Friday, February 18, 2011

Pseudoscience


Pseudoscience to me is those weight loss commercials claiming to be a medical break through. Yet at the end in either fine print or gone over quickly verbally is the fact that none of the statements or claims have been evaluated by the FDA. Furthermore, these ads are not supervised by the FDA unless complaints are lodged against the company. The FDA regulates foods and medicines, not supplements and substances not claiming to cure a disease. Weight loss pills are supplements ergo they are unregulated. Therefore, their is no standard test and procedures these products have to pass meaning all claims made by them mostly likely would not stand up to traditional testing methods. In an article by the mayo clinic staff many of these drugs were listed with their claims, effective, and safety examined. Only one was proven effective, but the FDA is currently investigating claims of liver damage as a side effect. This article is at http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/weight-loss/HQ01160.
Something I suspect maybe pseudoscience is claims of antioxidant rich fruits such as acai berries and blueberries reducing signs of aging. Antioxidants do help the body to function better longer, meaning less wear and tear, but I do not know that it makes any significant difference if I eat "superfoods" rich with antioxidants over taking a multi-vitamin. Again this is not something evaluated by the FDA, but nutritionists agree that antioxidants do a body good. So, I'm not sure how much of it is a food fad, and what has real visible effects. Products such as the Bossa Nova drinks picture here sprung up based on claims of acai berries being "the nature's highest antioxidant fruit".  Supporters of the value of acai berries include Dr. Oz in an article on anti-aging found on Oprah's website. That article can be found here http://www.oprah.com/health/Dr-Ozs-Ultimate-Anti-Aging-Checklist/3. While I'm still not a hundred percent sold, I have trouble thinking that Oprah would outright lie to her legions of loyal fans.


Friday, February 4, 2011

Professor Martinez asked:
How do you know that you are alive? Is the scientific definition of a living thing complete or are there other characteristics that you would use to define a living thing?
My response:
I know that I am alive in the scientific sense because I meet all the 9 requirements outlined in the textbook "Campbell Essential Biology". I have order, shown in the symmetry of my body. I exhibit regulation; my body sweats to maintain the homeostasis of my body's internal temperature. I grow. I utilize energy by eating. I respond to my environment. For example, I blink to remove sand from my eye. I have the ability to reproduce as a human. I as a human have the potential to evolve as my ancestors evolved.
While I generally agree with the scientific definition of life there should be certain exceptions to the scientific definition of a living thing. Such as mules, which while incapable of reproducing other mules, are very much alive.