tag:theconversation.com,2011:/fr/topics/science-or-snakeoil-43098/articlesScience or snakeoil – The Conversation2017-12-15T01:36:44Ztag:theconversation.com,2011:article/873532017-12-15T01:36:44Z2017-12-15T01:36:44ZScience or Snake Oil: do skinny teas boost weight loss?<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/198743/original/file-20171212-9383-1e2tlrz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">'Skinny teas' might not have any properties to help you lose weight, but they might remind you you're on a diet. </span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">from www.shutterstock.com</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Weight loss teas are becoming common, with advertisements claiming dramatic results often appearing online. Do the big promises match the results, or do they only match the price tag? </p>
<p>A search of the medical research database <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK3827/#pubmedhelp.PubMed_Quick_Start">pubmed</a> found there are no studies specifically on the use of “slimming teas” for weight loss, but there are studies on green and black tea.</p>
<p>One <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26075637">review of five research trials</a> compared changes in body weight in more than 300 adults at high risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease. They gave people either green tea, a fermented tea called Puehr or tea extracts and compared the weight change to people who were given either placebo (non-active) tea extracts or no tea at all.</p>
<p>They found that in the group of people who had the most risk factors for type 2 diabetes and heart disease, <em>and</em> who also ate more healthy foods and exercised more, those having the tea or tea extracts had a weight reduction of about 4kg. Interestingly, in the group who were not given healthy lifestyle advice and who did not have many risk factors, the average weight loss was only about 350 grams.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/health-check-six-tips-for-losing-weight-without-fad-diets-52496">Health Check: six tips for losing weight without fad diets</a>
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<p>These results suggest most of the weight loss was due to the impact of following the healthy lifestyle advice, and that there may have been some extra motivation to stick to that advice among those who were at high risk of other health problems.</p>
<p>An <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21366839">analysis of six studies</a> examined the effect of tea mixtures that contain added catechins (a chemical compound found in tea that have a bitter flavour) and caffeine or caffeine-only supplements on the body’s energy expenditure. They found both significantly increased the amount of energy the body burns over the day, by approximately 5%. That may not sound like much, but it’s equivalent to about 430 kilojoules per day, or the kilojoules in a medium banana.</p>
<p>In another review of the effects of <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19597519">green tea and added tea extracts on body weight regulation</a>, consuming green tea with the tea extract added was associated with a 1.3 kilogram greater weight loss compared to not consuming them over about three months. </p>
<p>Slimming teas can have herbal tea components, herbal extracts or other additives mixed in with the tea. There’s limited good quality research on the effectiveness of these compounds, although some have been around for decades. But there has been a case report of heart failure triggered from using a <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27414728">herbal weight loss tea</a> that was thought to have illegally contained weight loss drugs known to cause heart problems, so caution must be exercised.</p>
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<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/198744/original/file-20171212-9392-1dnhbcp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/198744/original/file-20171212-9392-1dnhbcp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/198744/original/file-20171212-9392-1dnhbcp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/198744/original/file-20171212-9392-1dnhbcp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/198744/original/file-20171212-9392-1dnhbcp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/198744/original/file-20171212-9392-1dnhbcp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/198744/original/file-20171212-9392-1dnhbcp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/198744/original/file-20171212-9392-1dnhbcp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
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<span class="caption">It’s important to look at what’s in the tea you’re drinking.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="http://www.shutterstock.com">from www.shutterstock.com</a></span>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/health-check-whats-the-best-diet-for-weight-loss-21557">Health Check: what's the best diet for weight loss?</a>
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<p>Botanical compounds that might be added to slimming tea include the following, so check the label:</p>
<ol>
<li><p><a href="https://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-652-SENNA.aspx?activeIngredientId=652&activeIngredientName=SENNA">Senna</a>, a laxative used to treat constipation;</p></li>
