Episode notes
Welcome to What’s Up Docs?, the podcast where doctors and identical twins Chris and Xand van Tulleken cut through the confusion around every aspect of our health and wellbeing. In this episode, Chris and Xand dive into calcium. What is calcium, and what does it do in the body? How important is it for our health? How do we maintain healthy levels of calcium? They also examine how calcium interacts with vitamin D, whether we need calcium and vitamin D supplements, how calcium plays a part in bone health and how we can strengthen our bones. Joining them to discuss this is Dr Sagen Zac-Varghese,…
Podcast
What's Up Docs?
BBC Radio 4 · Tech & Science · English
In this BBC Radio 4 podcast, Drs Chris and Xand van Tulleken are on a mission to help us take better care of ourselves. Although they are identical twins, Chris and Xand are very different and they never stop thinking and arguing about science and health. They want to lead healthy, happy lives and
More from What's Up Docs? All episodes →
-
E144 · 26 May 2026 · 15 min
Doctors' Notes: Lymphatic System
Chris and Xand continue their conversation about the lymphatic system with Professor Kristiana Gordon, a Consultant in Dermatology and Lymphovascular Medicine. The docs ask about the growing field of lymphoedema research and how our understanding of the lymphatic system has developed in recent years. They also explore primary lymphoedema, a condition caused by genetic errors that can affect children and young people, and ask what advances in understanding its underlying causes might mean for the development of new treatments. If you’d like to share your thoughts on this or any other topic…
-
E143 · 26 May 2026 · 29 min
Do our lymphatic systems need a detox?
Welcome to What’s Up Docs?, the podcast where identical twin doctors Chris and Xand van Tulleken cut through the confusion around every aspect of our health and wellbeing. In this episode, Chris and Xand explore the lymphatic system, from its vital everyday functions supporting fluid balance and immunity to its more mysterious roles. They look at what happens when things go wrong, examine popular wellness claims around draining and detoxing our lymphatic system, and find out what actually supports good lymphatic health. Joining them to discuss this is Professor Kristiana Gordon, a Consultant…
-
E142 · 19 May 2026 · 21 min
Doctors' Notes: Hay fever
In this Doctors' Notes episode of What’s Up Docs?, Chris and Xand van Tulleken take a deeper dive into hay fever with Professor Stephen Till. The docs and their guest explore whether hay fever is really becoming more common, and if so, why. From climate change and air pollution to changes in our environment and biodiversity, they unpack the factors that may be making symptoms worse. They also look at how hay fever varies around the world, including why treatments like allergy injections are more widely used in some countries than others. Along the way, they tackle common myths and share…
-
E141 · 19 May 2026 · 29 min
Why do we get hay fever?
Welcome to What’s Up Docs?, the podcast where doctors and identical twins Chris and Xand van Tulleken explore the ideas shaping our health and wellbeing. In this episode, they turn their attention to hay fever. What is it, why do so many of us get it, and is it getting worse? They break down what’s happening in the body, how to tell it apart from a cold, and why timing matters when it comes to treatment. They also explore what actually works to manage symptoms, and what doesn’t. To help them get to the root of it, they’re joined by Stephen Till, Professor of Allergy at Guy's and St Thomas'…
-
E140 · 12 May 2026 · 20 min
Doctors' Notes: Calcium
Chris and Xand continue their conversation about calcium with Dr Sagen Zac-Varghese. The docs want to know about common issues that are seen around calcium and bone health, especially osteoporosis. They want to learn how osteoporosis relates to calcium, who is at risk and why it is more common in women. They also want to know what inspired Sagen’s passion for calcium and what we can learn from astronauts about bone health. PLEASE NOTE: The correct web address for the Fracture Risk Assessment Tool is www.fraxplus.org, not as stated in the podcast. If you’d like to share your thoughts on this…
-
E138 · 5 May 2026 · 28 min
Doctors' Notes: Snoring
Chris and Xand continue their conversation about snoring with Dr Sophie West, a consultant respiratory physician and lead of Newcastle regional sleep service. They take a deeper look at what happens when snoring means we’re not breathing enough, or stop breathing altogether, a condition known as obstructive sleep apnoea/hypopnoea syndrome (OSAHS). They ask why it happens and what can be done to treat it. If you’d like to share your thoughts on this or any other topic covered on the podcast, you email us at [email protected] or Whatsapp on 08000 665 123. Presenters: Drs Chris and Xand van…
-
E137 · 5 May 2026 · 29 min
Why do you snore?
Welcome to What’s Up Docs?, the podcast where identical twin doctors Chris and Xand van Tulleken cut through the confusion around every aspect of our health and wellbeing. In this episode they're looking at snoring, exploring what causes some of us to snore when we sleep. They also want to know when we should worry that our snoring might actually be the sign of a larger problem, and what we can do to sleep a little more quietly at night. Joining them is Dr Sophie West, a consultant respiratory physician and lead of Newcastle regional sleep service, with national roles across the OSA…
-
E136 · 28 Apr 2026 · 22 min
Doctors' Notes: Balance
Chris and Xand continue their conversation with physiotherapist and vestibular rehabilitation specialist, Maggie Stacey. They explore why alcohol can make us unsteady, how our sense of balance develops and changes as we age, and why falls pose such a major health risk for older adults. They also hear from their guest about the balance problems she most often sees in the clinic, and the warning signs that it might be time to seek medical advice. If you’d like to share your thoughts on this or any other topic covered on the podcast, you email us at [email protected] or Whatsapp on 08000…
-
E135 · 28 Apr 2026 · 29 min
Should you improve your balance?
Welcome to What’s Up Docs?, the podcast where doctors and identical twins Chris and Xand van Tulleken tune in to the ideas shaping our health and wellbeing. In this episode, they turn their attention to balance. Where does it come from, why is it so important for our health, and do some people naturally have better balance than others? They also explore how much we can improve it, and what we should be doing to maintain it. To help them find their balance, they’re joined by physiotherapist and vestibular rehabilitation specialist, Maggie Stacey. Falls can have serious consequences for our…
-
E134 · 21 Apr 2026 · 26 min
Doctors' Notes: Voice
Chris and Xand continue their conversation about the complexities of the voice with speech and language therapist, Lydia Hart. They ask why so many of us cringe at the sound of our own voice and whether it’s really possible to change it. They explore how adjusting the way we speak can shape how others respond to us, hear from Lydia about the most common issues she sees in the clinic and find out why voice work often turns out to be about far more than just sound. If you’d like to share your thoughts on this or any other topic covered on the podcast, you email us at [email protected] or…
Take it with you
The Melo app keeps playing with the screen off, works in the car and on your watch, wakes you to your station, and browses the whole catalogue offline. Free, no ads, no account.
