Concepts health-logic

Correlation Isn't Causation

Why Timing and Stories Can Mislead You

8 min

Bottom Line
Just because one thing happened before another does not mean it caused it. Timing can create a satisfying story without proving anything.
Quick Summary

This episode explains why people so often mistake sequence for cause in health—especially with supplements, diets, symptoms, and before-and-after transformations.

What You'll Learn
  • The difference between correlation and causation
  • Why the brain prefers neat causal stories
  • How confounding and natural change create false certainty
  • A better question to ask when a result seems obvious
Key Question
What else could explain this change?
HealthLit Take
A good story can explain a change. That doesn't mean it caused it.
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