<li><p><a href="https://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-870-valerian.aspx?activeingredientid=870&activeingredientname=valerian">Valerian root</a>, which has some evidence that it may improve sleep quality;</p></li>
<li><p>Roots of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arctium">burdock plant</a>, which are thought to contain chemicals that act as a diuretic (and increase urine production);</p></li>
<li><p><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yerba_mate">Yerba mate</a>, a plant common in South America. The leaves are used to make a drink high in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polyphenol">polyphenols</a>, a group of compounds found in plants that help the body defend itself against disease. Yerba mate also contains caffeine, so it has a stimulatory effect similar to coffee. A <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25621503">recent review suggests</a> it may be helpful in lowering blood cholesterol levels;</p></li>
<li><p><a href="https://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-706-dandelion.aspx?activeingredientid=706&activeingredientname=dandelion">Dandelion leaf</a> contains chemicals thought to have a diuretic effect, but there’s no strong evidence to support this effect;</p></li>
<li><p>Celery seed can be used as a spice or flavouring, the active ingredient apiole has been thought to have <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23361270">anti-cancer effects (in mice)</a>; and</p></li>
<li><p>Calendula flowers are edible and <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24347926">a review of their medicinal use through out history</a> found potential wound healing and anti-swelling properties.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>As long as you do not have any sensitivities or a chemical intolerance to slimming tea components, they might have a <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25442940">powerful placebo</a> effect and act as a timely reminder to stick to a weight loss diet. Interestingly, the <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24055773">placebo effect is supported by evidence</a>. </p>
<p>While the price of slimming teas vary, check the small print for disclaimers before you part with your money. They might read something like: </p>
<blockquote>
<p>For maximum health benefits this product should be consumed in conjunction with a low kilojoule diet and daily exercise, individual results may vary.</p>
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<p>Think about whether you get better value from A$30+ dollars worth of weight loss tea or from buying a regular box of green or black tea, and spending the price difference on buying more fruits and vegetables. The research evidence indicates <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23674808">higher intakes of fruit and vegetables</a> are associated with a lower risk of weight gain, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, some specific types of cancer and age-related health decline.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/87353/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Clare Collins is affiliated with the Priority Research Centre for Physical Activity and Nutrition, the University of Newcastle, NSW. She is an NHMRC Senior Research and Gladys M Brawn Research Fellow. She has received research grants from NHMRC, ARC, Hunter Medical Research Institute, Meat and Livestock Australia, Diabetes Australia, Heart Foundation. She has consulted to SHINE Australia, Novo Nordisk, Quality Bakers and the Sax Institute. She was a team member conducting the systematic reviews to inform the 2013 revision of the Australian Dietary Guidelines and the 2017 evidence review on dietary patterns and heart disease for the Heart Foundation.</span></em></p>You may be better off buying regular green or black tea and spending more on fruit and vegetables.Clare Collins, Professor in Nutrition and Dietetics, University of NewcastleLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/876022017-11-26T19:08:10Z2017-11-26T19:08:10ZScience or Snake Oil: will horseradish and garlic really ease a cold?<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/195968/original/file-20171123-6013-1vm5e9b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Horseradish hasn't been studied, and studies on garlic found it probably does nothing. </span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">from www.shutterstock.com</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Some of us may have heard that horseradish and garlic supplements help ease cold and flu. <a href="http://www.bloomshealth.com.au/products/high-strength-horseradish-garlic-complex/">Blooms High Strength Horseradish and Garlic Complex</a> claims it has</p>
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<p>a soothing antimicrobial action that helps fight off the bugs that can cause colds and flu and provides symptomatic relief from upper respiratory tract infections.</p>
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<p>Others, such as those promoted by <a href="https://swisse.com/en-au/products/vitamins-supplements/immunity-cold-flu/swisse-ultiboost-horseradish-garlic-vitamin-c">Swisse</a> and <a href="https://www.blackmores.com.au/products/super-strength-horseradish-garlic-and-c">Blackmores</a>, claim to be “traditionally used in Western Herbal Medicine to provide symptomatic relief of sinusitis, hay fever and upper respiratory tract infections”. And the Swisse and Blackmores products (and many others) add additional ingredients, commonly vitamin C, which is claimed to be beneficial for “immune health”.</p>
