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The Skeptic's Guide to Alternative Medicine
Listening Length: 4 hours and 24 minutes
Energy medicine. Acupuncture. Superfoods. Healing magnets. What does the scientific evidence really say about these and other "alternative medicine" treatments for personal wellness?
How can we know if a natural remedy is safe and effective? How can people become their own best skeptical consumer of health news in the media? Join neurologist and science educator Dr. Steven Novella for a fascinating exploration of these and other important questions about the truths-and myths-behind alternative medicine.
Perhaps the most important skill to have in this brave new world of ever-changing medical news is the ability to evaluate sources and information, and to think critically about how alternative medicine is marketed, regulated, and used. Dr. Novella takes a rigorous, science-based approach in exploring so-called "popular" and "cutting-edge" trends. Armed with this knowledge, listeners will be in a much better position to assess alternative pathways to physical health.
Dr. Novella's 10 leading-edge lectures will answer such questions as:
Do magnetic fields really have useful biological properties?
Why is chiropractic treatment no more effective for pain management than simple physical therapy?
Can brain games truly make one smarter or help in staving off dementia?
Can homeopathic remedies, such as those derived from plants and minerals, really cure ailments?
Does cupping therapy really help to reduce pain and inflammation, while increasing blood flow?
Dr. Novella provides insights on the ever-widening gap between alternative medicine and
Energy medicine. Acupuncture. Superfoods. Healing magnets. What does the scientific evidence really say about these and other "alternative medicine" treatments for personal wellness?
How can we know if a natural remedy is safe and effective? How can people become their own best skeptical consumer of health news in the media? Join neurologist and science educator Dr. Steven Novella for a fascinating exploration of these and other important questions about the truths-and myths-behind alternative medicine.
Perhaps the most important skill to have in this brave new world of ever-changing medical news is the ability to evaluate sources and information, and to think critically about how alternative medicine is marketed, regulated, and used. Dr. Novella takes a rigorous, science-based approach in exploring so-called "popular" and "cutting-edge" trends. Armed with this knowledge, listeners will be in a much better position to assess alternative pathways to physical health.
Dr. Novella's 10 leading-edge lectures will answer such questions as:
Do magnetic fields really have useful biological properties?
Why is chiropractic treatment no more effective for pain management than simple physical therapy?
Can brain games truly make one smarter or help in staving off dementia?
Can homeopathic remedies, such as those derived from plants and minerals, really cure ailments?
Does cupping therapy really help to reduce pain and inflammation, while increasing blood flow?
Dr. Novella provides insights on the ever-widening gap between alternative medicine and
5 pages, Audible Audio
Published November 19, 2019
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
February 12, 2022
The Skeptic's Guide to Alternative Medicine by Steven Novella MD, The Great Courses Audible Original narrated by Steven Novella is giving information that encourages critical thinking. To develop critical thinking, you most likely need to have more information than inspiring personal experiences from an individual or group of people. A medical trial is done, be aware of the results, where the trial was held and so on. Incredibly thoughtful and mind changing.
February 6, 2022
This book reads like an atheist's guide to religion - when it comes to any God(s), everything is bullshit. Given that faith is exactly that - faith, there are no practical proofs in favor or against any claim. This is not exactly true for alternative medicine, since usually a person either gets better or they don't after seeking such a treatment (yes, I am aware that not every case is black or white clear cut improvement or not, but you get the general idea). I kind of feel that this book dismisses too easily and collectively any sort of alternative treatment. Agreed, most of them are indeed snake oil, but on the other hand, one cannot simply ascribe each improvement so many patients experience to an universal placebo effect - if that was the case, all these methods should have become obsolete a long time ago. There are too many things about the human body that we still don't understand, despite the huge progress in every scientific aspect, and this book didn't manage to fully convince me, even though it gave me some valuable lessons on how to examine the validity of any alternative treatment's claims.
June 2, 2021
While I am already a skeptic and think critically about most topics, I can lean towards the hopeful and credulous when it comes to medicine – not just for myself, but particularly for my animals. This lecture series dives into the details of a variety of modalities and treatments (many of which I pretty much already knew were bunk, but the histories and details are very interesting) and – probably most importantly – addresses how to apply critical thinking to medicine and medical practitioners. And while he's talking about human medicine, everything he discusses can be applied to veterinary medicine as well (most of the specific treatments he covers are also used for animals, and I know a lot of people [including myself] who have spent a lot of money hoping alternative medicine will help their animals).
