anxieties." Researchers will follow participants in the clinical trial for eight weeks while they receive the capsules and then for four weeks after that. Pai and Couturier say one aspect they'll record is whether participants are willing to take the fecal transplant — or repulsed by it. Then they'll measure how the patient is doing — by tracking their weight, and mood — and how the microbiome changes based on saliva, urine and stool samples. Gut commands the brain? Scientists are learning more about how gut microbes influence brain function. Various studies have shown people with some psychological problems, including anorexia nervosa, having abnormal intestinal microbes, said Dr. Howard Steiger, former director of McGill's eating disorder program. "We always like to think of the brain as being the command centre for the body," Steiger said. "But you know, a lot of recent findings suggest the gut also controls your brain." In people with anorexia, Steiger said, the thought is that their eating behaviour messes up the way gut microbes influence functions in the brain and body. Given that, transplanting purified fecal samples from healthy individuals could help those with anorexia, said the professor emeritus of psychiatry, who continues to treat people with eating disorders "It's not like total voodoo to think that [fecal transplant] would be a potential adjunct in treatment or maybe even a treatment in itself," Steiger said. Some clinicians now refer to anorexia as a "metabo-psychiatric problem," meaning it is associated with vulnerability both in the brain and the body. "I think that's important because it reduces shame," Steiger said. "People don't develop anorexia because of moral weakness. They carry a real, physical, heritable susceptibility." That means anorexia gets triggered by a combination of nature, or genetics, and nurture, such as life events. Making meal time comfortable Anita Federici, a clinical psychologist north of Toronto, treats adolescents with anorexia using family-based therapy. Federici said initially, the parents or caregivers are empowered to learn how to nourish their child by taking over all meal and snack preparation and supervising intake and weight checks. Then the child might start eating lunch at school unsupervised. In the last phase, the youth regains independence over eating and exercise. About half of younger people with anorexia nervosa who receive family-based treatment for it do really well, Federici said. Change pace of meals? But anorexia rarely "flies solo," Federici said, noting many people also have co-occurring suicidal thoughts or experience self injury, substance use, trauma or PTSD, as well as neurodiversity like autism. All can complicate the picture. Federici said the standard approach of medicalizing treatment for anorexia focuses on gaining weight. Treatment that doesn't take into account the metabolic underpinnings of anorexia can miss the mark, Federici says. "There was research not long ago that demonstrated that there were more serotonin receptors in your gut than there were in your brain," she said, referring to a neurotransmitter with roles including influencing mood. Taking the metabolic basis of anorexia into consideration could mean clinicians may need to change how they feed patients, both in terms of the types of food and the pacing of meals, Federici said. In people with anorexia, the body is dysregulated so they feel soothed when they eat less. While bystanders may think the patient isn't motivated to change, Federici said in reality they're quite motivated. "What I have observed over the years is that these people desperately want to get better. They desperately want a different life, but they need the treatments to be different."

CTV News

2 days ago

• CTV News

A moving company says cluttered, unsafe homes are leading to an increase in challenges

