Claim Antidepressant drugs increase risk of suicide in teens. Verdict Only one clinical study has shown a statistically significant increase in suicide risk in teenagers on antidepressants. All other studies show a non- statistically significant doubling of suicide risk in this patient population. Origin In 2006, the US FDA published the results of a meta-analysis… Continue reading
Claim Avocados can reduce the risk of heart disease study finds. Verdict There are no clinical studies showing that avocados reduce the risk of heart disease. Available information is limited to the effects of avocado on risk factors for heart disease and not the risk of heart disease itself. Origin Last month an article in… Continue reading
Claim Daily aspirin found to increase the risk of heart attacks by 190%. Verdict There is no scientific evidence to prove that daily aspirin increases the risk of heart attacks or myocardial infarction. Origin A number of websites have published claims that the risk of heart attacks is almost doubled in patients taking aspirin. These… Continue reading
Claim Common pain killers such as ibuprofen and naproxen found to raise the risk of a heart attack within a week of use. Verdict There is no evidence to support the claim that ibuprofen and naproxen raise the risk of heart attacks at any time. Origin Very recently the media warned people to avoid taking pain… Continue reading
Claim CT scans increase your risk of cancer by 35%. Verdict There is no scientific evidence to support the claim that CT scans increase the risk of cancer. Origin CT or computerized tomography helps visualize internal body organs such as the brain, kidney, spleen, liver. CT uses ionizing radiation at a higher dose than standard… Continue reading
Claim Birth control pills increase the risk of depression in women. Verdict The science does not support the claim that oral contraceptive birth control pills increase the risk of depression in women. Origin Websites such as shape.com claim that oral contraceptive pills can ‘wreak havoc with women’s mood’. A new study published earlier this year… Continue reading
Claim Eating selenium rich foods including shellfish, nuts and onions, decreases the risk of liver cancer say scientists. Verdict Two comprehensive meta-analysis of selenium studies do not support the claim that eating selenium rich food decreases the risk of liver cancer. Origin Websites such as liverdoctor.com ‘urge’ people to increase selenium intake (via their branded… Continue reading
Claim Drinking just two diet drinks per day doubles the risk of diabetes. Verdict There is no convincing science to support the claim that drinking two diet drinks per day increases the risk of diabetes. Origin Last year the media sensationalized the results of a research study and claimed that diet drinks increase the risk… Continue reading
Claim Insulin injection more than doubles the risk of death in type 2 diabetes. Verdict Scientific studies do not support the claim that insulin injections increase the risk of death in people with diabetes. Origin Websites such as greenmedinfo.com claim that a clinical research study ‘clearly’ shows that insulin injections increase the risk of death… Continue reading
Claim Statin drug use nearly doubles your risk of diabetes, study claims. Verdict There is a single clinical trial demonstrating that diabetes risk is adversely affected by statin use. Origin Time Health published an article entitled ‘statins may seriously increase diabetes risk’ based on their interpretation of a Finnish research study. The study was published… Continue reading
Claim Chocolate Reduces Stroke Risk In Women. Verdict There are no clinical trial data in women showing that chocolate affects stroke risk. Origin Dark chocolate is of great interest as a potentially healthy food choice that also tastes great. Dark chocolate contains flavanoids and is thought to impact positively on overall vascular health (3). The… Continue reading
Claim Strontium Reduces Risk of Vertebral Fractures. Verdict Studies show that strontium ranelate leads to early and sustained reductions in the risk of vertebral fractures in post-menopausal women but may be associated with neurological or vascular side effects. Origin Websites such as world health.net recommend strontium as ‘a breakthrough for osteoporosis’ and reassure women that… Continue reading
Claim Pycnogenol Reduces Heart Disease Risk in Diabetics Verdict There is no direct clinical evidence to support the claim that pycnogenol reduces heart disease risk in diabetes. Origin Pycnogenol comes from the French Maritime Pine Tree (Pinus maritima) and is a rich source of proanthocyanidins. Websites such as newsman.com claim that pycnogenol is a ‘giant… Continue reading
Claim Ginko Reduces Brain Damage From Stroke Verdict A Comprehensive Cochrane meta-analysis failed to show any quality evidence to support a role for Ginkgo bilboa in the management of acute ischemic stroke. Origin Ginkgo bilboa is believed to have a neuroprotective effect and is widely used in the management of acute ischemic stroke in China…. Continue reading
Claim Ginger Reduces Nausea and Vomiting During Pregnancy. Verdict A comprehensive Cochrane overview of 16 clinical studies looked at the impact of ginger on pregnancy related nausea and vomiting and concluded that data on the subject was limited and inconsistent. Origin Ginger (Zingiber officinale) is commonly recommended as a folk remedy for pregnancy related nausea… Continue reading
An increasing number of physical therapists (PTs), in the United States and throughout the world, are incorporating the dry needling (DN) technique to treat mainly musculoskeletal pain (MSP). So much so, the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy (FSBPT), in their most recent DN resource paper (1), dated July 2013 (pp2), state that “The volume… Continue reading
What is Black Cumin Seed Oil? Nigella sativa (Family Ranunculacae), more commonly known as back cumin seed or kalonji, is a medicinal plant that has been used around the world since antiquity. It is used in traditional medical systems such as Ayurveda, Unanai and Siddha (1). The Persian polymath, Avicenna, believed that the seeds help… Continue reading
Let’s answer the question that certainly brought you to this page: is meditation another snake oil claim, with no scientific basis concerning its benefits? No. There is good, well conducted and well published research on its benefits and, even more, on its existence as a study object. Does that mean that you can rely on… Continue reading
Claim Guava leaf tea lowers cholesterol. Verdict No clinical studies have been conducted looking at the effect of guava leaf tea on either cholesterol or lipids in humans. Origin Numerous blogs and websites such as boldsky.com recommend guava leaf tea to help lower cholesterol. Guava leaf tea is made by boiling guava leaves in some… Continue reading
Claim Saffron improves mood. Verdict There is conflicting evidence from the scientific and medical literature in relation to the claim that saffron can improve mood in patients with depressive disorders. Origin Saffron is commonly recommended as a safe and effective alternative to antidepressants in online fora. Saffron [stigma of Crocus sativus L] is the most… Continue reading