MedWorm provides a medical RSS filtering service. Over 6000 RSS medical sources are combined and output via different filters. This feed contains the latest medical blog items that have been tagged with 'health scams'. Sat, 03 Sep 2011 02:52:01 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4360985&cid=t_164740_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fhomeopathy-why-is-the-canadian-government-regulating-a-scam%2F2011.01.17 Regular readers of the Better Health blog are familiar with the shoddy science behind homeopathy (an outdated system of “medical” treatment that relies on water dilution and shaking to ‘”strengthen” the effects of drugs). But because homeopathic placebos have been marketed so successfully (even receiving paid endorsements from hockey teams), the Ontario government has decided to regulate homeopathic practices. In this terrific news exposé, reporters ask if it’s appropriate for the government to regulate health scams. In doing so, are they not lending credibility to modern-day snake oil? Check out these videos and let me know what you think. Is there a roll for government in regulating homeopathy? Part 1:   (more…) (Source: Better Health) Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4360985 Mon, 17 Jan 2011 13:00:14 +0100 4360985 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4074067&cid=t_164740_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fstem-cell-face-lifts%2F2010.10.14 It’s been almost a month since the LA Times ran the article by Chris Woolston entitled  The Healthy Skeptic: Stem cell face-lifts on unproven ground. It’s well written and presents a fairly balanced view. While I am a fan of stem cell research, I think the “claims” are often put ahead of the science.  This is one of those times. I can’t find any decent articles to support the claims of the plastic surgeons doing “stem cell face-lifts.” My view is echoed in the article (bold emphasis is mine): Rubin says he’s excited about the potential of stem cells in the cosmetic field and beyond. Still, he adds, there are many unanswered questions about the cosmetic use of stem cells, and anyone who claims to have already mastered the technique is jumping the gun. As Rubin puts ... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4074067 Thu, 14 Oct 2010 18:00:00 +0100 4074067 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3762900&cid=t_164740_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fone-critics-take-on-the-multigrain-scam%2F2010.07.17 Freelance journalist and author Suzanne Schlosberg wrote because she was so upset over a New York Times story, “The Chip That Stacks Adds a Multigrain Twist,” that she wanted us to review it. I thought anyone who feels so strongly about something should review it herself. So she did. Here is Suzanne’s guest post: ************************** I was flabbergasted when I read this New York Times piece on Procter & Gamble’s new entry into the potato-chip market: multigrain Pringles. The story accepts at face value P&G’s misleading marketing pitch — that “multigrain” is equivalent to “healthy.” When I sent a link to my nutritionist friend Cynthia Sass., M.S., R.D., she replied: “Did you notice it says ‘advertising&#82... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3762900 Sun, 18 Jul 2010 01:06:23 +0100 3762900 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2424273&cid=t_164740_117_f&fid=36026&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Fzimney-health-and-medical-news-you-can-use%2Fglymetrol-a-scam-targeting-people-with-diabetes%2F I’ve recently seen a number of TV commercials for a product called Glymetrol that are extremely troubling. In fact, I find the marketing of Glymetrol offensive on so many levels it’s hard to know where to begin telling you about it. First is the cavalier manner in which this “natural” product is being marketed to people with diabetes, a potentially life-threatening disease, with severe long-term consequences if not managed properly, even though it has neither been reviewed nor approved by the FDA. People with diabetes should be under the close care of a physician fully knowledgeable about their condition, their blood sugar levels, their diet, their weight, their insulin sensitivity and their medications. Only at the bottom of the Glymetrol FAQs page does it even remotely suggest co... Dr. Z's Medical Report blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2424273 Wed, 20 May 2009 17:02:59 +0100 2424273 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2390064&cid=t_164740_117_f&fid=36026&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Fzimney-health-and-medical-news-you-can-use%2Fprotect-yourself-from-swine-flu-scams%2F It’s an unfortunate reality, but as a widespread, somewhat mysterious illness that has more questions than answers, the swine flu is a ripe target for scam artists. So along with protecting yourself and your family from infection, you’ve also got to be on guard against unscrupulous and shady marketers. There are three main types of swine flu-related scams: Swine spam Swine malware Swine “cures,” “remedies,” and “vaccines” Swine spam are e-mail messages that have the words “swine flu” in the subject line. The senders are simply using swine flu as a hook to get you to open the e-mail. When you open a spam e-mail, the sender may be notified that yours is a valid address and that you are amenable to opening messages. At a minimum they can collect these “good” addres... Dr. Z's Medical Report blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2390064 Tue, 05 May 2009 16:27:00 +0100 2390064 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2349633&cid=t_164740_140_f&fid=38154&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPatientTimes%2F%7E3%2FRBW3bIPfC6I%2F I run the expert forums in addiction and in mental health at MedHelp.org;  tonight I answered a question that has come up from patients of my practice and so I decided to share my answer here as well. First, the question: I previously sent this directly to your email. I apologize for that. I had forgotten that you are on this forum and its more appropriate to address here. Although its not specifically related to addiction, i do believe that many people suffering with addiction have co morbid  psych issues so perhaps it will be of general interest.  