92% of users of homeopathic remedies think that the products work according to a survey published in the latest edition of the New Zealand Medical Journal. But only 6% of those surveyed knew that homeopathic remedies did not contain any active ingredient and most thought that homeopathic remedies were either moderately or very concentrated.
Homeopathy critic Dr. Shaun Holt said that he was not surprised by the survey findings, and that they confirmed his suspicions that homeopathy remained popular because people did not know what it was. “Two thirds of people think that there is good scientific evidence that homeopathy works, but there is none”, said Dr. Holt. “There’s a US$1 million prize for anyone who can prove that it works that has remained unclaimed for many years."
Researchers Shaun Holt and Andrew Gilbey surveyed 124 patients in GP surgeries and found that 65% had used homeopathic products. Dr. Holt said that “...almost all of the general public and many health professionals do not understand that homeopathic products are not simply dilute solutions – there is no active ingredient. It is like pouring a cup of coffee into Lake Taupo and then taking a cup of water from Taupo the next day and describing that water as “dilute coffee””.
Dr. Holt said that there were good explanations as to why people thought that homeopathy worked despite the complete lack of scientific plausibility or evidence. These reasons included placebo responses and also confusion between clinical improvements, which are attributed to homeopathy, and the natural history of the illness. In other words, the medical conditions would have improved anyway. “It’s like the emperor’s new clothes” concluded Dr. Holt.
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Combining light therapy and antidepressants for seasonal depression
The Facts:
* Many separate studies prior to this have shown light therapy or antidepressants can produce similar benefits for those with seasonal affective disorder but this study makes a direct comparison of the two treatments.
* Almost 100 people with the disorder received light treatment or antidepressants and results showed a similar effect.
* Light therapy appeared to make a quicker impact with better responses over the first week and produced less side effects.
Shaun’s comment: Seasonal affective disorder, or SAD, is a mood disorder, causing depressive symptoms in the winter. Interestingly, SAD is rarely seen in the tropics, and is almost always in people living at latitudes of ?30°N or S. This study directly compared light therapy and the antidepressive drug fluoxetine. Both treatments were effective but the light therapy had additional benefits of a quicker onset of action and less side effects. For people with SAD, it may be a case of using the treatment which they are most comfortable with.
Study Reference:
Saturday, May 23, 2009
ADHD treatment with pine bark extract
The Facts:
* ADHD is the most common psychiatric disorder in children.
* This small study looked at the use of a French maritime pine bark extract, Pycnogenol, in children with ADHD symptoms and tested their response at regular intervals to see if the supplement affected their attention, concentration and hyperactivity.
* The study showed after a month of use, the children experienced significant benefits unlike the placebo (sugar pill) group which showed no benefit. Also, one month after they stopped using the supplement the previous symptoms returned.
Shaun’s comment: Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) affects around 1 in 25 people and leads to symptoms which include hyperactivity, forgetfulness and being easily distracted. There is a lot of speculation, but the cause of the condition remains a mystery. This study looked at whether a pine bark extract was of benefit; the researchers undertook the study after seeing reports that it was helping children with the condition. It was only a small study, but used a robust design of having half the children on the treatment and half taking placebo. The treatment appeared to be effective and safe and can therefore be cautiously recommended pending further research.
Study Reference:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00787-006-0538-3
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