An example from Dr Sinatra,a well known cardiologist.

''I used to eat
seaweed. Seanol
gives us 100 times
the benefit!''

How much can you trust such information ?

There is a avalanche of precise sounding figures on the benefits of this or that supplement or product from qualified Doctors [apart from no qualifications people ] selling on their websites.

"Earthing the greatest health discovery ever''.I do earthing in some ways but the hyperbole !

How much trust do you then put on their general information and on what basis ?

Alex

Alex: I think many Functional Medicine physicians have discovered that the way to richness is to market a patented line of supplements and hype them to the sky. Of course these supplements are either, "medical foods", or Fair Traded so they can't be sold by normal discount channels. Or they prescirbe a bunch of tests that are by New Age labs that aren't covered by insurance.

Does anyone have a, maybe New Age physician is a better term than Functional Medicine physician, doc who isn't associated with a way to sell overpriced supplements or dietary products with unproven benefits? $350/hour for consultation with them doesn't seem to be enough income. Of course, many of them don't take insurance so they have to make up for that income some way.

As in the stock market, politics or most other big business, always follow the money trail.

Isn't it an axiom of the medical field that if it costs more it has to be better for you, no matter what it is?

Gordon

The problem is the money too, there is truly some real value in many of these nutrients and supplements when properly extracted and produced by reputable large nutraceutical manufacturers.

With some of the docs, the hype can get carried away for sure and its very much too bad as they then make people question if some agents that really can be useful are any good at all, simply because some over the top docs over promise and hype the heck out of what is often an good but modest benefit all to help sell their own name-branded version of said supplement.

Its too bad, but greed seems to know no intellectual boundaries either. There are plenty of very ethical and smart functional medicine Docs and painting them all with one brush because of a vocal number of the more greedy and hyperbolic docs who call also practice functional medicine too, does a similar disservice I feel.

There is good statistical and clinical backup from the value of most of the core supplements used in Functional medicine as well as dietary recommendations, just not the huge double blind randomized single agent at a time t rials that only Big Pharma can fund to examine drugs, which is a very different that properly evaluating a nutrient that often works in concert with other nutrients and dietary intake to achieve a synergistic benefit.

In any event, I hear you and agree that its a real shame the greed factor seems to invade all fields in which an easy buck can be carved out of a good story. But again, don't automatically assume its all bunk because of a few shameless apples in the barrel.

Shannon

Shannon said:

"In any event, I hear you and agree that its a real shame the greed factor seems to invade all fields in which an easy buck can be carved out of a good story. But again, don't automatically assume its all bunk because of a few shameless apples in the barrel. "

True, but we all know that if you leave even a few rotten apples in a barrel it doesn't take long for the whole barrel to be spoiled, or spoiled enough that the whole thing smells rotten, and you don't want to buy even the good apples from that barrel.

It seems like the percentage of physicians who practice medicine primarily for the love of medicine and healing is rapidly decreasing. It's mostly the older ones who think that way nowadays. Indeed it's getting ever more difficult even to see a physician; we usually end up with a PA or NP, at least for the initial exam unless we're willing to pay for concierge medicine.

It also seems like ever increasing percentages of specilists are becoming employees of hospitals where they use to be in private practice, and what physician is going to take a hospital to task for something they don't like if that hospital is writing their paycheck.

Modern day physicians definitely know how to follow the money trail; sometimes not to the patient's best care advantage.

Gordon

When I see supplements offered by web doctors such as Sinatra, Mercola etc, I research the major ingredient to see if there is validation for their claims. Often, less expensive but still good brands can be found at much lower prices with the identical ingredients. I don’t discount the fact that these doctors still provide useful information … I just refrain from buying their latest ‘find.’

Functional Medicine practitioners often sell Professional Grade supplements which means they typically have higher amounts of key ingredients (often in specific or more reliable, useful forms) so they are more effective by comparison. Years ago, my FM MD arranged for me to attend local seminars … all day or weekends…hosted for medical professionals and typically sponsored by one of the professional-grade supplement producers. Often part of the seminar devoted time to explanations of why this or that supplement was more effective than an OTC generic supplement. I also learned at Michael Murray’s (Naturopathic physician) seminars that some OTC brands are better than others based on quality control, GMP and ingredient selection and current efficacy research. He was formerly with Enzymatic Therapy before going to Natural Factors and I consider both brands to be above average in quality.

My FM MD visits are not covered by insurance although tests are covered. She charges by the hour or fractions thereof and compared to the 15 minutes or so of covered time I have with my PCP, the FM value is certainly much more than the actual cost. I’d rather pay out of pocket for advice that is useful, than have the insurance cover a cost of at least $350/visit for virtually no help whatsoever. The PCP is with the CCF and in addition to the office visit, they charge an additional ‘facility fee’ just for walking in the door… and insurance covers that too. Weird system.

When I compare the damage that I’ve sustained by misguided medical treatment over the years by those I presumed to be well-intentioned physicians but who were clueless about the core causes of my many symptoms (unrelated to Afib), with the care and advice I’ve received from my first ‘holistic’ MD and now my Board Certified FM Family Practice MD… the cost out of pocket (for me) pales by comparison…. And, more importantly, I get positive results. Other than the requisite Eliquis I’m taking now because of the last ablation procedures, I take no other drugs ….Thanks to the FM approach to optimizing health.

Jackie

Jackie ,Shannon and everyone,

You mentioned that some over-the-counter are better than others which I am sure is the case.

Are there any recommendations that can be made about higher quality brands such as Enzymatic and Natural Factors mentioned?

I am amazed at some of the super exaggerated claims. 80 and 90-year-olds with the sexual powers they had in their 20s?

I guess hope springs eternal.


Thanks

Alex

Hi Alex,
I recently had a discussion with one of my children about, based on my experience, what supplements would i recommend he take. After thinking about it i could only attest to observing a desired effect with powered potassium. I suspect that the supplemental magnesium i take is helpful but I cannot swear to it. I strongly believe that the Zyflamend i use has been helpful in keping pain from my osteo arthritis in check. I will not go more than a day without using it but cannot say i notice a dose related affect like I do with powered potassium.
When I had part of my aorta replaced a preop angiogram revealed almost no coronary artery disease, my carotids are clear and i don't get sick often dispite frequently being around a bevy of grandchildren all year long. Is this because of all the supplements i take? I don't know? However I will not tinker with what I have been taking though i cannot attest to feeling any bettert because of them. FYI, Dennis

Alexe/All -

There are labs that do analysis on supplements. Some information is free, some is paid, I remember using these guys at one point:

[www.consumerlab.com]

There is also this free service out of Canada that analyzes and certifies fish oils: [www.nutrasource.ca]

Re earthing, I think I remember that you can measure the electric potential that is occurring? For me at this point, I need the science and the data behind whatever claims are made. And for better or worse, through the internet in a few minutes you can usually find opposing views to any claim. There is a lot of money in selling "hope", and its not very regulated, so my only advice is to try to find the science if you can.