| You read about a supplement that allegedly "Boosts | | | | beneficial health effects on human beings. Only |
| your mood and motivation!" That sure sounds good so | | | | research with human subjects, using randomized |
| your surf over to the company's web site.The web | | | | controlled trials, can offer such evidence.On the |
| site looks official--it's even got footnotes citing scientific | | | | PubMed.org search page, click on the "Limits" tab |
| journals. You're ready to purchase the supplement | | | | located under the "Search" box. You will see a number |
| online until you ask yourself, "What if this supplement | | | | of drop-down menus. First click on the Publication |
| doesn't really possess any scientific evidence for its | | | | Type menu and then select Randomized Controlled |
| efficacy? How can I tell the difference between | | | | Trial. Next click on the drop-down menu labeled, |
| supplements with solid evidence for their reported | | | | Humans or Animals and click on Humans.An |
| benefits versus those lacking any scientific | | | | ExampleMorinda citrifolia is the scientific name for a |
| support?"Here are the 3 Steps to answer those | | | | popular ingredient in a nutritional supplement. First |
| questions:Step 1: Go to is a National Library of Medicine | | | | search on PubMed for Morinda citrifolia, without placing |
| (United States) web site where you can search for | | | | Limits on your search.How many results did you |
| articles published in peer-reviewed scientific | | | | receive?The count was 69 at the time I wrote this |
| journals.Why check PubMed? Because the National | | | | article. Looks impressive, huh?But now search for |
| Library of Medicine carefully selects only high-quality | | | | Morinda citrifolia after first placing Limits on the search |
| journals that offer value to medical scientists around | | | | as described above, so that you receive only those |
| the world. Selection criteria are detailed on this web | | | | studies which provide more definitive scientific |
| page: 2: Once on the PubMed web site, search for | | | | evidence for the positive effects of Morinda |
| research articles using the generic (scientific) name of | | | | citrifolia.How many journal articles did you find |
| the supplement in question. Supplement manufacturers | | | | searching with the specified limits? I found 1. Thus, out |
| must list the scientific name for their supplement's | | | | of 69 articles found on PubMed.org, only one provides |
| ingredients on the label and in advertisements. | | | | some evidence forMorinda citrifolia's beneficial |
| Supplements often contain many ingredients but usually | | | | effects.It's great that this study exists because it could |
| only a few provide the purported benefits. Those are | | | | end up being one of several studies demonstrating that |
| the ingredients you want to evaluate--they are often | | | | Morinda citrifolia provides health benefits. However, at |
| the same ones the manufacturer highlights in | | | | the present time, the most one could say about |
| advertisements.Step 3: This is the step some | | | | Morinda citrifolia is something like, "One study has |
| supplement companies don't want you to know. | | | | provided very preliminary evidence of Morinda |
| Before you click on the "Search" button at PubMed.org, | | | | citrifolia's health benefits with a narrowly defined |
| limit your search to studies that utilize the right | | | | patient group. Further controlled trials are needed to |
| research methodology with the right population.The | | | | determine if this result will be replicated by other |
| right research methodology is a randomized controlled | | | | research groups working with different |
| trial (the double-blind, placebo control group design fits | | | | populations."ConclusionBy using the "Limits" function on |
| under this category) and the right population is human | | | | the PubMed.org search menu, consumers can identify |
| beings.Specifying human subjects is important because | | | | supplements that lack scientific evidence for their |
| you want to know if the ingredients in a supplement | | | | efficacy.Mark Worthen, Psy.D. is a Phi Betta Kappa |
| have been shown to produce the advertised benefits | | | | graduate of the University of Maryland's Honors |
| in real live human beings--not just in rats pressing | | | | Psychology program. He was a Clinical Fellow, |
| levers for food pellets or in a "case study" with one | | | | Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School and |
| person.This is not to say that basic science research, | | | | earned his Doctor of Psychology degree from Baylor |
| which is often conducted initially with animals, is | | | | University in 1990. In addition to his work as a |
| unimportant. On the contrary, such research usually | | | | psychologist, he is an independent representative for a |
| serves as a crucial building block for subsequent clinical | | | | leading health and wellness company and owner of |
| research with humans. But basic science research | | | | Best-Mlm-Opportunities. |
| does not provide scientific evidence for a supplement's | | | | |