The Textbook of Natural Medicine reveals what students of naturopathy are taught. It claims to be a scientific presentation, but it reveals just how unscientific naturopathy is. It mixes good science with bad science, pseudoscience, outright errors of fact, vitalism, philosophy, ancient history, superstition, gullibility, misrepresentations, metaphysics, religion, hearsay, opinion,… read more "Naturopathy Textbook"
Cowabunga! Can Cow Therapy Cure Cancer?
A hospital in India offers to cure cancer in 11 days with Ayurveda and cow therapy, giving patients a drink of desi cow milk, yogurt, ghee, urine, and dung. It’s very unlikely that cow therapy can cure cancer; but in another sense, the author of the book Holy Cancer says… read more "Cowabunga! Can Cow Therapy Cure Cancer?"
NES Health: Tooth Fairy Marketing
NES Health claims to scan the human biofield, detect imbalances, and correct them with infoceuticals. It’s not science, it’s clever marketing based on fantasy. NES Health offers scans of the body’s “bioenergy field” and sells products to fix the problems detected by the scans. Tooth Fairy science is when researchers attempt… read more "NES Health: Tooth Fairy Marketing"
Aloe Vera
I had heard of aloe vera. I’ve seen it grown in flowerpots in the home and broken open to apply its juices to irritated or injured skin. I’ve encountered it many times in crossword puzzles. I know a woman who has taken it orally. But recently it seems to have… read more "Aloe Vera"
Fake News about Fish Oil
Krill. The main ingredient in a questionable dietary supplement. My local newspaper, The News Tribune of Tacoma, is a prolific source of fake news. On most days there are between one and three half-page ads for dietary supplements. They are thinly disguised as news stories, with “paid advertisement” in small… read more "Fake News about Fish Oil"
“Glyconutrients,” Mannatech, and Ambrotose: Marketing, Not Science 2
It has been a long time since I first became aware of Mannatech, the multilevel marketing company that sells “glyconutrient” dietary supplements. After its claims were debunked and it lost a court case, it had dropped off my radar; but last month it came roaring back in the form of… read more "“Glyconutrients,” Mannatech, and Ambrotose: Marketing, Not Science 2"
Did Salt Water Supplement Regenerate Baby’s Heart Valve?
I have written about the dietary supplement ASEA several times on the Science-Based Medicine website. It is said to contain stable, perfectly balanced Redox Signaling Molecules, “a mixture of 16 chemically recombined products of salt and water with completely new chemical properties.” Nowhere do they divulge the identity of those… read more "Did Salt Water Supplement Regenerate Baby’s Heart Valve?"
Myths About Electromagnetic Hypersensitivity and Multiple Chemical Sensitivity
As if we didn’t have enough things to worry about already, now we are being told to fear our toasters. A typical headline trumpets “The Effects of Invisible Waves.” We are increasingly exposed to electromagnetic radiation from cell phones, cell phone towers, wireless Internet routers, cordless phones, and power lines.… read more "Myths About Electromagnetic Hypersensitivity and Multiple Chemical Sensitivity"
Announcing: Video Lecture Course on Science-Based Medicine
A couple of years ago, the James Randi Educational Foundation commissioned me to develop a series of 10 video lectures on Science-Based Medicine. After a lot of work and many vicissitudes, it is now available. The lecture titles are: Science-Based Medicine vs. Evidence-Based Medicine What Is CAM? Chiropractic Acupuncture Homeopathy Naturopathy and… read more "Announcing: Video Lecture Course on Science-Based Medicine"
Dr. Joel Fuhrman Sells Useless Iodine Test
Joel Fuhrman, MD, who practices so-called functional medicine and integrative medicine, sells an at-home urine iodine test on his website for $131. He claims the test can assess if one is deficient in iodine. The test requires two urine samples (morning and evening) dried on filter paper and submitted by… read more "Dr. Joel Fuhrman Sells Useless Iodine Test"