<p>There are two categories of “evidence” allowed by the <a href="https://www.tga.gov.au/publication/evidence-guidelines">Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA)</a> to validate indications or claims made for complementary medicines: scientific or traditional.</p>
<p>Scientific evidence is based on the scientific literature, such as trials in humans. Traditional evidence is based on theories outside modern conventional medicine, such as Western herbal medicine, traditional Chinese medicine and homeopathy.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/science-or-snake-oil-can-turmeric-really-shrink-tumours-reduce-pain-and-kill-bacteria-76010">Science or Snake Oil: can turmeric really shrink tumours, reduce pain and kill bacteria?</a>
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<h2>So, what does the research say?</h2>
<p>A search of the medical journal database <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed">PubMed</a> failed to find any clinical trials on the combination of horseradish (<em>Armoracia rusticana</em>) and garlic (<em>Allium sativum</em>), with or without vitamin C. Nor were any clinical trials found on horseradish alone.</p>
<p>The authors of a <a href="http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD006206.pub4/abstract">2014 Cochrane review</a> concluded there was insufficient clinical trial evidence supporting garlic in preventing or treating the common cold. A <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11697022">single 2001 trial</a> (from the Garlic Centre in the UK) suggested garlic may prevent the common cold, but more studies were needed to validate this finding. Claims of effectiveness appear to rely largely on poor-quality evidence.</p>
<p>A <a href="http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD000980.pub4/abstract">2013 Cochrane systematic review</a> explored whether taking vitamin C (0.2g a day or more) reduced the incidence, duration or severity of the common cold. The 29 trial comparisons involving 11,306 participants found taking vitamin C regularly failed to reduce the incidence of colds in the general population. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/195978/original/file-20171123-6013-17eb01b.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/195978/original/file-20171123-6013-17eb01b.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/195978/original/file-20171123-6013-17eb01b.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=468&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/195978/original/file-20171123-6013-17eb01b.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=468&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/195978/original/file-20171123-6013-17eb01b.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=468&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/195978/original/file-20171123-6013-17eb01b.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=588&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/195978/original/file-20171123-6013-17eb01b.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=588&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/195978/original/file-20171123-6013-17eb01b.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=588&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
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<span class="caption">Supplements can claim they’re a traditional medicine, meaning they don’t have to prove they’re effective.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Screenshot</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
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<p>Regular supplementation had a modest effect in reducing the duration of common cold symptoms by a few hours. The practical relevance of this finding is uncertain. The authors felt this level of benefit did not justify long-term supplementation. Finally, taking vitamin C at the onset of cold symptoms was not effective.</p>
<p>Vitamin C deficiency can impair immune function, but this is <a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-11-29/resurgence-of-the-rare-condition-of-scurvy-among-diabetics/8073136">uncommon in Australia</a> and best prevented by eating fruit and vegetables.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/mondays-medical-myth-vitamin-c-prevents-colds-5931">Monday's medical myth: vitamin C prevents colds</a>
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<p>The <a href="https://www.tga.gov.au/publication/evidence-guidelines">TGA accepts a traditional indication</a> if that use has been recorded in internationally recognised traditional sources for a period of use that exceeds three generations (75 years). Traditional indications or claims don’t mean a product actually works – that requires scientific evidence.</p>
<h2>What’s the verdict?</h2>
<p>Products such as <a href="http://www.bloomshealth.com.au/products/high-strength-horseradish-garlic-complex/">Blooms High Strength Horseradish & Garlic Complex</a> claim they fight off bugs, but those claims that lack scientific validation. This breaches many provisions of the <a href="https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/F2015L01787">Therapeutic Goods Advertising Code 2015</a>.</p>
<p>Products such as <a href="https://swisse.com/en-au/products/vitamins-supplements/immunity-cold-flu/swisse-ultiboost-horseradish-garlic-vitamin-c">Swisse Ultiboost High Strength Horseradish + Garlic + Vitamin C</a>, claiming horseradish and garlic have been “traditionally used in Western Herbal Medicine”, have correctly invoked the TGA’s “traditional paradigm”. But it’s important to remember this doesn’t mean these products work.</p>