Movers say they're seeing more difficult cases, including homes in extreme disarray, hoarding situations, and units that pose health hazards to workers. A moving company says cluttered, unsafe homes are leading to an increase in challenges A moving company and a pest control company say they've seen a sharp rise in especially difficult moves since the pandemic. These include homes in extreme disarray, hoarding situations, and units that pose health hazards to the workers walking in. Pierre-Olivier Cyr, co-owner of Déménagement Le Clan Panneton, said that before the pandemic, his team would encounter mental health-related moving challenges roughly once a month. But now, he says, 'we're seeing that kind of situation two to three times a week.' He believes the issue has exploded in the past year. In many cases, Cyr said movers show up to an apartment to find no boxes packed, belongings everywhere — or worse. moving Sometimes movers will find things like needles, blood and condoms on the ground. (Submitted by Pierre-Olivier Cyr) 'It's not rare that the movers arrive, for example, at an apartment and they see some syringes, some condoms, some blood on the floor,' he said. 'Sometimes the person [client] is just there sitting, in shock.' Cyr believes these situations are linked to what he sees as a rise in mental health struggles that have persisted since the height of the COVID-19 crisis. 'In the past, people were ready for moving day,' he explained. 'Now we're called to reschedule because they aren't prepared. Other times, we arrive and realize they're hoarders and nothing has been touched.' 'Our movers aren't psychiatrists' The result, he said, is a growing burden on his employees. Not only are they asked to pack up entire apartments, but they must also navigate potentially unsafe conditions. 'Our movers aren't psychiatrists or mental health professionals,' Cyr said. 'So, we've had to put in place procedures to help.' He explained that, if movers walk into a situation with a customer in a mental health crisis, they call a dispatcher at their office right away. 'We manage it as a team, and we train our staff to be ready, but it's different every time,' he added. It's a pattern pest control expert Alexis Laberge, owner of Alextermination, is also seeing. He said he encounters heavily cluttered or unsanitary apartments every week, often in the context of a move. 'These apartments are very dirty and very clustered, which makes it harder for us to treat for pests like cockroaches or bedbugs,' he said. Pierre-Olivier Cyr, Pierre-Olivier Cyr, co-owner of Déménagement Le Clan Panneton, said that before the pandemic, says his team is encountering more mental health-related moving challenges. (Laurence Brisson Dubreuil/CTV) Laberge said the problem is logistical and financial. Treatment requires that apartments be emptied in advance, but when they're not, his team is stuck doing all the prep work. 'For every apartment that's not ready, we lose two to five extra hours,' he said. 'That's not what we quoted, so it becomes extra costs for the owner, the tenant, or the moving company and no one wants to take responsibility.' In one case about a month ago, Laberge said he and his team spent two extra days emptying a severely neglected unit filled with animal and human feces, cockroaches, and mice droppings. 'It was a nightmare,' he said. 'And in the middle of our busiest season.' He says these cases are not just draining — they're emotionally exhausting. 'It creates a lot of stress and anxiety for us, too. But we can't leave people like that. Sometimes, we just do it for free.' Pandemic made problems worse According to clinical psychologist Dr. Natalia Koszegi, these situations can stem from a combination of mental health issues, including compulsive hoarding disorder. Koszegi is the clinical coordinator at the Centre d'étude clinique sur les troubles obsessionnels-compulsifs (CETOC), where she specializes in obsessive-compulsive and hoarding disorders. 'Hoarding is a mental health disorder where people accumulate objects and have extreme difficulty letting them go,' she explained. 'They often feel emotionally attached or justify the need to keep them. Over time, it creates serious clutter.' She added that the pandemic exacerbated existing mental health problems for many people. 'The stress, unpredictability, and insecurity created by the pandemic affected everyone,' she said. 'But for people who already had a mental illness — including those with obsessive-compulsive or hoarding disorders — it got worse.' Koszegi also pointed out that not all disorganized homes are a result of hoarding. She said other conditions like depression, psychosis, or substance use can lead to over-accumulation. hoarding Movers say they're seeing more difficult cases, including homes in extreme disarray, hoarding situations, and units that pose health hazards to the workers walking in. (Laurence Brisson Dubreuil/CTV) But, when it comes to people with hoarding disorders, she said the experience of moving can be 'extremely complex' and lead to people being in crisis. 'Just gathering their belongings and putting them into boxes can take forever,' she said. 'It creates massive anxiety. People worry about losing or damaging their possessions, or being forced to throw them away.' In severe cases, she said, even the thought of packing can trigger distress. 'They might be afraid they won't have space for everything in their new home. It's not just a problem of organization, it's an emotional struggle.' Resources exist to help people navigate these challenges, but Koszegi said access remains limited. 'There are not enough services,' she said. 'But there are some community organizations and even city-level supports that can help people plan or prepare for a move.' She pointed to tools available through the Comité d'action pour le trouble d'accumulation compulsive (CATAC), a Quebec-based network offering peer support and professional resources for people living with hoarding disorder. For Cyr, the message is simple: these can be more than simply messy moves — sometimes, they're cries for help. 'We need to be ready to manage them with care,' he said.

Globe and Mail

2 days ago

• Globe and Mail

Ibogaine by David Dardashti Forges Strategic Partnership with Psychedelic University to Cultivate Next-Generation Leaders in Psychedelic Healthcare

MIAMI, FL - June 20, 2025 - Ibogaine by David Dardashti, a pioneering leader in ibogaine-assisted therapy and led by visionary David Dardashti, today announced a groundbreaking collaboration with a Psychedelic University. This strategic partnership aims to establish robust internship opportunities for students passionate about contributing to the rapidly evolving psychedelic field, with initial networking prospects to be explored at the highly anticipated Psychedelic Conference 2025. The initiative is further amplified by the recent opening of Ibogaine by David Dardashti's second state-of-the-art treatment facility, significantly expanding the scope for student involvement. This innovative alliance is designed to bridge the gap between academic learning and practical application, providing students with invaluable hands-on experience in a clinical setting dedicated to transformative healing. The expansion into a second facility dramatically increases Ibogaine by David Dardashti's capacity, creating a diverse array of potential roles for aspiring professionals. "We are incredibly excited to partner with Psychedelic University to nurture the next generation of leaders in psychedelic medicine," said David Dardashti, founder of Ibogaine by David Dardashti. "The opening of our second clinic is not just about expanding our treatment capabilities; it's about building a robust ecosystem where ambitious students can gain real-world experience and help accelerate the growth and acceptance of ibogaine therapy. We believe this collaboration will foster innovation and ethical practices crucial for the future of this field." The internship program will offer multifaceted opportunities for students from various disciplines. Beyond direct clinical exposure, students can expect to engage in critical areas such as: Therapy Options: Assisting in the development and delivery of integrative post-treatment care plans, including counseling and psychological support. Data Collection & Analysis: Contributing to the meticulous gathering and interpretation of patient outcomes, vital for advancing research and validating treatment efficacy. Biomedical Software Development: Participating in the creation and refinement of digital tools designed to enhance patient management, treatment protocols, and research analytics. Marketing Solutions: Developing strategic communication plans to educate the public, destigmatize ibogaine, and expand access to treatment. Meetings will be held in the months following a patient's treatment, creating a unique longitudinal learning environment where interns can observe the full spectrum of patient journeys and recovery. This comprehensive approach ensures that students gain a holistic understanding of patient care, from initial intake to long-term integration support. Representatives from both Ibogaine by David Dardashti and Psychedelic University will be actively engaging with students at the Psychedelic Conference 2025, providing a premier platform for aspiring interns to learn more about these opportunities and network with pioneers in the field. This direct interaction will allow students to present their aspirations and demonstrate their commitment to this burgeoning area of healthcare. The ultimate goal of Ibogaine by David Dardashti is to expand its new clinic with the support of ambitious, dedicated students who are eager to contribute to accelerating the growth and responsible application of ibogaine treatment. This partnership underscores a shared commitment to innovation, education, and the widespread, ethical integration of psychedelic therapies into mainstream healthcare.