Scientific Slant: Weighing the Facts on Alternative Medicine

As demand increases, more medical professionals are turning to alternative techniques like yoga or acupuncture. But to scientific colleagues, the entire body of alternative treatments are sham practices that encourage people to avoid modern medicine and thereby endanger their health. Here are some alternatives you may be familiar with, and the science behind them.

Capsaicin

This is the active compound in spices like cayenne and red chili peppers. It’s gained a following as both a pain killer and weight-loss supplement, and is available in both lotions and pills. Capsaicin activates receptor for TRPV1 within the body. Sustained capsaicin levels overwhelm these receptors to partially numb tissues.

Capsaicin is now used in medical treatments for pain as option to addictive opioids. However, it can cause skin irritation, and few if any studies have been done on its value as a digestive supplement. It is known to cause allergic reactions in some people.

Yoga

This is the ancient Hindu practice of meditative breathing and complex body movements. It’s long been a part of “wellness” culture, and practitioners often claim that it promotes good health and healing by restoring balance to bodily vitality.

There is no evidence that it has direct healing effects. Some medical professionals regard this as a scam practice in comparison to the science behind modern medicine. It’s feared that it can lead to misdiagnosis and harm in those who expect yoga to cure their ills. Studies have shown that yoga improves respiration and reduces stress-related problems, both important factors in keeping healthy.

Acupuncture

This is a common alternative medicine from ancient China. It involves inserting needles into certain points of the body to stimulate and manage natural energies. While it’s been used in Western medical treatments for generations, it’s still regarded by most medical professionals with skepticism.

Its proponents claim that it stimulates the release of endorphins and other compounds to reduce pain and improve blood flow. Acupuncture has been used successfully in hospitals and clinics around the world, but for many caregivers it’s due to a type of placebo effect. It’s still considered scam medicine by organizations such as ACN-SCAM because there isn’t substantial clinical evidence to support it.

Acupressure

This is an alternative to acupuncture that originated in Japan and the practice of “shiatsu”. The difference is that it uses hand and finger pressure on the energy meridians of the body in a form of massage. While acupressure also has its advocates, there are no medical studies that suggest any scientific basis. In fact, to most scientifically minded professionals, it’s more mysticism than medicine.

But it has been known to reduce stress and ease pain. Critics will say that this is far more likely due to the release of mood-enhancing neurochemicals like dopamine stimulated, quite simply, by a good massage. So while acupressure may not be a cure, it’s still a pleasant alternative for long-term treatment.

Fish Oil

It’s become one of the most popular dietary supplements there is, associated with the healthy benefits of omega-3 fats. It’s thought to improve your heart health and other bodily processes by lowering triglycerides and fighting inflammation. However, it’s felt that most of the studies behind this were done on selective high-risk subjects that already had poor diets.

More recent studies suggest that fish oil has no significant effect at all, especially on those who are already in good health. While there’s no conclusive proof either way, the consensus among even professionals is that, being perfectly safe, at worst you’re just wasting a few dollars.

Soaring medical costs and public controversy drive people to alternatives. The concern of medical professionals is that these should never take the place of proper medical diagnosis and treatment.