<h2>What’s the implication?</h2>
<p>Recently, more and more purveyors of complementary medicine have been making “traditional” claims for their products.</p>
<p>If consumers are to make an informed choice about medicines claiming traditional use, a <a href="https://theconversation.com/new-complementary-medicine-health-claims-lack-evidence-so-why-are-they-even-on-the-table-80896">mandatory statement</a> is required on the label and on all promotion explaining what this means. It should be explained to consumers the “tradition” is not in accordance with modern medical knowledge, and there is no scientific evidence the product works.</p>
<p>Without such a disclaimer, consumers will be misled and the TGA will be seen to be endorsing pseudoscience. But to date, industry, the TGA and government have refused to take on-board <a href="http://www.medreach.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/Concerns-about-the-Therapeutic-Goods-Amendment-2017-Measures-No.-1-Bill-Final.pdf">such proposals</a>.</p>
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<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/which-supplements-work-new-labels-may-help-separate-the-wheat-from-the-chaff-73189">Which supplements work? New labels may help separate the wheat from the chaff</a>
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<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/87602/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Ken Harvey has represented Choice (the Australian Consumers’ Association) on TGA consultations about regulatory reform of complementary medicines. He is an executive member of Friends of Science in Medicine and a member of the Australian Skeptics Victorian Branch.</span></em></p>Complementary medicines are increasingly invoking traditional use when the science does not add up. Horseradish and garlic products provide a good example.Ken Harvey, Associate Professor, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/843792017-10-08T19:03:27Z2017-10-08T19:03:27ZScience or Snake Oil: do men need sperm health supplements?<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/188282/original/file-20171002-19343-1syb0mg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Is it necessary to take supplements for sperm health, and do they work?</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">from www.shutterstock.com</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Infertility, defined as the inability of a couple to conceive after at least 12 months of regular, unprotected sex, affects about <a href="http://www.jurology.com/article/S0022-5347(05)65109-9/abstract">15% of couples worldwide</a>. Several factors can lead to infertility, but specific to men, infertility <a href="http://www.fertstert.org/article/S0015-0282(16)57870-4/abstract">has been linked to lower levels</a> of antioxidants in their semen. This exposes them to an increased risk of chemically reactive species containing oxygen, which can damage sperm.</p>
<p>These reactive oxygen species are naturally involved in various pathways essential for normal reproduction. But uncontrolled and excessive levels of reactive oxygen species results in damage to your cells (or “oxidative stress”). This can affect semen health, and damage the DNA carried in the sperm, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11570956">leading to the onset of male infertility</a>.</p>
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<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/science-or-snake-oil-is-a2-milk-better-for-you-than-regular-cows-milk-62486">Science or Snake Oil: is A2 milk better for you than regular cow’s milk?</a>
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<h2>Can supplements improve sperm health?</h2>
<p>Antioxidants have long been used to manage male infertility as they can help alleviate the detrimental role of reactive oxygen species and oxidative stress on sperm health.</p>
<p>Generally speaking, studies have shown favourable effects with supplementation, but results have been rather inconsistent due to large variations in study design, antioxidant formulations, and dosages. </p>
<p><a href="http://www.fertstert.org/article/S0015-0282(16)58514-8/abstract">Several lab studies</a> have <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9647554">reported beneficial effects</a> of antioxidants such as vitamins E and C on the mobility of the sperm and DNA integrity (absence of breaks or nicks in the DNA). But these haven’t been able to be replicated in humans.</p>
<p>There is <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8862739">some research suggesting</a> six months of supplementation with vitamin E and selenium can increase sperm motility and the percentage of healthy, living sperm, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8957697">as well as pregnancy rates</a>. Other studies have found improvements in sperm volume, DNA damage, and pregnancy rate following treatment with supplements <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15193480">l-carnitine</a> (an amino acid), <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23289958">Coenzyme Q10</a>, and <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23145537">zinc</a>.</p>
