"The study, being published today in The New England Journal of Medicine, involved 437 people who volunteered to have cold viruses dripped into their noses. Some swallowed echinacea for a week beforehand, others a placebo. Still others took echinacea or a placebo at the time they were infected.
Then the subjects were secluded in hotel rooms for five days while scientists examined them for symptoms and took nasal washings to look for the virus and for an immune system protein, interleukin-8. Some had hypothesized that interleukin-8 was stimulated by echinacea, enabling the herb to stop colds.
But the investigators found that those who took echinacea fared no differently from those who took a placebo: they were just as likely to catch a cold, their symptoms were just as severe, they had just as much virus in their nasal secretions, and they made no more interleukin-8."
“The study originated at the national center, where researchers were questioning what sort of supplements Americans were taking, and why. A national survey last year by the National Center for Health Statistics found that echinacea was the most popular natural product, used by some 14,665,000 people, or 40 percent of those who used natural products. The American Botanical Council, a nonprofit group that promotes the use of herbal supplements, says sales of echinacea products in 2004 were about $155 million.”
FINALLY a study that says a herbal treatment is bullshit. See, as a biologist, I’m rather against the idea that people taking mysterious and fancily named pills and supplements make em better. If anything, its the placebo effect in action. Here we have a group of scientists that were wondering if this one thing had an effect on colds and surprise surprise, it fucking doesn’t. Every single time that I see this bullshit “Organic” and “Natural” pandering to the ignorant masses, it makes me angry and want to start beating people over the head with their own useless products in hopes it might readjust whatever brain function that is supposed to prevent em from being this stupid and wrapped in a little inexistent world of natural goodness.
Some of those herbal things work. But because there’s no overseeing body like a drug commission, it gets lost in all the BS.
I will say that COLD-FX, which Don Cherry incessantly touted, and which my brother, who’s in medical school, swears by, didn’t work at ALL for me. >_<
I’ll believe it when I see a study that explains the biochemical processes affected by a given herb and a study that shows a statistically significant difference between the placebo and the experiemental group. Not bull shit marketing campaigns to make something like “Glycentials” sound good and sellable.
Shimo: I think what Sin is saying is that, while there are CERTAINLY substances in nature that can help human health, these have to be discovered, isolated and studied BEFORE being offered to the public. Just saying that this or that pill will cure you because it’s made from “natural ingredients” is just a publicity stunt to sell pills.
And Vorpy: if we started beating up everyone who ever said something moronic on a post here, we would have to beat up ALL OF OUR MEMBERS, including Sinistral and myself. ^_~
And Shimo: biology is the chemistry of life. Live with it. Wilfredo explained very well what my point was. It is obvious that there are plenty of things out there that have useful products we can extract out of them. However, a lot of people live and breathe this shit when it hasn’t been shown to have any real effects. Furthermore, I slam the “organics” industry because it is part of the same category of products marketed towards “health” freaks that don’t really know what the hell they’re getting into. Its preying off people’s stupidity and ignorance.
ANY scientist will be skeptical of any product that hasn’t been tested in a rigourous fashion that will provide accurate, repeatable results with clear conclusions.
Finally, despite my dislike of most MDs, one should consult health care professionals to receive safe advice as to what to take and not take and under what conditions. Self medication is never a good idea.
What impact will such a study have besides making you feel somewhat vindicated? People who take stuff like Echin-whatthefuckever, Ginkobal-christIgiveup, and whatnot probably aren’t paying terribly close attention to what valid science has to say anyway.
By the way, my very ill sister just started seeing a natural doctor. I expect fun and games in the next couple of months.
Death to snake-oil salesmen, psychics, and frauds of every shape and size.
When I have a cold, I take extra Vitamin C suppliments and an occasional multivitamin. That and the usual combo of chicken soup and laying off dairy takes care of it just fine.
You know, it’s funny how I can agree with everything Sin says, and still want to drive an icepick into his head because he somehow makes me think “ok, you’re getting too fucking arrogant here”. When I think about it, a lot of people make me do that, so don’t feel too bad, man.
As for “herbal remedies” and all that… well for the most part, I agree. One is reminded though of the fact that modern medicine is based off in part of said remedies, and it doesn’t mean that the remedies don’t actually do anything… It just means it hasn’t been concretely proven yet.
As for me, I’d rather see additional studies as well: while I’m no great believer in such remedies, I would greatly prefer a set of studies as proof, instead of a single one.
I toughed out my colds until I realized that only extended their debilitating effects and even exacerbated them. After this discovery, I went back to the standby of lying around, reading dime novels, and watching Futurama instead of functioning as a productive member of society until such time as I recovered. It’s more effective, and a hell of a lot more fun. =P
:moogle: When I get a cold my parents drag me out back and hit me with stick while screaming " get better now Dammit!"
…You worry me. Anyway back on subject I agree with what sin is saying. what really ticks me off about these all natural medecines are the comercials. The guy on top will be yammering on about how there product really works while the disclaimers at the bottom are contradicting every thing he says, and people buy the crap anyway!
…You worry me. Anyway back on subject I agree with what sin is saying. what really ticks me off about these all natural medecines are the comercials. The guy on top will be yammering on about how there product really works while the disclaimers at the bottom are contradicting every thing he says, and people buy the crap anyway!