I was hoping that you would be so kind to comment on an article that I read written by a group or neurologists.   I know that your primary interests are in general psychiatry and addiction but I recall that you have a strong background in... Patient Times blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2349633 Mon, 20 Apr 2009 05:18:09 +0100 2349633 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2195225&cid=t_164740_117_f&fid=36026&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Fzimney-health-and-medical-news-you-can-use%2Fan-intro-to-dr-zs-medical-report%2F As Stephen Colbert would say: “Welcome to the Report ladies and gentlemen.” Dr. Z’s Medical Report has a new home here on Everyday Health, and I am happy to welcome both old and new readers to my blog, which began in 2006 on HealthTalk. Although HealthTalk no longer exists as its own website, much of its content has been incorporated into the Everyday Health website, including all the postings of Dr. Z’s Medical Report. You can still search the blog using the little search box on the right side of the page and can still subscribe to it via RSS. Nothing has changed except for the owner of the website; namely, Everyday Health and I’m happy to be part of their team. For those new to the Report, here’s a brief overview. I usually write twice a week with post... Dr. Z's Medical Report blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2195225 Thu, 12 Feb 2009 21:57:14 +0100 2195225 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2195227&cid=t_164740_117_f&fid=36026&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Fzimney-health-and-medical-news-you-can-use%2Fkinoki-detox-foot-pads-officially-a-scam%2F The first time I came across Kinoki detox foot pads I knew immediately that they were a scam and wrote a piece in these pages entitled “Kinoki detox foot pads - a scambuster report.”  In that blog I went so far as to say that Kinoki foot pads were such a blatant scam that they gave other scams a bad name. That blog became one of the most widely read items I’ve ever written, generating nearly 500 comments at last count. While some respondents disagreed and said that the pads had helped them, many writers agreed with my assessment of Kinoki as being a scam. Well, now the federal government has weighed in and guess what? They agree with me and have officially called Kinoki detox foot pads a scam. I’d always held that it was just a matter of time before the feds came d... Dr. Z's Medical Report blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2195227 Thu, 05 Feb 2009 22:44:49 +0100 2195227 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2122058&cid=t_164740_117_f&fid=36026&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fzimney%2Fthe-vitaminwater-scam%2F I’ve long held that most bottled water is a scam either because it’s simply way overpriced or because it’s falsely and/or misleadingly advertised as being good for you thanks to some added ingredient gimmick its marketers came up with. In fact, I previously wrote Water: A scambuster report, which deals with the issues of cost, the amount of water you need to drink each day, and safety (as in which is safer, tap or bottled water?). So it came as no surprise to me, and with a resounding “here, here” when I learned that the Center for Science in the Public Interest  (CSPI) had sued the Coca-Cola company for “deceptive and unsubstantiated claims” on its vitaminwater line of beverages.  The vitaminwater products are made by a company Coke owns called ... Dr. Z's Medical Report blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2122058 Wed, 21 Jan 2009 18:15:05 +0100 2122058 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2110873&cid=t_164740_117_f&fid=36026&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fzimney%2Fcolon-cleansing-is-a-waste-of-time-money-and-effort%2F A friend of mine recently asked what I thought of Evercleanse, the colon cleansing product-du-jour that’s being aggressively marketed to help you: “Lose the Waste. Lose the Weight.” I told him that all colon cleansing products are basically the same; namely, scams. The reason is that colon cleansing is wholly unnecessary and a complete waste of time, money and effort. Regardless of marketing hype, regardless of ingredients, regardless of method, regardless of testimonials, colon cleansing is quite purely and simply medical quackery. The one exception to this is when it’s prescribed medically as in preparation for an examination such as colonoscopy. It is quite amazing how many websites there are devoted to colon cleansing and how many such products are being offered... Dr. Z's Medical Report blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2110873 Thu, 15 Jan 2009 21:37:19 +0100 2110873 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2033847&cid=t_164740_117_f&fid=36026&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fzimney%2Ftop-5-health-scams-of-2008%2F It’s the time of year when annual “top” lists begin appearing everywhere like so many ornaments on the tree. So here’s Dr. Z’s roundup of the top five health scams of 2008: Kinoki Detox Foot Pads Kinoki and all other so-called detox foot pads top the list because of the sheer audacity involved in their shameless marketing and the utter lack of either a scientific basis through which they might work or any medical studies proving that they do. Yet we’ve received over 400 comments on my blog about them, attesting to the surprising interest people have in these worthless products. Despite their having been debunked on National Public Radio and the ABC news program “20/20″ inquiring minds still want to know, likely due to relentless marketing a... Dr. Z's Medical Report blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2033847 Fri, 12 Dec 2008 18:00:36 +0100 2033847 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2027970&cid=t_164740_117_f&fid=36026&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fzimney%2Fhomeopathy-is-a-scam%2F Homeopathy is a form of alternative medicine that was made up 200 years ago by a German physician named Samuel Hahnemann who was trying to improve on the then current medical practice of blood letting. But while homeopathy is usually less dangerous than blood letting, which was fatal to many of its patients, including most likely, George Washington, it is equally as effective. By which I mean to say categorically that it’s equally ineffective, which is why it might be dangerous - if truly effective medication is either not sought or refused. Homeopathy is based on the notion that “like cures like” - that a little of something causing illness would somehow cure it (and we’ll talk later about what is meant in homeopathy by the word “little,” which is more ... Dr. Z's Medical Report blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2027970 Tue, 09 Dec 2008 22:42:10 +0100 2027970 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1991740&cid=t_164740_117_f&fid=36026&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fzimney%2Fpreventing-alzheimers-disease-a-scambuster-report%2F Last time, I wrote about Ginkgo biloba being ineffective for the prevention of Alzheimer’s disease, which may have led you to wonder what actually can prevent it? In your Internet search, you might have been drawn in by the headline at CNN: “Five ways to keep Alzheimer’s away.” Unfortunately, that article, as with many similar ones that abound on the Internet, is long on hype and short on hard evidence. The article is so misleading, in fact, that before I tell you what’s really known about preventing Alzheimer’s I’d like to briefly puncture that particular hot air balloon.The CNN list of five ways to prevent Alzheimer’s begins with antioxidants, and in particular, vitamins A, C and E. They quote a psychiatrist who claims that “There are... Dr. Z's Medical Report blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1991740 Tue, 25 Nov 2008 19:57:29 +0100 1991740 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1895708&cid=t_164740_117_f&fid=36026&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fzimney%2Flife-line-screening-a-scambuster-report%2F Recently, I noticed a flyer in my local newspaper advertising an upcoming stroke prevention screening and since the flyer was so misleading and from a national company that screens all over the U.S., I thought I’d give you some facts to consider in case one of these screenings comes to your town and you wonder whether it’s worthwhile. The company involved is called Life Line Screening and their flyer claims “We Can Help You Avoid a Stroke.” They offer a package of four tests for $139 in which they look at your carotid arteries and your abdominal aorta using ultrasound technology, your heart rhythm using ECG technology, and the blood flow in the arteries of your legs using blood pressure technology (but actually, only the carotid exam and the heart rhythm have anythi... Dr. Z's Medical Report blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1895708 Tue, 21 Oct 2008 18:10:20 +0100 1895708 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1646466&cid=t_164740_117_f&fid=36026&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fzimney%2Fct-angiography-a-scambusters-report%2F If you see advertisements for or your doctor recommends you undergo CT angiography because it’s a relatively quick, painless way to get detailed images of your heart and its blood supply, and could uncover hidden abnormalities even though you have no symptoms of heart disease, consider asking the following questions: Do you, or does your practice, own or lease the CT scanning machine? How much money do you or your practice stand to gain from this test? If I went to another cardiologist, who doesn’t own or lease a CT scanning machine do you think they would also recommend the test? Turns out that there’s a significant controversy surrounding the increasing use of CT angiography. Not surprisingly, most of its proponents own or lease the equipment while its detract... Dr. Z's Medical Report blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1646466 Wed, 23 Jul 2008 00:40:48 +0100 1646466 