14 hours ago
Expert debunks podcast bro's wild health claim about getting sick
If you've ever been irritated by the fact that just about anyone can start a podcast with little to no credentials, this is going to rub you the wrong way.
When it comes to health information, it's all too easy to fall into the trap of listening to a fit-looking 'gym guy' behind a microphone, telling you what you should or shouldn't do for your wellbeing.
Recently, a clip has been making the rounds on TikTok feeds of fitness and health enthusiasts.
It shows a man named Brad Davidson (also known as @fitnesscoachbrad), who tells his podcast audience that if you're never getting sick, it means your immune system is suppressed, usually from stress.
While he might be a pro at making a punchy hook to grab our attention (wait, if you're not getting sick, your immune system is bad?!), he's not a doctor.
According to his Instagram, Fitness Coach Brad is indeed just a fitness coach named Brad.
Mr Davidson says: 'I really started seeing this when working with CEOs. They just go, go, go. And they're never sick, right? They grind until they go on vacation, and as soon as the stress levels come down and the immune system gets more active – boom! It hits them like a ton of bricks.
'So the stress system is very involved. As cortisol elevates, the immune system dampens. As cortisol comes down, the immune system gets more active. And that's because it's supposed to. It's built around sleep-wake cycles.'
If you're thinking his buzzwordy 'theory' sounds a bit off, you're not wrong.
To set the record straight, we spoke to Dr Zac, a leading Australian GP.
'Yes, stress increases levels of cortisol – your body's main stress hormone – and short-term spikes in cortisol can temporarily suppress your immune response,' Dr Zac tells
But here's the catch.
'This suppression may last hours or a few days at most, which means symptoms of illness might be delayed, not prevented,' he continues. 'So if you suddenly feel unwell once you hit the beach, it may just be the timing catching up with you.'
Then this is where the TikTok logic really falls apart.
Mr Davidson applies this idea to long-term stress, such as that faced by his slew of CEO clients who just 'go go go' all the time – and that is a misrepresentation of the science.
'Chronic stress – the kind that builds up over weeks or months – doesn't keep you 'safe' from getting sick. In fact, it does the opposite,' Dr Zac explains.
'Prolonged high cortisol levels actually lead to a weakened immune system, leaving you more prone to infections and rebound inflammation.'
So basically, the idea that 'you never get sick because your immune system is suppressed' is completely backwards.
'If you rarely get sick, it's not because your immune system is broken,' Dr Zac says, 'it's probably because it's functioning well and is properly regulated.'
As we suspected.
'The video gets it wrong as it fails to distinguish between short-term stress responses and long-term stress exposure, making the overall claim misleading.'
Studies back this up, like this one that looked at the effects of stress on immune function and showed that long-term stress suppresses and dysregulates immune responses.
Another study also proved that acute stress can temporarily strengthen immunity, but in contrast, chronic stress inhibits immune functions.
And this study went a step further and showed that chronic stress not only suppresses immune function, but increases a person's susceptibility to cancer.
So, long story short: take the podcast bro's 'health advice' with a very big grain of salt. And by that, we mean – do your own research or speak to a professional.
