Gabe Mirkin

Gabe Baron Mirkin (born 18 June 1935) is a physician, author, professor, columnist, former guest lecturer, and a former marathon runner who hosted a radio show on health and fitness for more than 20 years and wrote several books on sports medicine, nutrition, and health.[1]

Mirkin is commonly known for his recommendations on standard medicine as well as his non-standard recommendations on health concerns and his criticism for preliminary medical research findings without appropriate verified resources. Due to his unconventional recommendations, he also receives criticism from other doctors.[2]

Education

Mirkin is a graduate of Harvard University and the Baylor University College of Medicine. He is board-certified in four areas: allergy and immunology, pediatrics, pediatric allergy and a now-defunct board of sports medicine. He did his residency at the Massachusetts General Hospital and fellowship at Johns Hopkins.[3]

Career

Teaching

Mirkin has served as an assistant professor at the University of Maryland, teaching a course based on his book The Sportsmedicine Book from 1976-1980. He served as a teaching fellow at Johns Hopkins Medical School, and an associate clinical professor in pediatrics at the Georgetown University School of Medicine in Washington, D.C.[1][3]

Writing

Mirkin wrote The Sportsmedicine Book which discusses proper diet, exercise, and injuries from exercise. Along with The Sportsmedicine Book, he has written a total of 16 books and has written a chapter on sports medicine for the Merck Manual.

Gabe Mirkin has written a number of syndicated columns on sports medicine which appeared weekly in 31 newspapers and was a contributor in a monthly column for The Runner magazine. His monthly journal, the Mirkin Report, reportedly had over 25,000 subscribers.[1][3]

The Sportsmedicine Book

Mirkin's book (written in collaboration with Marshall Hoffman), The Sportsmedicine Book,[4] is considered to be one of his most noted works. It discusses and exposes the prevailing myths of sports medicine and offers what Mirkin considers to be useful facts in their place.

Radio hosting

Mirkin was offered his own regular radio show by WCAU executives on December 1978. A mini-studio was built in his home from which he broadcast live via a remote hookup with the station every weeknight. [1]

Based on his ratings, his show was most popular among people aged 35 to 64.[2]

Mirkin had a program on the Talk America Radio Networks that was broadcast over 75 stations in the United States and Canada. His show centers on callers asking questions on health, fitness, and nutrition. He has also had a daily fitness feature called Dr. Gabe Mirkin on Fitness broadcast for CBS Radio News during the 1970s.[3]

American talk radio networks

One of Mirkin's latest shows on Talk Radio 98.5 WRTA from July 2019 discusses the possible solution to Alzheimer's disease. On the show, Mirkin discusses the medical articles sent by Doug Herendeen – the host – and shares his opinion on the suggested possible alternative method to curing Alzheimer's disease. Mirkin also interacted with callers to discuss their ailments and provide recommendations as well as further medical knowledge.[5]

Controversies

Antibiotics as cure for rheumatoid arthritis

Mirkin's syndicated column in The Philadelphia Inquirer was dropped in 1976 due to receiving angry letters fueled by Mirkin's non-standard advice on treating rheumatoid arthritis with antibiotics and other issues along with the suspicion that he did not have a large readership. When questioned about the decision, Joseph Gambardello – Inquirer deputy features editor - says that “It seemed as if Mirkin was, on any particular subject, just focusing on one possible cure or treatment without recognizing the possibility that the condition might have been something else, might have required other treatments, or that there even were other treatments.”

According to Warner Barth – chairman of rheumatology at the Washington Hospital Center – the standard view is that rheumatoid arthritis is not caused by infection. According to Barth, the benefits patients see from antibiotics appear to come from the drugs’ anti-inflammatory properties. Mirkin, however, insists that rheumatoid arthritis is caused by infection.

Mirkin's views were supported by a study presented to the American College of Rheumatology on November 1997 where the early administration of an antibiotic showed significant improvements in the swollen, painful joints of rheumatoid arthritis. Since the findings were released, Barth has claimed to have a little more positive opinion of the treatment but remains wary of it.[2]

References
  1. "The Philadelphia Inquirer from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on July 13, 1979 · Page 12". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2019-08-16.
  2. Kastor, Elizabeth (December 23, 1997). "The Doctor is On". The Washington Post.
  3. "Dr. Gabe Mirkin joins Talk America line-up" (PDF).
  4. Mirkin, Gabe; Hoffman, Marshall (1978). The Sportsmedicine Book. Little, Brown. ISBN 9780316574341.
  5. Dr. Gabe Mirkin - July 2019 - WRTA's The 11th Hour with Doug Herendeen, retrieved 2019-08-16
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