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1544106&cid=t_164740_117_f&fid=36026&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fzimney%2Fwater-a-scambuster-report%2F That’s right, even water can be a scam these days. That’s because of relentless marketing, widespread misinformation and an ingrained mythology surrounding what ought to be a pretty simple fact of modern life: If you’re thirsty, have a glass of tap water. That would stand in contradistinction to a claim such as, “You need to drink at least eight eight ounce glasses of water a day (the 8×8 rule), preferably bottled, regardless of whether you’re thirsty and regardless of whether you live in a hot climate or engage in strenuous physical activity.” In fact, the 8×8 rule is so thoroughly entrenched in our common psyche that even most healthcare practitioners and nutritionists will spout it without a moment’s hesitation. Unfortunately, however, the 8×8 rule is a comp... Dr. Z's Medical Report blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1544106 Tue, 24 Jun 2008 19:32:15 +0100 1544106 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1391330&cid=t_164740_117_f&fid=36026&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fzimney%2Fdr-stephen-barrett-of-quackwatch-to-appear-on-health-now%2F Readers of my scambuster reports will want to listen in to our upcoming interview with Dr. Stephen Barrett, founder of the critically important Web site Quackwatch.com. On April 30, 2008, our show Health Now with Judy Foreman will be talking with this pioneering and tireless exposer of health quackery, frauds and scams. You can register for this free program at Health Now. Health Now with Judy Foreman is our weekly live Internet webcast (formerly called HealthTalk Live) in which we explore a wide range of issues and concerns that affect anyone touched by a chronic illness. Health Now features expert guests and listener phone and e-mail questions, and the discussion is always informative and free-ranging. Listen every Wednesday at 8:30 p.m. Eastern/5:30 p.m. Pacific, and check out the progr... Dr. Z's Medical Report blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1391330 Tue, 22 Apr 2008 19:53:43 +0100 1391330 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1379612&cid=t_164740_117_f&fid=36026&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fzimney%2Fdetoxykall-a-scambuster-report%2F Detoxykall. To some, a new chance at weight loss. To me, just another in a literally endless stream of weight-loss scams. That such a product exists at all, and that it is generating interest among thousands of people, speaks to two unfortunate truths: • There is tremendous suffering and desperation surrounding weight, weight-loss, eating and body image issues; and • There are legions of unscrupulous predators eager to exploit that pain for their commercial gain. Of course, there’s nothing especially bad or unique about Detoxykall. I could have picked any of hundreds of similarly bogus weight-loss wonders, this one just happened across my desk at the right time and just happened to catch my attention because of the large amount of Internet-interest it seems to be generating. What i... Dr. Z's Medical Report blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1379612 Thu, 17 Apr 2008 17:54:12 +0100 1379612 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1363912&cid=t_164740_117_f&fid=36026&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fzimney%2Ffrequent-blood-donation-doesnt-increase-cancer-risk%2F I’m a regular blood donor and so I was pleased to read about the results of a study that should put to rest one of the myths about blood donation that keeps some people from giving. This is the false belief that frequent blood donation might lead to an increased risk of cancer. Proponents of this concept have argued that since the routine removal of blood leads to routine renewal of that blood, these extra cell divisions could lead to a higher risk of a mutation occurring in one of the new cells, which could, theoretically, lead to a blood cell cancer. But a large study has found the opposite to be true. The study was reported on April 8, 2008 in the online version of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. It looked at about 11,000 regular blood donors who had developed a cancer d... Dr. Z's Medical Report blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1363912 Thu, 10 Apr 2008 19:41:40 +0100 1363912 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1347673&cid=t_164740_117_f&fid=36026&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fzimney%2Ftrans-fats-a-scambuster-report%2F Most people know that foods containing trans fats are bad, which is good. But not everyone realizes that foods containing no trans fats are not necessarily good, which is bad. You can hardly walk through the supermarket without being bombarded with product messages announcing “No Trans Fats,” as if that fact automatically rendered them healthful. In fact, a product could contain no trans fats and actually be 100 percent pure fat! That’s because there are two main types of fats; namely, saturated and unsaturated fats. And while avoiding trans fats is a good idea, equally, if not more important, is monitoring and limiting saturated fat intake because saturated fat (along with trans fat and cholesterol) raise the bad LDL form of cholesterol and lower the good HDL form. The way this work... Dr. Z's Medical Report blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1347673 Thu, 03 Apr 2008 19:46:51 +0100 1347673 