Cranberry juice and UTIs: maybe Grandma was right – urinary tract infections Beth Fontenot Generations of women have regarded drinking cranberry juice as a simple preventive or treatment for urinary tract infections (UTIs). Is this just another dubious folk remedy, or has science shown that this bit of medical folklore has some merit? Cranberry Science […]
Category: Nutrition Forum
Don’t buy phony ‘ergogenic aids’: the real story vs. a mountain of hype – includes related information Stephen Barrett More than a hundred companies are marketing phony “ergogenic aids,” combinations of various vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and other “dietary supplements” claimed to build muscles and/or enhance athletic performance. In 1991, researchers from the U.S. Centers […]
Categories
The Truth About Network Marketing
The Truth About Network Marketing Stephen Barrett Turning ordinary people into quacks Don’t be surprised if a friend or acquaintance tries to sell you vitamins, herbs, homeopathic remedies, magnets, or weight-loss powders with claims that they can benefit your health. Millions of Americans have signed up as distributors for companies that market such products from […]
The ‘dietary supplement’ mess: commission report issued – includes major recommendations from the Dietary Supplement Commission Stephen Barrett In the early 1990s, Congress began considering two bills to greatly strengthen the ability of federal agencies to combat health frauds. One would have increased the FDA’s enforcement powers as well as the penalties for violating the […]
The hyping of DHEA: long on claims, short on evidence Beth Fontenot It’s in magazines, on store shelves, in the news, on talk shows, on the Internet, and in books. Promoters promise Youth and health to all who partake of it. It is DHEA, short for dehydroepiandrosterone, a major steroid hormone secreted by the adrenal […]
Vitamins & Minerals: A Step-by-Step Guide. – Review – book review Manfred Kroger Vitamins & Minerals: A Step-by-Step Guide, by Karen Sullivan (Rockport, MA: Element Books, 1997), 58 pp., $ 7.95 hardback. ISBN 1-86204-011-7. Have you ever been attracted to a chic, good-looking, well-groomed individual? And then he/she utters a few words and you are […]
‘Wild yam cream’ threatens women’s health Timothy Gorski Many women are being encouraged to buy and use “Wild Yam Cream,” which is said to offer relief from premenstrual and menopausal symptoms. The preparation is made by a company called “NATURAL efx” and is promoted with materials that include testimonials, the recommendation of a “Dr. Betty […]
When Promoting Fruit Consumption Goes Sour Misleading ads from the Florida Department of Citrus For many years, the Florida Department of Citrus has produced ads that exaggerate the value of citrus products. The most recent example, appearing both on television and on its Web site, suggests that drinking a single glass of orange juice per […]
Herbal Medicine: The Use of Herbs for Health and Healing. – Review – book reviews Varro E. Tyler Herbal Medicine: The Use of Herbs for Health and Healing, by V. Pitman (Rockport, MA: Element Books, 1994), 161 pp., soft cover, ISBN 1-85230-591-6. When I was in London recently, I visited the book stores on Charing […]
The Herb Tea Book: Blending, Brewing, and Serving Teas for Every Mood and Occasion. – Review – book review Manfred Kroger The Herb Tea Book: Blending, Brewing, and Serving Teas for Every Mood and Occasion, by Susan Clotfelter (Loveland, CO: Interweave Press, 1998), 128 pp., $12.95 paperback. ISBN 1-883010-60-8. Here is a slender and pretty […]