In front of him, salted almonds, warm chamomile and a weekly newspaper. “I would never have had so much exposure without that,” says Frédéric Saldmann, the most popular cardiologist in France. From the depths of a huge velvet sofa in a Parisian café where he is a regular, the doctor slides out the magazine, bright red banner and glossy paper. “That” is L’Express, 2015 vintage. He sits on the front page, with piercing blue eyes and a little smirk.
The number that he has carefully preserved tells of the craze at the time for “self-prevention”, the small gestures to stay in good health. Frédéric Saldmann, and his millions of books sold, is still the “pope”, nine years later, publishing Your future on prescription (Robert Laffont). At 70, he is in good shape, apart from a broken toe during his daily sports session. But the scientific credibility with which he was until now crowned in the media has drastically weakened. The fault of one, then two, then three and a whole bout of false information released on television this winter, on the set of the show What an era!. Broadcast on France 2, then on the Internet, these sequences provoked the wrath of his peers and part of the scientific community, we reported. Slackness or chronic illness? The doctor, however, everywhere in the media, complained of not being able to explain himself. It was time to ask him some questions.
L’Express: On January 27, you asserted, without sources and against the evidence, that vacations caused you to lose IQ points. Do you have any regrets?
Frédéric Saldmann: I said, it is true, that in three weeks of vacation, you could lose up to 20 intelligence quotient points. I read that in the BBC and Daily Telegraph, usually scrupulous media, you will agree. The information surprised me a little but I told myself that these sources were serious. I admit that I have not read the works cited by the English media. I then realized that they had not been published.
Why did you talk about it, then?
Because I have also seen a whole series of scientific articles which show that the best thing for children is to split up school holidays. This way, they avoid forgetting what they learned during the year, and maintain their mathematical intelligence. In the end, it seems to me that the message we can take away is the same, regardless of the studies we cite: it is better to remain intellectually active during these periods.
In your books, the plethora of studies that you cite are often poorly supported, and are in no way representative of a scientific consensus…
You are right, but unfortunately this observation also applies to science in general. Many scientific studies are not reproducible, that is to say, they are not up to standard to demonstrate what they suggest. On cancer alone, it’s 11%, for example. This poses a real problem for me when writing!
It must also be said that studies which talk about small everyday gestures do not have billions of euros of funding from the pharmaceutical industry. Who is going to do a study on carrots, when there is no profit in it, unlike a medicine? On my theme, lifestyle, food, work is rarer, and the samples are often smaller.
“Try it, and if it doesn’t work, give up.”
How can you avoid misinforming your readers in this case?
This is a real subject! I very often wonder about the reliability of the articles I cite. I didn’t wait for this winter’s sequence. The proof: at the beginning of each work that I write, I explain that under no circumstances can my words replace a medical consultation. And I also warn of the intellectual precautions to be taken: certain elements that I relay have only been shown on animals, for example. What I say may turn out to be wrong as the science evolves.
Shouldn’t it be shouldn’t we rather expect a scientist to guide us into the truth and the falsehood of medical sciences?
My whole philosophy is expressed in this first page of warning to the reader, and could be summed up by a mantra: judge for yourself! What I tell my readers is simply: try. And you will see, with common sense, if it feels good or not. Try to eat two kiwis a day for constipation, there is no danger. Try it, and if it doesn’t work, give up.
Even if it means exaggerating? Many scientists criticize you for extrapolating wildly…
My fight is prevention. The problem is motivating people. When they come to see us in the hospital, it’s too late. But no one listens to the recommendations, whether on fat, alcohol or tobacco or physical exercise. Even more so in France, where there is not enough focus on healthy living, compared to Asia – there, my books are very well received.
What I learned when I was a teacher in the United States is that you have to grab people’s attention at all costs. Make them laugh, shock them, entertain. The first class, I put on a red beret, and I introduced myself as “Ze French teacher” [il prend un accent français]. It was won. If we don’t push the point, no one listens. My recipe is to encourage people to take action on their lifestyle, by offering simple, fun and safe elements.
This philosophy has the merit of seducing people, and not just on newsstands. They say you are the doctor to the stars. It’s true ?
I got into a lot of trouble because of this information that a journalist from Vanity Fair extracted from my secretary. Let me be clear, my books are not what I need to sell. I work at the hospital, €23.50 per consultation. Only the public, never a private session, so everyone can come and see me. Stars are coming. Lots of priests too. No one ever talks to me about this patience. Odd.
