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
Naturopath Barbara O’Neill has been banned in Australia for spreading dangerous lies about health. Sodium bicarbonate. Good for baking, but not for curing cancer. On 24 September 2019, the New South Wales Health Care Complaints Commission (HCCC) issued a Permanent Prohibition Order against Barbara O’Neill. Their investigation showed that she had breached five clauses of the Code
A new fad, drinking hydrogen water, claims to provide all kinds of health benefits. The scientific evidence isn’t there. Hydrogen is an element, not a medicine Hydrogen water? Good grief! There are already two atoms of hydrogen in every molecule of water (H2O). They are not talking about that; they mean molecular hydrogen, the gas
Science has made great strides in understanding, treating, and preventing HIV/AIDS. We can hope for an AIDS vaccine, but meanwhile there is a pill that can markedly reduce the risk of becoming infected. Truvada: a good alternative while we wait for an AIDS vaccine. Image taken from the NIAID flickr page with a Creative Commons license. The story of
The VA is contracting with naturopathic doctors to provide non-science-based treatment to our veterans. This is a mistake. Are they planning to replace that eagle with a duck? On August 14, 2019, the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians (AANP) reported a success in their 5-year campaign to get the Veterans Health Administration to authorize naturopathic
Edzard Ernst assigns a grade to 150 alternative medicine modalities, evaluating plausibility, efficacy, safety, cost, and risk/benefit balance. A very useful reference. Edzard Ernst has written another book, and it’s a real tour de force: Alternative Medicine: A Critical Assessment of 150 Modalities. He probably knows more about alternative medicine than anyone else alive, and he
A case of fatal liver failure in India was attributed to Herbalife products, adding to many other reports from around the world. Analysis showed Herbalife products contain heavy metals and other contaminants. The products have not been scientifically tested, and in the absence of evidence of benefit to human health, they can’t be recommended. Herbalife