Evaluating the Efficacy of Alternative Medicine
Just came across this interesting article in Newsweek by Barbara Kantrowitz and Pat Wingert: The Truth About Alternative Medicine.
Is natural better? Apparently, a lot of women think so. A survey released today by the National Institutes of Health found that 42.8 percent of American women use some form of complementary or alternative medicine, compared to 33.5 percent of men. That's similar to the gender difference in use of conventional medicine, says Richard Nahin, of the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. The most popular alternative remedies were nonvitamin and nonmineral products such as fish oil, omega-3 and glucosamine. Use of mind-body therapies such as deep breathing, meditation and yoga has also climbed since the last such poll in 2002. The report, which uses data from the 2007 National Health Interview Survey, also provides even more specific clues about the most likely consumers of these treatments: 50-somethings who have graduate degrees, are relatively well off financially, live in the West and have quit smoking.
That's a pretty desirable demographic, and marketing for natural products and supplements often aims squarely at the common ailments and anxieties of women in that target group, especially hot flashes, memory problems and arthritis. But by the time they reach a certain age, women should have learned a few things—like being wary of claims for miracle cures.
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Much like the Dr. Sheldon Marks article on which I posted last week, I like these kinds of articles that sift through misconceptions and take a look at the data.
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December 23, 2008 at 8:04 AM
Thanks, Sarah!
January 9, 2009 at 2:35 AM
The NIH has ties to the pharmacutical Industry and the information contained in this article is incorrect.
November 6, 2009 at 4:38 PM
Great blog, great themes, and nice reading.
March 23, 2012 at 10:56 AM
Alternative treatments might not always work on their own, but they might work well in conjunction with medication, such as yoga with Cialis, or eating better with Viagra, etc.
January 17, 2013 at 2:52 AM
I like the old good medicine Viagra better than any other medicaiton. I works the best for my needs.
October 6, 2015 at 2:11 AM
You could do this with T – Complex but this would take a while. Granted, this is the best part. There's recently been an outbreak of T – Complex problems. I reckon this isn't a masterful plan, but T – Complex also affects that. It would not make a lot of sense if I cannot simply try to embrace that entirely.
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