Nowadays, celebrities and influencers are keen on selling products and brands that can supposedly help people in improving their bodies and body image. Sometimes -- if not most of the time -- these products are more of a result of a money-making scheme rather than actual science. Sadly, a lot of people are taking a bite of these products and believe that it actually had an effect and spends money on them. To be able to avoid getting scammed by such products, here are 5 myths that pose as hip health trends
BRAIN SUPPLEMENTS BOOSTS COGNITIVE FUNCTION
The brain supplement industry is booming and that's because 25% of America's old people are willing to spend $90 monthly for supplements that are packaged to improve the brain's cognitive function. However, in a recent study done by the American Association of Retired Persons, it is stated that the brain supplements catered to the elderly show no signs of benefitting people with normal nutrient levels. Also, according to the report, those who take these pills are prone to potential product impurities.
CANNABIDIOLS ARE THE ULTIMATE MEDICINE
When people talk about cannabis, the first thing that comes to mind is THC or tetrahydrocannabinol or the principal psychoactive element in the cannabis or in simpler terms, the one that is responsible for the "high".
THC is not only the cannabinol found within the controversial plant. Another one, the cannabidiol, is hailed as a medical breakthrough. Add the technicality that in United States law, the illegal one is THC, people are flocking towards CBD as an alternative. So what? It can give a good high while being first aid for seizures. Everything is fine, right? Wrong. The CBD is now packaged as supplements that contain a dangerous amount of the substance. To make matters worse, these CBD-infused supplements are not tested hence people are not yet sure of its effect when taken with other medications. However, it is known that this untested product can react negatively with legitimate medications like blood thinners.
ALKALINE WATER LOWERS ACIDITY IN THE BODY
It is a common misconception that liquids packed as alkaline water can minimize the acidity level of the body and can make people lose weight and battle cancer. Unfortunately, that is not the case.
Alkaline water has been present in everyone's consciousness since the 1960s but the fad kicked off when self-proclaimed alternative doctor Robert O. Young reintroduced the alkaline diet fad. According to him, the body's metabolism will surely go up when the pH levels increase. However, scientists warn the public that alkaline water does not have an actual effect other than maybe quenching the thirst.
The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics has long explained that a normally functioning body is able to neutralize pH levels from food or beverages before it reaches the bloodstream. Also, according to experts, if alkaline water is mixed with regular water, it may remove the helpful minerals that are good for the body.
CRYOTHERAPY CHAMBERS HELP MUSCLES REJUVENATE
There are big-time athletes that endorse cryotherapy chambers for relieving chronic pain, help in weight loss, tighten the skin, and it even went as far as claiming it can cure depression -- all for $90 per session. Cryotherapy involves placing patients into a cryo locker that is then filled with liquid nitrogen that will produce the cold (colder than the lowest temperature on the planet, as they claim). According to the developers of this technology, the hyper-cooling will ignite the body's survival mode and increase its fitness by hyper-oxygenating the blood. It may sound out-of-this-world but experts say that this process is nothing more than a gimmick and the whole ordeal is similar to putting yourself on ice.
ACTIVATED CHARCOAL IS THE BEST KIND OF TOOTHPASTE
Toothpaste companies that claim the advantages of activated charcoal explain that the charcoal's cleaning substance will absorb stains brought by food and beverages in the teeth. However, this claim has little scientific proof.
According to the study published by the Journal of the American Dental Association in 2017, 90% of the products that have activated charcoal are useless while the remaining 10% showed mixed results. The journal also explained that the tiny bits of activated charcoal may crawl into the teeth crevices.