<p>But there seems to be an equal number of studies showing no improvements in <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15867002">sperm motility</a>, <a href="http://www.fertstert.org/article/S0015-0282(06)00099-9/abstract">sperm concentration</a>, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24147895">the size or shape of sperm</a>, or <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10221237">other measures</a>. Perhaps it’s the inconsistency in results, and the overall desire to improve fertility rates that has led some companies to create their own sperm-saving cocktails.</p>
<h2>The research behind Menevit</h2>
<p><a href="http://www.menevit.com.au/">Menevit</a> is a male fertility supplement aimed at promoting sperm health. It’s a combination of antioxidants, including vitamins C and E, zinc, folic acid, and selenium, formulated to maintain sperm health.</p>
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<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/most-men-dont-realise-age-is-a-factor-in-their-fertility-too-67785">Most men don't realise age is a factor in their fertility too</a>
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<p><a href="http://www.elevit.com.au/the-elevit-range/menevit/">The makers of Menevit claim</a> the antioxidants it contains can help maintain normal sperm numbers, improve sperm swimming, improve sperm-egg development, and protect against DNA damage.</p>
<figure class="align-right zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/188283/original/file-20171002-28512-umd3zt.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/188283/original/file-20171002-28512-umd3zt.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/188283/original/file-20171002-28512-umd3zt.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=986&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/188283/original/file-20171002-28512-umd3zt.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=986&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/188283/original/file-20171002-28512-umd3zt.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=986&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/188283/original/file-20171002-28512-umd3zt.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=1239&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/188283/original/file-20171002-28512-umd3zt.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=1239&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/188283/original/file-20171002-28512-umd3zt.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=1239&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
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<span class="caption">Menevit is a popular sperm supplement for men, but the one study demonstrating its effectiveness raises ethical questions.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Screenshot, My Chemist Website.</span></span>
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<p>To date, there has only been <a href="http://trove.nla.gov.au/work/3562828?q&versionId=49401835">one published study</a> conducted on the actual product. The lead author of the study is also the inventor of the product.</p>
<p>Following three months of supplementation, participants taking Menevit recorded a statistically significant improvement in pregnancy rate compared to the control group (38.5% versus 16%). But no significant changes in egg fertilisation or embryo quality were detected between the two groups.</p>
<p>At first glance these findings may seem promising, but a few things warrant attention. As mentioned, the principle investigator of the study is also the inventor of the product, something many would argue is a conflict of interest.</p>
<p>The study also reported no improvements in DNA integrity or sperm motility, the <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15867002">two most cited</a> <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12623744">benefits of supplementing</a> with antioxidants.</p>
<p>Furthermore, the study looked at who was pregnant three months later, not who actually gave birth to a child.</p>
<p>The dosages used in the Menevit product are also much lower than what’s been in previous studies. For example, significant improvements in total sperm count <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11872201">have been observed</a> following 26 weeks of supplementation with folic acid and zinc. But this study used 66mg of zinc (compared to 25mg in Menevit) and 5mg of folic acid (compared to 500 micrograms in Menevit). It’s hard to say you would get the same results from the lower doses. </p>
<p>And <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15867002">studies showing</a> <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12623744">improvements</a> in sperm motility and DNA integrity following vitamin E and selenium supplementation used much larger doses than what is found in Menevit. The dosage of vitamin E used in previous studies has ranged from 600-1,490 international units, Menevit has 400 international units. The dose of selenium studied was 225 micrograms, compared to only 26 micrograms in the Menevit product.</p>
<h2>Your best bet for healthy sperm</h2>
<p>Before you stock up on every antioxidant out there, take a quick look at your lifestyle. Sperm health can be affected by unhealthy lifestyle factors like poor diet, alcohol consumption, smoking, and stress.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/the-handmaids-tale-and-counting-sperm-are-fertility-rates-actually-declining-81826">The Handmaid's Tale and counting sperm: are fertility rates actually declining?</a>