I recommend listening, even if it can raise your defenses about your favorite alternative treatment(s). At the end of the day, of course, it's only one doctor's research, but if nothing else, his recommendations about critical thinking should be taken to heart.
I recommend listening, even if it can raise your defenses about your favorite alternative treatment(s). At the end of the day, of course, it's only one doctor's research, but if nothing else, his recommendations about critical thinking should be taken to heart.
July 13, 2021
I listened to at least half of this, when I finally realized I wasn’t really enjoying it. The entire class is just him saying that any alternative medicine just doesn’t work. He talks about how you can find a study to prove just about anything. And, he just accumulates all the studies that agree with his way of thinking.
November 26, 2021
3.75/5
This book gives a short evaluation of numerous alternative medicine popular in the western world. I love this scientific approach and I was highly entertained by the sarcasm.
Some quotes:
(After meticulous mathematic calculations about homeopathic dilutions) 'This leads to the unavoidable conclusion that homeopathic remedies likely do not contain any of the original substance.'
'It is in fact, as close to impossible as we can get in science. '
'So we have fanciful substances chosen on the basis of magical thinking and unscientific provings, but none of that matters that are all then diluted out of existence.'
This guy crushed homeopathy.
However, this same scientific approach did not apply to all topics. The author has used suggestive language in this book that made me - a skeptic - feel skeptical. For example introducing acupuncture as a political propaganda and attributed all success of acupuncture to Mao? That didn't sit well with me. In this sinophobic world this line alone can make people forget logical reasoning and support an arguments purely by sensations. The effectiveness of acupuncture has been extensively researched and many RCTs and meta-analyses have been published. I'm in no way an advocate for TCM. And as acupuncture cannot be researched in a double blinded fashion and the pathophysiology is not yet clearly understood, the evidence and clinical implications are still debatable. But this is such an interesting topic that can be explored more. This topic alone deserves way more elaborations than it was given to in this book.
Another topic that the author has failed to address was the so-called placebo effects demonstrated by sham therapists. I think there's another bias going on - a more positive relationship between the therapist and the patient, as some alternative medicine in fact helped people psychologically, rather than biologically (what some alternative medicine practices want us to believe) but what I find very interesting is that I can reach the same desired effect - less suffering.
But I love how the author talked through most common alternative medicine and brought up the societal issues such as how alternative medicine without proper scientific evidence is being insured, how non-believers are forced to pay for alternative medicine this way, the shady sides of herbal medicine and the marketing game of herbal companies. It's overall an enjoyable listen, and I'd recommend this book to anyone interested in learning more about the common misbeliefs about alternative medicine, or, what the business behind alternative medicine wants us to believe.
This book gives a short evaluation of numerous alternative medicine popular in the western world. I love this scientific approach and I was highly entertained by the sarcasm.
Some quotes:
(After meticulous mathematic calculations about homeopathic dilutions) 'This leads to the unavoidable conclusion that homeopathic remedies likely do not contain any of the original substance.'
'It is in fact, as close to impossible as we can get in science. '
'So we have fanciful substances chosen on the basis of magical thinking and unscientific provings, but none of that matters that are all then diluted out of existence.'
This guy crushed homeopathy.
However, this same scientific approach did not apply to all topics. The author has used suggestive language in this book that made me - a skeptic - feel skeptical. For example introducing acupuncture as a political propaganda and attributed all success of acupuncture to Mao? That didn't sit well with me. In this sinophobic world this line alone can make people forget logical reasoning and support an arguments purely by sensations. The effectiveness of acupuncture has been extensively researched and many RCTs and meta-analyses have been published. I'm in no way an advocate for TCM. And as acupuncture cannot be researched in a double blinded fashion and the pathophysiology is not yet clearly understood, the evidence and clinical implications are still debatable. But this is such an interesting topic that can be explored more. This topic alone deserves way more elaborations than it was given to in this book.
Another topic that the author has failed to address was the so-called placebo effects demonstrated by sham therapists. I think there's another bias going on - a more positive relationship between the therapist and the patient, as some alternative medicine in fact helped people psychologically, rather than biologically (what some alternative medicine practices want us to believe) but what I find very interesting is that I can reach the same desired effect - less suffering.
