Ellura is a dietary supplement marketed to treat recurrent urinary tract infections. There is promising evidence and a credible mechanism of action, and using it instead of antibiotic prophylaxis could reduce antibiotic resistance. These E. coli fimbriae facilitate infection by adhering to bladder wall In October, I wrote about SuperMannan, a dietary supplement that is supposed to cure
Dr. Joe Schwarcz sets the record straight about food myths and what the research actually shows. What should we eat? There’s no lack of experts and celebrities who are eager to advise us about diet, but different experts have different advice and often directly contradict each other. Obviously they can’t all be right. Which “experts”
Dietary supplements frequently have multiple ingredients, often mixtures of vitamins, minerals, and herbs. The rationale for including each ingredient is questionable, to say the least. Whenever I evaluate the evidence for a dietary supplement, one of my first questions is “What is it?” I remember many years ago, when I first started doing this, I
A skeptical veterinarian reviews the evidence for alternative medicine for pets, and concludes it’s mostly placebos. She thinks she’s adjusting the horse’s subluxations. She isn’t; she’s practicing placebo medicine.Alternative medicine is accepted by many humans, but we may forget that it is also imposed on their pets. Veterinarian Brennen McKenzie has done cats and dogs
SeroVital is marketed as an anti-aging remedy that works by raising human growth hormone (HGH) levels naturally with amino acids. The research consists of one preliminary study that measured HGH levels. There is no clinical evidence that it is effective for anything. How Lucas Cranach imagined the Fountain of Youth in 1546. Today some people
Nurse practitioner aggressively advertises a plethora of aesthetic treatments, some of which are dubious. It’s legal, but is it ethical? Facelifts by plastic surgeon improve appearance. Aesthetic nurse practitioner’s offerings are more dubious. Larson Medical Aesthetics, an organization with three locations, is run by a nurse practitioner named Margaret Larson. It is being promoted through
David Sinclair says aging is a disease that can be prevented and treated, and there is no reason life must end. The evidence he presents from scientific studies is intriguing, but far from definitive. Wouldn’t it be nice if the right side of this image became obsolete? Can aging and death be avoided? We are
Todd Carson promises to cure tinnitus in 21 days with a 3-ingredient smoothie containing vegetables from Tonaki. Fanciful claim with not a shred of evidence. The webpage even admits it’s fiction. Last week I wrote about LipoFlavonoid for tinnitus. I said there is no cure for tinnitus. Then I got this email that seemed to
Lipo-Flavonoid is sold to treat tinnitus. The claims are misleading, and the evidence isn’t there. The dietary supplement Lipo-Flavonoid is advertised as an effective treatment for tinnitus. They claim “More than 50 Years of Clinical Experience” and go on to explain: Lipo-Flavonoid® Plus is a natural bioflavonoid product that has been used extensively for decades
The ads claim SuperMannan cures bladder infections. The science is a single uncontrolled study of 9 women; its design is a recipe for disaster. I was surprised to read that SuperMannan cures bladder infections. I’m a skeptic; I question and proportion my belief to the evidence. I wanted to know more. Who says that? How