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<p>Following a diet comprised of whole foods (not packaged, processed foods), avoiding excessive consumption of alcohol, engaging in regular physical activity, and not smoking <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3717046/">can go a long way</a> when it comes to improving the health of your sperm.</p>
<p>As for sperm supplements such as Menevit, there’s a great deal of research that still needs to be done before we can say for sure it’s a worthwhile investment.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/84379/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Krissy Kendall does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Study results examining the effect of antioxidants on sperm health are mixed.Krissy Kendall, Lecturer of Exercise and Sports Science, Edith Cowan UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/784002017-09-14T19:34:32Z2017-09-14T19:34:32ZScience or Snake Oil: is manuka honey really a ‘superfood’ for treating colds, allergies and infections?<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/185577/original/file-20170912-3875-hr07v0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Sure it tastes nice, but what else can it do?</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">from www.shutterstock.com.au</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Manuka honey is often touted as a “superfood” that <a href="https://draxe.com/manuka-honey-benefits-uses/">treats many ailments</a>, including allergies, colds and flus, gingivitis, sore throats, staph infections, and numerous types of wounds.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.naturallivingideas.com/manuka-honey-benefits/">Manuka can apparently also</a> boost energy, “detox” your system, lower cholesterol, stave off diabetes, improve sleep, increase skin tone, reduce hair loss and even prevent frizz and split ends.</p>
<p>Some of these claims are nonsense, but some have good evidence behind them.</p>
<p>Honey has been used therapeutically <a href="https://books.google.com.au/books?hl=en&lr=&id=MZN4AAAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PP1&dq=Crane,+E+honey&ots=AuztKqtxHu&sig=sEu90N2MyESGme2dpIcRqSugu5w#v=onepage&q=Crane%2C%20E%20honey&f=false">throughout history</a>, with records of its cultural, religious and medicinal importance shown in rock paintings, carvings and sacred texts from many diverse ancient cultures. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/honey-could-be-a-potent-medicine-as-well-as-a-tasty-treat-12032">Honey could be a potent medicine as well as a tasty treat</a>
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<p>Honey was used to treat a wide range of ailments from eye and throat infections to gastroenteritis and respiratory ailments, but it was persistently popular as a treatment for numerous types of <a href="http://www.o-wm.com/content/re-introducing-honey-management-wounds-and-ulcers-theory-and-practice">wounds and skin infections</a>. </p>
<p>Medicinal honey largely fell from favour with the advent of modern antibiotics in the mid-20th century. Western medicine largely dismissed it as a “<a href="http://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/article-abstract/585814">worthless but harmless substance</a>”. But the emergence of superbugs (pathogens resistant to some, many or even all of our antibiotics) means alternative approaches to dealing with pathogens are being scientifically investigated.</p>
<p>We now understand the traditional popularity of honey as a wound dressing is almost certainly due to its antimicrobial properties. High sugar content and low pH mean honey inhibits microbial growth, but certain honeys still retain their antimicrobial activity when these are diluted to negligible levels. </p>
<p>Many different types of honey also produce microbe-killing levels of <a href="https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-1-4757-9371-0_3">hydrogen peroxide</a> when glucose oxidase (an enzyme incorporated into honey by bees) reacts with glucose and oxygen molecules in water. So, when honey is used as a wound dressing it draws moisture from the tissues, and this reacts to produce hydrogen peroxide, <a href="https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-1-4757-9371-0_3">clearing the wound of infection</a>.</p>
<p>The antimicrobial activity of different honeys varies greatly, depending on which flowers the bees visit to collect the nectar they turn into honey. While all honeys possess some level of antimicrobial activity, certain ones are <a href="http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0018229">up to 100 times more active</a> than others.</p>
<h2>How is manuka different to other honey?</h2>
<p>Manuka honey is derived from the nectar of manuka (<em>Leptospermum scoparium</em>) trees, and it has an additional component to its potent antimicrobial activity. This unusual activity was <a href="http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00218839.1988.11100783?journalCode=tjar20">discovered by Professor Peter Molan, in New Zealand in the 1980s</a>, when he realised the action of manuka honey remained even after hydrogen peroxide was removed. </p>
<p>The cause of this activity remained elusive for many years, until two laboratories independently identified <a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0008621507005447">methylglyoxal (MGO)</a> as a <a href="http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/mnfr.200700282/abstract;jsessionid=BC3FEFC948AFE40EA7B8EA4C1714069A.f04t02?systemMessage=Wiley+Online+Library+will+be+unavailable+on+Saturday+and+Sunday+i.e+16th+and+17th+September+at+3%3A00+EDT+%2F+8%3A00+BST+%2F+12%3A30+IST+%2F+15%3A00+SGT+for+5+hours+and+3hours+for+essential+maintenance.+Apologies+for+any+inconvenience+caused+.">key active component</a> in manuka honey in 2008. MGO is a substance that occurs naturally in many foods, plants and animal cells and it has <a href="http://journals.sagepub.com.ezproxy.lib.uts.edu.au/doi/abs/10.1177/0885328214556159">antimicrobial activity</a>.</p>
<p>Australia has more than 80 species of native <em>Leptospermum</em>, while New Zealand has one, but the “manuka” honeys from each country <a href="http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0167780">have similar properties</a>. There is currently a great deal of <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-manuka-honey-fight-is-one-we-have-to-have-78261">debate</a> between the two countries over the rights to use the name “manuka”, but for simplicity in this article we use the term to describe active <em>Leptospermum</em> honeys from either country. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/manuka-honey-may-help-prevent-life-threatening-urinary-infections-66041">Manuka honey may help prevent life-threatening urinary infections</a>
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<h2>Can manuka honey kill superbugs?</h2>
<p>The activity of manuka honey has been tested against a diverse range of microbes, particularly those that cause wound infections, and it <a href="http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fmicb.2016.00569/full">inhibits problematic bacterial pathogens</a>, including superbugs that are resistant to multiple antibiotics. </p>
<p>Manuka honey can also disperse and kill bacteria living in biofilms (communities of microbes notoriously resistant to antibiotics), including ones of <a href="http://mic.microbiologyresearch.org/content/journal/micro/10.1099/mic.0.053959-0#tab2"><em>Streptococcus</em></a> (the cause of strep throat) and <a href="https://peerj.com/articles/326/"><em>Staphylococcus</em></a> (the cause of Golden staph infections). </p>
<p>Crucially, there are no reported cases of bacteria developing resistance to honey, nor can manuka or other honey resistance <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs10096-009-0763-z">be generated in the laboratory</a>.</p>
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<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/185580/original/file-20170912-13694-7vs53r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/185580/original/file-20170912-13694-7vs53r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/185580/original/file-20170912-13694-7vs53r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/185580/original/file-20170912-13694-7vs53r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/185580/original/file-20170912-13694-7vs53r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/185580/original/file-20170912-13694-7vs53r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/185580/original/file-20170912-13694-7vs53r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/185580/original/file-20170912-13694-7vs53r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
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<span class="caption">There is good evidence manuka honey kills bacteria.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/155456283@N02/35107874971/">Ryan Merce/Flickr</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span>
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<p>It’s important to note that the amount of <a href="http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0167780">MGO in different manuka honeys varies</a>, and not all manuka honeys necessarily have <a href="http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0018229">high levels of antimicrobial activity</a>.</p>
<h2>Manuka honey and wound healing</h2>
<p><a href="http://www.magonlinelibrary.com/doi/abs/10.12968/jowc.1999.8.8.25904?url_ver=Z39.88-2003&rfr_id=ori%3Arid%3Acrossref.org&rfr_dat=cr_pub%3Dpubmed&">Honey has ideal wound dressing properties</a>, and there have been numerous studies looking at <a href="https://www.hindawi.com/journals/ecam/2009/620857/abs/">the efficacy of manuka as a wound dressing</a>. Apart from its broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity, honey is also non-toxic to mammalian cells, helps to maintain a moist wound environment (which is beneficial for healing), has anti-inflammatory activity, reduces healing time and scarring, has a natural debriding action (which draws dead tissues, foreign bodies and dead immune cells from the wound) and also reduces wound odour. These properties account for many of the reports showing the <a href="http://researchcommons.waikato.ac.nz/handle/10289/6095">effectiveness of honey as a wound dressing</a>. </p>
<p>Honey, and in particular manuka honey, has <a href="http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1534734605286014">successfully been used to treat</a> infected and non-infected wounds, burns, surgical incisions, leg ulcers, pressure sores, traumatic injuries, meningococcal lesions, side effects from radiotherapy and <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/8580567_The_effects_of_manuka_honey_on_plaque_and_gingivitis_a_pilot_study">gingivitis</a>.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/use-them-and-lose-them-finding-alternatives-to-antibiotics-to-preserve-their-usefulness-48655">Use them and lose them: finding alternatives to antibiotics to preserve their usefulness</a>
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<h2>What about eating manuka honey?</h2>