But I love how the author talked through most common alternative medicine and brought up the societal issues such as how alternative medicine without proper scientific evidence is being insured, how non-believers are forced to pay for alternative medicine this way, the shady sides of herbal medicine and the marketing game of herbal companies. It's overall an enjoyable listen, and I'd recommend this book to anyone interested in learning more about the common misbeliefs about alternative medicine, or, what the business behind alternative medicine wants us to believe.
February 2, 2022
It took one lecture to get used to the professor's voice, but once I got that, the rest was terrific. Good information about miracle cures, the lack of good oversight with herbal supplements, the issues with chiropractic practices (it varies). I've been to a chiropractor and he helps me considerably with my back, but beyond that sort of thing, I don't follow those things that many of them promote. My wife has gained benefit from acupuncture, but I think it is more due to placebo effect or something other than putting actual needles into her. My wife encouraged me to try it, but I declined.
The professor covers a wide range of alternative medicine subjects. It seemed like a balanced presentation.
I'd listen to this audiobook again.
The professor covers a wide range of alternative medicine subjects. It seemed like a balanced presentation.
I'd listen to this audiobook again.
June 28, 2022
Such a good basis! I'm so happy S. Novella keeps bringing material to help people out. Can't wait for The Skeptics' Guide to the Future to be released!
August 16, 2022
Overall a nice and short overview of alternative medicine. However, I feel this book won’t convince too many people. For people who actually believe in these therapies, this book is too scientific, statistical power, p value will go right over their head. For scientifically inclined folks, they don’t believe these therapies to start with.
Notes:
Evidence based medicine vs science based medicine. Placebo effect is a combination of many effects.
Herb. No proven effect. Quality control poor. Because the effective ingredient is not known, dosage essentially vary hugely between plants and even pills. Manufacturers substitution, adulteration, heavy metal pollution. They even add pharmaceuticals to boost effectiveness. Natural halo effect. “Natural must be better”. However, plants evolve to produce toxins to kill animal that try to eat them. Occasionally one herb do have real effect, scientifically proven, but they are already made into pharmaceuticals.
Supplements: mostly useless. Harmful if overdose. Beneficial if you have specific deficiencies, which most people with healthy diets don’t.
Homeopathy. Laws of similarity. Laws of infinitesimals. Simply absurd. Crazy that they are automatically approved by FDA.
Magnetic devices. No benefit. You need extremely strong magnetic fields to even have a physiological effect. Detox mostly bullshit. Netipot is the only documented method that removes one specific kind of toxins.
Energy med. outdated vitalism and essentialism revived.
Acupuncture and cupping. Weak pain relief evidence.
Acupuncture. Elaborate placebo effect. Study show it has same effect as tooth pick pricks.
Chiropractic. Chiropractic in the very narrow sense, a manipulative procedure to treat muscular-skeletal problems, do have positive benefits, although evidence is not comprehensive. But the more traditional broad Chiropractic, which claims to treat/prevent other disease like ear infection, is completely non scientific.
Brain games. He highlighted some brain games that won’t work, but left room for legitimate cognitive therapy. Wasn’t very clear to me how to distinguish between them besides "see if the theory is fringe".
Cutting Edge science. Beware of legitimate science that are still in preliminary research phase. Some might overstate their efficacy to profit. Stem cell. Probiotic. Brain wave therapy.
How to be a skeptical consumer. News: trust no single source. Seek a contrarian opinion. Source associated with institutions/universities > professional group > commercial website that wants to sell you something.
Red flags: Advice outside of their area of expertise. One cause/cure for all disease. They are the only clinic that can perform a cure. Treating you as part of research but still charging you. Located in low regulation countries. Hard sell. Invoke conspiracy theory to explain other red flags. (“They” are hiding a cancer cure.)
Dealing with poor MDs. Association. Recommendation from primary care. Get 2nd 3rd opinion. Red flag: offer pseudo-science.
DO are essentially the same MD nowadays. Beware chiropractic that adhere to pseudo science theories.
Products: red flags: supplements are not reg’ed by FDA. They can legally claim anything as long as they don’t mention disease by name. They can legally claim to “boost immunity” etc without any requirement of evidence. Beware of such “structure/function claims”. Red flags: techno babble. Quantum. Frequency. Energy. Natural. Appeal to ancient wisdoms.
Do not rely too much on your own anecdotal evidence. Placebo effect. Revert to the mean. Similar, if you don’t get better, doesn’t mean treatment is worthless.
Interaction: ask questions. They like patients w/ questions. