You read about a supplement that allegedly "Boosts your mood and motivation!" That sure sounds good so your surf over to the company's web site.
The web site looks official--it's even got footnotes citing scientific journals. You're ready to purchase the supplement online until you ask yourself, "What if this supplement doesn't really possess any scientific evidence for its efficacy? How can I tell the difference between supplements with solid evidence for their reported benefits versus those lacking any scientific support?"
Here are the 3 Steps to answer those questions:
Step 1: Go to
http://www.pubmed.org
which is a National Library of Medicine (United States) web site where you can search for articles published in peer-reviewed scientific journals.
Why check PubMed? Because the National Library of Medicine carefully selects only high-quality journals that offer value to medical scientists around the world. Selection criteria are detailed on this web page:
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/pubs/factsheets/jsel.html
Step 2: Once on the PubMed web site, search for research articles using the generic (scientific) name of the supplement in question. Supplement manufacturers must list the scientific name for their supplement's ingredients on the label and in advertisements. Supplements often contain many ingredients but usually only a few provide the purported benefits. Those are the ingredients you want to evaluate--they are often the same ones the manufacturer highlights in advertisements.
Step 3: This is the step some supplement companies don't want you to know. Before you click on the "Search" button at PubMed.org, limit your search to studies that utilize the right research methodology with the right population.
The right research methodology is a randomized controlled trial (the double-blind, placebo control group design fits under this category) and the right population is human beings.
Specifying human subjects is important because you want to know if the ingredients in a supplement have been shown to produce the advertised benefits in real live human beings--not just in rats pressing levers for food pellets or in a "case study" with one person.
This is not to say that basic science research, which is often conducted initially with animals, is unimportant. On the contrary, such research usually serves as a crucial building block for subsequent clinical research with humans. But basic science research does not provide scientific evidence for a supplement's beneficial health effects on human beings. Only research with human subjects, using randomized controlled trials, can offer such evidence.
On the PubMed.org search page, click on the "Limits" tab located under the "Search" box. You will see a number of drop-down menus. First click on the Publication Type menu and then select Randomized Controlled Trial. Next click on the drop-down menu labeled, Humans or Animals and click on Humans.
An Example
Morinda citrifolia is the scientific name for a popular ingredient in a nutritional supplement. First search on PubMed for Morinda citrifolia, without placing Limits on your search.
How many results did you receive?
The count was 69 at the time I wrote this article. Looks impressive, huh?
But now search for Morinda citrifolia after first placing Limits on the search as described above, so that you receive only those studies which provide more definitive scientific evidence for the positive effects of Morinda citrifolia.
How many journal articles did you find searching with the specified limits? I found 1.
Thus, out of 69 articles found on PubMed.org, only one provides some evidence for Morinda citrifolia's beneficial effects.
It's great that this study exists because it could end up being one of several studies demonstrating that Morinda citrifolia provides health benefits. However, at the present time, the most one could say about Morinda citrifolia is something like, "One study has provided very preliminary evidence of Morinda citrifolia's health benefits with a narrowly defined patient group. Further controlled trials are needed to determine if this result will be replicated by other research groups working with different populations."
Conclusion
By using the "Limits" funtion on the PubMed.org search menu, consumers can identify supplements that lack scientific evidence for their efficacy.
Mark Worthen, Psy.D. is a Phi Betta Kappa graduate of the University of Maryland's Honors Psychology program. He was a Clinical Fellow, Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School and earned his Doctor of Psychology degree from Baylor University in 1990. In addition to his work as a psychologist, he earns extra income via Internet and network marketing.
Use the Contact page on Omega-3-Report.com to reach Dr. Worthen.
You may feel 30, but your body keeps reminding you... Read More
It is well known and scientifically proven that vitamins and... Read More
Vitamins and mineral supplements are a good way to supply... Read More
Vitamin E is an absolutely vital nutrient in your body,... Read More
What if there was a solution to protecting and restoring... Read More
It's absolutely crucial that your body gets the nutrients it... Read More
Diet Supplement ? when are they used?Why diet supplement is... Read More
As much as we would like to deny it, the... Read More
I often hear people say that they have smoked for... Read More
Liquid vitamins are the same vitamins that you find in... Read More
If you think that smoking is a harmless little hobby... Read More
Do you ever wonder why the experts keep saying that... Read More
The real facts about Vitamin C may surprise you. First... Read More
Nutritional vitamin fiber supplements come in a variety of types,... Read More
You Need Probiotics For Better Digestion and Overall HealthInside your... Read More
Discount Supplement ? what is it?Discount supplement is a term... Read More
ImmunPlex? is an undenatured whey protein isolate that contains many... Read More
Vitamins and minerals play a major role in becoming healthy... Read More
To supplement or not to supplement ? that is the... Read More
Vitamin B5 or pantothenic acid plays a supporting role in... Read More
Did you know that vitamin B-1 has two other widely... Read More
BROCCOLI Good Healthy Food, for Natural Healing, Good Health and... Read More
Calcium is the most abundant mineral in the human body... Read More
PART ONEThe word Glyconutrients, is not a Brand, or Company... Read More
Over the years, amino acid usage has become more and... Read More
No Money in PreventionI have been recommending a wide variety... Read More
Many millions of people are affected by pain and suffering... Read More
I finally bought the stuff. I couldn't resist anymore. After... Read More
The body is just mind-bogglingly amazing. I mean, when you... Read More
At times, due to your busy and fast life, we... Read More
For years now we have heard that supplementing our diets... Read More
In part one of this series, titled "Take Back Your... Read More
Vitamins seem to be so good for everything. The newly... Read More
After nearly 4 years of research and development, Flavonoid Sciences... Read More
Vitamin C may be the most famous vitamin. Tens of... Read More
You've probably been eating blueberries since you were a little... Read More
Nutrients form the basis for your body, emotional and spiritual... Read More
Aging, a steady declineThe History of the world is filled... Read More
There is a generation called the baby boomers that make... Read More
Carboloading of a different variety.Saturday in Tucson before the 1982... Read More
Bovine Colostrum is the form of "milk" taken from dairy... Read More
I know protein is good for me, but do I... Read More
Whey protein concentrate popularity has increased dramatically in recent years... Read More
VITAMINS:Vitamins are major for Healthy life. Vitamin D may reduce... Read More
With dietary supplements making their way in our daily life,... Read More
Herbal supplements have become hugely popular over the years, and... Read More
This article will reveal one easy change you can make... Read More
Once again the "wisdom" of the FDA and the supplement... Read More
Body Building Supplement ? what is it?The term "body building... Read More
At some time or another, most people have taken some... Read More
Throughout my childhood I was aware of the importance of... Read More
There is a paradox of sorts when dealing with injections... Read More
Unverified reports claiming that unprotected, intentional sun exposure is necessary... Read More
Numerous studies and surveys have consistently shown that a majority... Read More
Vitamins are organic compounds that our bodies use, in very... Read More
A lot of people actually pay a good deal of... Read More
Vitamins are an important part of a health diet. Unlike... Read More
HMB stands for beta-hydroxy beta-methylbutyrate. It is a metabolite of... Read More
L glutamine is an amino acid occurring abundantly within the... Read More
Zma is a unique combination of vitamins and minerals that... Read More
Unfortunately nobody can tell that question over the internet, but... Read More
If you're constantly digging your hand into a jar of... Read More
If you read my last article about bitter orange, it... Read More
Is there an alternative to statin drugs such as Lipitor... Read More
Nutrition Supplement ? nutrition.Nutrition supplement is a term familiar to... Read More
When I began to study nutrition, I too believed that... Read More
Nutritional Supplements |