QUACKERY TWO

Are you constantly approached by folks who urge you to purchase a product, supplement, food, or "energy bar" with the "pitch" that "research" or "studies" confirm use of the product will create a desirable change in your health and/or well being? Are you confused by conflicting articles about your health and fitness in credible newspapers?

There are a few guidelines that can help you ferret fact from fiction. Before you make any purchase consider:

REGARDING RESEARCH

Who funded the cited research? A study extolling the medical value of dandelion wine would be a bit suspect if it was funded by the National Dandelion Growers Association.

Where was the "research" published? No reputable scientist considers his work validated until his findings have appeared in a scholarly journal that requires other qualified scientists to review the study's soundness before it is published. Such peer review panels don't necessarily endorse the findings but they do check the soundness of the research methodology. Even when prestigious journals are quoted it's important to understand the context under which the study was conducted. For example, Ma Huang (also known as Ephedra) is being marketed as a weight management product with accompanying commentary that studies supporting it's use were published in the prestigious American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. What the salespeople fail to mention is that the study which verified that this herb (drug) releases fatty acids into the blood stream was done in isolation. The marketing materials don't mention many more well known studies that show the use of this ephedrine based product also cause a racing heart, increased blood pressure and other side effects that are dangerous to your health. (Ma Huang has been banned in many states. )

How much at variance are the results of this research with other studies of the same subject? Research that contradicts the findings of a number of earlier studies on the same subject is always worthy of attention. But later isn't necessarily better. There may be un-noted or unreported differences in the way subjects were chosen or the way results were analyzed that renders such findings an apples-and-oranges comparison.

How many people participated in the research study? How long did the study last? The odds that a flipped coin will land tails up are theoretically even for each toss. But it could easily land tails up seven times in the first ten flips. The chances that it will do so 700 times out of 1,000 flips, however, are just about nil. The bigger the sample, the more statistically valid the result, assuming the methodology is sound in the first place. The study that was the basis for the marketing of chromium picolinate as a mineral that could increase lean mass was conducted on only 9 college age body builders whose program included heavy weight lifting.

Is the research study based on human populations? Results involving laboratory testing on rats or other non-human subjects are suggestive but not conclusive.

Who published or profits from the research? Phen/Fen is a good example of this guideline. Michael Weintrub, the pharmacologist whose validated research was the basis for more than 18 million prescriptions as of July, 1997, (but removed from the market 3 months later) was a major stock holder of the drug company that manufactured one of the medications.

What recommendations accompany the study, and who is making them? If the National Institute of Health, the American Heart Association, the U.S. Surgeon General or some other respected and responsible agency or organization urges the public or medical community to act on the findings, they are worth serious attention. If the recommendation comes only from the study's authors or some organization with an agenda the study favors, wait for confirmation from another source.

How sweeping did the study's findings appear to be? A secondary headline to the one of the calcium channel blocker stories blared "Researchers fear six million imperiled." The researchers said nothing of the sort. They very carefully qualified the scope of their findings. Sweeping generalities make good headlines and bad science.

How badly do I want the results of the study to be true or false? Most of us would be delighted to read that scientists had determined that hot fudge sundaes were a better source of nutrition than some vegetable we've loathed since childhood. But wishing doesn't make it so.

Can your salesperson provide you with copies of the published research? A printed line in an advertisement that says, "research shows" doesn't mean a thing and an article in a popular magazine is nothing more than the author's interpretation of the results. They may differ considerably from the findings of the research.

LOOK CLOSELY

Marketing geniuses can advertise a product with myths and misinformation but the package you open has to tell the truth. The best guideline is looking at the bottle or package itself. Here's two examples: 1. Ads for chromium picolinate claim the mineral burns fat. But the bottle itself never says that because it isn't true. Muscle work burns fat. 2, The box for a popular nutrition bar reads, "to burn stored body fat, you must eat the correct ratio of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats." The statement isn't on the bar wrapping because it isn't true.

I've a favorite slogan, "Statistics are like bikinis, they reveal only part of the truth." Don't be swayed by slick marketing pieces or enthusiastic sales folks. Call me! I'll tell you the REAL truth!!

Quackery One

Smart Eating

Lifestyles

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