All these priests are coming for your advice against premature ejaculation?
It can happen [Rire] ! The advice you are thinking of comes from a discussion with a fellow urologist at Pompidou. He deflates prolonged, painful erections, a serious condition called priapism, by asking his patients to squat with their legs apart and take deep breaths three or four times. I began to recommend doing the same for premature ejaculation. Well I can tell you that lots of men thank me.
You also say that having sex twelve times a month increases life expectancy by 10 years. No literature review, these studies which compile what we know, concludes like this. On the contrary, the evidence is lacking…
Again, try it, and see if it does you any good. During sexual intercourse, oxytocin, dopamine, serotonin are released. These hormones have a tremendous effect. The important message here is that sexuality is part of good health. Isolation is not good for your health. And sex reduces stress. All of this is in the studies.
You also distill, and paradoxically, numerous references to faith, the mother of all youth according to you. Are you a believer?
I don’t practice any religion. So don’t see any proselytism there. But I notice that people who give meaning to their lives, who believe, in the broad sense, live better. Knowing why we get up in the morning is important. Otherwise, we are more vulnerable. Here again, the studies that I cite here on faith are what they are, and have their weaknesses (Editor’s note: Frédéric Saldmann states in his books that non-believers have twice the risk of dying in the short term high, an extrapolation) It is a basis for reflection. You have noticed, I use the conditional a lot!
Do you believe in miracles? You talk about it at length in one of your most recent books…
No. But I respect the beliefs of my patients. Some tell me that going to Lourdes cured them. I make no comment. It’s safe, why would I get involved? It’s the same with those who choose alternative medicine. The benefits of the placebo effect should not be underestimated. Where I get him screaming is about risky practices. Above all, do not treat your cancer with alternative medicines.
“Everything I write in my books, I try it”
Same observation on fasting, your last hobbyhorse. Why defend it, when its usefulness has not been demonstrated?
There are 1,358 studies of sequential fasting in humans. It’s not nothing. The studies, especially the very latest ones, frankly, are going in the right direction. Afterwards, fasting is of no use for losing weight, and it should not be done for prolonged periods.
1,358 studies on fasting are a lot, but that says nothing about their conclusions or their quality, does it?
What these studies show is that during fasting, immunity is better, and inflammation drops.
Whether the body reacts to food deprivation is one thing. But we don’t know if, in the long term, we get less sick, or if we live better. Don’t you feel like you’re going too fast?
What I’m saying is why not. Try skipping breakfast, and tell me how you feel. Digesting is not easy. This mobilizes around ten organs and hormones. It’s as if there are a limited number of meals in our lives. Let’s save them, and sit down to eat when we’re hungry. Manufacturers hate me when I say that, I lose their market share.
According to documents revealed by The world in 2019, you were one of the scientists receiving the most money from Coca-Cola in France. Can we claim to be a specialist in optimizing health capital and work with soda sellers?
Coca-Cola did not address me but one of my colleagues, Gérard Friedlander, with whom I shared the same office (Editor’s note: together they run the European Institute of Physiology Expertise, which received 720,000 euros from 2010 to 2014 of Coke, according to The world). They wanted to know the effects of sweeteners on the pancreas, and funded a study. But I have never defended the company, much less its sodas.
In The best medicine, it’s you, you also wrote that “the brain only functions at 10 or 12% of its capacity”. Now this is the most famous neuromyth. How did you take it back?
Well, I was wrong! But, is it so important? The message here is that intellectual activity, cognitive exercises, again, help with good health.
All your advice is intended to postpone death. Are you afraid of it?
Yes. Every day, I do an hour of sports thoroughly. I pay close attention to my nutrition. I practice sequential fasting. Everything I write in my books, I try it. It’s not about advising medication with a fake beard, but about helping people take care of themselves. But you know, it’s not simple. I started writing to say what I couldn’t say in consultation. I really like this exercise. I imagine myself speaking to a patient. But, I think the next book will be the last.
Are you going to stop?
To write, yes. But don’t bury me too quickly. I’m building an online avatar of myself, assisted by artificial intelligence that I could update. This way, everyone will be able to benefit from my advice, in all languages. It’s great, isn’t it?
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