Category: Herbs & Supplements
Rightful for Pain: Deceptive Advertising and a Dangerous Ingredient
Rightful is an herbal supplement mixture offering pain relief and much more. Its claims are deceptive and not backed by good science. Not only that, but one of its ingredients is contraindicated.
The Brownstein protocol is not a proven treatment for COVID-19
Dr. David Brownstein is a "holistic" physician who practices in Dr. Gorski's neck of the woods. Unfortunately, he just wrote a book promoting an unproven protocol involving vitamins, nebulized hydrogen peroxide and iodine, and intravenous ozone to treat COVID-19. There is no evidence that his protocol works, other than a very poor quality case series.
Energy Medicine Pain Relief Patches Are Laughable Quackery
There's no acceptable scientific evidence that these patches work to relieve pain. The advertising features pseudoscientific energy medicine gibberish. Good for a laugh, but not to be believed.
Stupid Videos Meet Penis Growth Scams
There is a pattern of stupid, misleading videos promoting dietary supplements. This video discloses a secret African ritual for penis enlargement; the "ritual" consists of taking a pill with 14 natural ingredients. The claims are too silly to take seriously.
The effectiveness of zinc and vitamin C on the duration of COVID-19 infections
Vitamin C and zinc have been heralded as treatments for colds for decades, but how well do they work against COVID-19? A new clinical trial provides the answer.
A Pattern of Deceptive Video Ads for Supplements
I've been seeing a pattern of deceptive videos that promise to reveal a secret but make you watch the entire video to learn what it is. They feature alarmist stories, emotional language, and testimonials, but no actual science. They make claims that can't be believed.
Kambo: Frog Poison for Health?
The Kambo fad: people are applying frog poison to burns created on their skin, making them vomit repeatedly and feel terrible. They think this torture has health benefits. There's no evidence that it does anything but poison them. Could anything be more ridiculous?
Salonpas
Salonpas is an over-the-counter topical NSAID used to treat pain. It's probably safe and might be worth trying for minor pain, but the effect is small and the advertising is more hype than substance.
Melatonin
Melatonin supplements are increasingly popular, but the evidence is weak and mixed.
Zinc and COVID
Should you take a zinc supplement to prevent a COVID-19 infection?