<p>Most of the manuka honey sold globally is eaten. Manuka may inhibit the bacteria that cause a sore (“strep”) throat or gingivitis, but the main components responsible for the antimicrobial activity won’t survive the digestion process.</p>
<p>Nonetheless, honey consumption can have <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/23803275_Honey_for_Nutrition_and_Health_A_Review">other therapeutic benefits,</a> including anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant and <a href="http://agric.firstsoftwaresolutions.com/fullRecord.jsp?recno=310">prebiotic</a> (promoting the growth of beneficial intestinal microorganisms) properties. Although, these properties are not solely linked to manuka honey and various other honeys may also work.</p>
<h2>What doesn’t it do?</h2>
<p>There is a commonly touted belief that eating manuka (or local) honey will help with hay fever because it contains small doses of the pollens that are causing the symptoms, and eating this in small quantities will help your immune system learn not to overreact. </p>
<p>But there’s <a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1081120610619965">no scientific evidence eating honey helps hay fever sufferers</a>. Most of the pollen that causes hay fever comes from plants that are wind pollinated (so they don’t produce nectar and are not visited by bees).</p>
<p>There is some preliminary work showing honey might protect from some <a href="http://ircmj.com/en/articles/55180.html">side effects of radiation treatment to the head and neck</a> that warrants further investigation. But other claims honey has <a href="https://www.hindawi.com/journals/ecam/2013/829070/">anti-cancer activity</a> are yet to be substantiated.</p>
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<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/185583/original/file-20170912-1368-1wczw2t.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/185583/original/file-20170912-1368-1wczw2t.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/185583/original/file-20170912-1368-1wczw2t.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/185583/original/file-20170912-1368-1wczw2t.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/185583/original/file-20170912-1368-1wczw2t.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/185583/original/file-20170912-1368-1wczw2t.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/185583/original/file-20170912-1368-1wczw2t.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/185583/original/file-20170912-1368-1wczw2t.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
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<span class="caption">If you’re putting honey in your hair you’re probably just making a sticky mess.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">from shutterstock.com</span></span>
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<p>There isn’t any robust scientific evidence that manuka lowers cholesterol, treats diabetes or improves sleep. Although one interesting study did show <a href="http://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapediatrics/fullarticle/571638">honey was more effective than cough medicine</a> for reducing night time coughs of children, improving their sleep (and their parents’). Manuka honey wasn’t used specifically, but it may well be as helpful.</p>
<p>Claims that anything helps to “detox” are <a href="https://theconversation.com/do-you-really-need-a-detox-52077">innately ridiculous</a>. Similarly “superfood” is <a href="https://theconversation.com/smoothies-as-talismans-the-allure-of-superfoods-and-the-dangers-of-nutritional-primitivism-62424">more about marketing than much else</a>, and the cosmetic and anti-ageing claims about manuka are <a href="https://theconversation.com/helen-mirren-was-probably-right-about-moisturiser-so-heres-an-owners-guide-to-looking-after-your-skin-82781">scientifically unfounded</a>.</p>
<h2>Final verdict</h2>
<p>If consumers are buying manuka honey for general daily use as a food or tonic, there is no need to buy the more active and therefore more expensive types. But the right kind of honey is very effective as a wound dressing. So if manuka is to be used to treat wounds or skin infections, it should be active, sterile and appropriately packaged as a medicinal product. </p>
<p>The best way to ensure this is to check the product has a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CE_marking">CE mark</a> or it’s registered with the Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration (marked with an AUST L/AUST R number).</p>
<p>Manuka honey isn’t a panacea or a superfood. But it is grossly underutilised as a topical treatment for wounds, ulcers and burns, particularly in the face of the looming global superbug crisis.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/78400/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Nural Cokcetin works on a medicinal honey project that receives funding from the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation (RIRDC). </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Shona Blair works on a medicinal honey project that receives funding from the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation (RIRDC). She holds a volunteer role as Vice President of the NSW Apiarists' Association (the not-for-profit peak body for NSW beekeepers).</span></em></p>Manuka honey has a lot of evidence-based benefits, and a lot of rubbish claims too.Nural Cokcetin, Postdoctoral Researcher, University of Technology SydneyShona Blair, General Manager, ithree institute, University of Technology SydneyLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.