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1331627&cid=t_164740_117_f&fid=36026&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fzimney%2Fdemi-moores-leech-detox-therapy-a-scambuster-report%2F While on the talk show circuit to promote her new diamond-heist film, “Flawless,” Demi Moore has also taken to promoting her recent experience with leech therapy, which she underwent in Austria as part of a so-called “cleanse.” The 46-year-old actress told Regis Philbin and Kelly Ripa on “Live With Regis & Kelly,” that with leeches, “They apply them to your body, and they suck your blood. They detoxify your blood.” But while it’s clear that the leeches do suck out some blood, it is equally clear, at least to me, that they don’t “detoxify” it. How could they? How could the removal of a small amount of blood, even if it were full of “toxins” serve to detoxify the remainder? Ms. Moore told David Letterman on “The Late Show with David Letterman” that “…t... Dr. Z's Medical Report blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1331627 Thu, 27 Mar 2008 22:33:56 +0100 1331627 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1260054&cid=t_164740_117_f&fid=36026&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fzimney%2Fthe-flat-belly-diet-is-a-scam%2F Next to Lindsay Lohan’s naked photos, the hottest thing on the Internet these days is the Flat Belly Diet. And while Lindsay Lohan may have a flat belly, she surely didn’t get it from the Flat Belly Diet, which is just the latest in a long line of weight loss scams. It’s not that the program they recommend is dangerous or bad, it’s just that it’s basically a marketing gimmick designed to slim down your wallet first and your abdomen second. Here are the reasons I call the Flat Belly Diet a scam: • The book costs $31.95! That’s simply outrageous. • The book is just the first part of the program, to which you must subscribe. I’m not sure of the exact cost but it’s around $15 a month. • There is a huge marketing effort behind the book including a slick website and coun... Dr. Z's Medical Report blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1260054 Tue, 26 Feb 2008 23:24:41 +0100 1260054 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1233351&cid=t_164740_117_f&fid=36026&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fzimney%2Fkinoki-detox-foot-pads-a-scambuster-report%2F Just when I think I’ve seen it all, along comes the Kinoki Foot Pad, an adhesive pad that you apply to the sole of your foot while sleeping and which, according to the distributor’s website is alleged to “assist your body in the removal of heavy metals, metabolic wastes, toxins, microscopic parasites, mucous, chemicals, cellulite and much more.” This is such a blatant scam that it gives other scams a bad name! There may also be other suppliers of similar detox foot pads such as Chikusaku Bamboo Vinegar Patches, but they are all basically the same. Under the heading of “What specific benefits can I expect?” they have the gall to list the following: Kinoki Detox Foot Pads may help: • Absorb toxins released by the body. • Relieve the burden on the immune system. • Assist ... Dr. Z's Medical Report blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1233351 Thu, 14 Feb 2008 23:17:57 +0100 1233351 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1175087&cid=t_164740_117_f&fid=36026&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fzimney%2Fmaster-cleanse-debate-on-radio-talk-show%2F I have written many times about the Master Cleanse program in this blog (links provided at the end of this post). My comments have been covered by the Associated Press and are also on Wikipedia. Most recently, however, was a radio talk show virtual debate between Peter Glickman, a major proponent of the Master Cleanse, and myself, taking a more negative position. The program aired live on Saturday January 19, 2008 on KCRW, a public radio station in Los Angeles. The show was part of a weekly food program called Good Food, hosted by Evan Kleiman. But if you’re interested, you can access the show’s archive at any time simply by visiting the KCRW web page. When you get there, you’ll find a description of the entire show, including all the guests. Near the top of the page, under the date,... Dr. Z's Medical Report blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1175087 Thu, 24 Jan 2008 18:49:52 +0100 1175087 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1152933&cid=t_164740_117_f&fid=36026&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fzimney%2Fblack-cohosh-for-treating-symptoms-of-menopause%2F All women go through menopause and some 75 percent of them experience hot flashes, which are also called hot flushes, and are known more technically as vasomotor symptoms. Most hot flashes are mild to moderate in intensity and they typically stop occurring after a time (usually within six months to two years), with or without therapy (although the exact timing cannot be predicted). Some women experience severe symptoms that prompt them to seek treatment. It is also estimated that some 50 to 75 percent of women use some form of alternative treatments for their symptoms, including soy products, herbal products (especially black cohosh), vitamin E and acupuncture. For most of these therapies, there is little scientific evidence to prove they work. In many cases, however, the data are conflict... Dr. Z's Medical Report blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1152933 Tue, 15 Jan 2008 22:16:39 +0100 1152933