In this session, many students were not surprised that homeopathy and supplements are useless. This is a contrast to previous semesters in which students were shocked to learn that homeopathy is largely water, expensive water! Here is their feedback.
I liked this session, because I have always questioned the legitimacy of natural remedies. I never understood the reasoning for the use of homeopaths and supplements, but now that I do, I find them even more unbelievable. Especially after the whole dilution thing. Honestly, this wouldn’t bother me so much if people weren’t getting hurt, but they are. Inaccurate information and bad ‘medicine’ can seriously hurt people, and it’s not okay. In a time where we have so much scientific and technological advances, why would you choose to avoid those? I think this natural remedies mindset can be dangerous, so I am glad to see that facts are breaking it down and making it less popular.
Unidentified Student
Before this week’s session, I was not really familiar with homeopathy. Turns out, I wasn’t missing out on anything. I think it is ridiculous how that is actually a thing that some people would want to count as a part of actual medicine. Especially the dilution thing of the more diluted a substance is, the more potent it is. And to dilute them so much that there could be none of the substance left is crazy. I especially like the Oscillococcinum box that basically tells you that the pellet is basically just sugar and it doesn’t actually tell you how much of the substance is in it. It’s crazy that stores sell this especially pharmacies. At this point I’m not super surprised because I know the system is corrupt.
Unidentified Student
I really enjoyed this session, I know a few older people who swear by there supplements and other versions of Integrative medicine and now that I know that it is essentially a scam, I can start informing people. After this session, I decided I wanted to make my research assignment about Alt. medicine within the pharmacology field,since it is hated so much. I know know not to use a variety of things due to them not being tested or regulated, or they just might be water.
Unidentified Student
Walking into this session, I had basically zero familiarity with supplements and homeopathy. I knew that a lot of people take supplements but wasn’t exactly sure why, and now I realize that there really isn’t a purpose for them. I honestly can’t believe that companies are able to sell products like creatine and profit off of them when in reality they are doing nothing for the people that are buying them – it’s like buying food that does nothing to satisfy your hunger. I’m also shocked that more people are not informed about this; it’s so common to see or hear about people taking supplements – I would imagine something so prevalent in our world would be more likely to be exposed for what it truly is.
Unidentified Student
As much as I trust medicine and science, it’s sometimes nice to indulge in the “no logic” logic that some people have behind alternatives medicine. I don’t doubt that some of them can be beneficial ALONG WITH traditional drugs but I find that most people just pick facts or information up from a vacuum.
Unfortunately, after talking with a close family friend, she still decides that she will never side with modern medicine and trusts that her essential oils will cure her from any/all illnesses.
Additionally, I can only hope that local drug stores/grocery stores will stop allowing supplement brands to be sold. For the average consumer, this could have potentially detrimental effects and I’d hate for something like this to happen!!!!
Unidentified Student
This weeks discussion about integrative medicine and supplements was very interesting and made me realize how many products or things are pushed on us as buyers. Because vitamin supplements aren’t helpful or change your body for people, I was wondering if someone who was anorexic took vitamins as a part or their diet would their overall health be as bad? In the last bit of class we discussed probiotics. My aunt recently had C. Diff which wiped out her natural microbiome in her gut. She was told to eat a lot of yogurt and such with probiotics to help her. I was wondering if you knew if this was true and if taking probiotics as a c diff patient helps or if they are more trying to have them eat this so they have something to focus on in the hospitals?
Unidentified Student
I think this session was very informative because I knew about homeopathy and supplements before this class, but I had never really considered the efficacy of these treatments. I learned that the these treatments alone are not efficacious because they are essentially sugar and water or diluted to the point that there’s less than half the chance that someone would actually be able to ingest the compound that’s present in the supplement! However, I also think that treatments like acupuncture and other integrative methods may have some benefit if they are done alongside actual medical treatments. Essentially, these integrative methods are not curative in nature and I think there needs to be more awareness about this in order to educate people who are intimidated or scared to try actual Western medicine because a lot of these people turn to homeopathy in hope to cure their illnesses, and they don’t see any effect.
Unidentified Student
In regard to supplements, I can understand why certain people may benefit. But from a general view, it seems that companies and even the media like to scare people into thinking, well I don’t eat much fish or eggs, so I must be deficient! So they go out and buy that expensive fish oil supplement. There are cases where the need for additional vitamin sources are necessary, but there isn’t a one size fits all standard to this. Usually though, a proper and consistent diet can solve this problem.
I’ve heard before that homeopathy is nothing more than a placebo effect, and I think that at this point, there’s some truth in that statement. Lots of people may swear by homeopathy and its “benefits,” but there is simply insufficient evidence to support this as medicinal. However, I think people who truly believe this works for them (relieving pain, etc.) should, by all means, use it.
Unidentified Student
I’ve been told by my doctor dad time and time again that homeopathic treatments and supplements are a scam and not to believe in them, but not until Session 7 did I fully realize just how badly these alternative medicine companies have been duping their customers into believing that the product they’re getting will cure them. Learning about homeopathic dilutions honestly shocked me, it’s crazy to me how unethical it is for these companies to be making these claims about their products when they contain literally almost none of the active ingredient. The whole thought process behind homeopathic theories and principles such as “like cures like” and the Law of Infinitesimals baffles me, how was this ever seen as science? I don’t understand how people can believe in this kind of pseudoscience but then not trust or believe what trained and knowledgable medical doctors tell them (like that vaccines don’t cause autism).
Unidentified Student
Coming into this session, i had heard of people that current use supplements and homeopathy, but I felt i was missing out on and had not understood the reasoning, logic and science behind it. Now, after Wednesday’s session, I can confidently say I was not missing out on anything. I thought it was interesting and actually really funny that one of the homeopathic cold medicines was just a sugar pill that contained duck liver. I also really thought the information presented about supplements like BCAA’s and creatine was really informative because I have a lot of friends that use supplements like creatine and now I can tell them they are just making really expensive pee.
Unidentified Student
From our previous sessions, I was already aware that homeopathy and supplements were a load of BS, but I had no idea that their way of justification was so wrong on so many levels. Diluting a substance makes it stronger? Yeah, right! This “law of infinitesimals” went against everything fundamental in chemistry, a real science. Hearing about milk was also interesting, since it related to a specific type of homeopathy: probiotics. They are said to be microorganisms that help people to relieve their stomach ache or provide health benefits, but using the example of milk and how many adults are lactose intolerant due to their lack of dairy consumption showed the flaw in probiotics and their claims.
Unidentified Student
The Joy of Drugs 