Having grown up on a dairy farm, I am one of the least likely people to object to the deification of yogurt. However, as a critical thinker, I cannot help but resist the idea (promoted by some health sites) that probiotics are a reasonable alternative to chemotherapy in the treatment of colon cancer. And there are many other equally unhelpful claims being made all the time. Fish oil for ALS anyone?
What amazes me about the “cherry yoga” camp (as my friend Bob Stern likes to call it), is that they aggressively market CAM as “harmless” and “natural.” They point to the warning labels and informed consents associated with science-based medicines as evidence that the alternative must be safer. In reality, many alternative practices are less effective, and can carry serious risks (usually undisclosed to the patient). For your interest, I’ve gathered some examples of risks associated with common alternative practices that have been described by the CDC and in the medical literature:
Colon cleansing: amebiasis, ruptured colon with pelvic abscesses, Fournier’s gangrene
Herbal supplements: fulminant hepatic failure, bladder cancer, arsenic poisoning, anticholinergic poisoning, lead poisoning, severe hemorrhage, hepatic failure.
Acupuncture – bilateral pneumothoraces (collapsed lungs) leading to death, transmission of hepatitis C
Chiropractic Manipulations - Vertebral artery dissection and stroke, pediatric subarachnoid hemorrhage, paralysis, and misdiagnosed meningitis
Homeopathy - offered for malaria prophylaxis. All 5 contracted malaria. Offered in lieu of standard of care treatment for melanoma (patient died), colloidal silver causes permanent skin disfigurement.
All CAM - can result in delay of effective care, thus worsening outcomes for cancer patients and others.
As you can see, all is not sweetness and light on the alternative medicine front. So next time your patient (or friend/loved one) expresses interest in CAM, please tell them to be careful. A full risk/benefit analysis is unlikely to be presented by the CAM practitioner or local GNC clerk. And while the CAM marketing engine cranks out endless images of tranquil yoga poses, the reality of potential liver failure, lead poisoning, strokes, paralysis, and gut infections are unlikely to be mentioned.
http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/?p=480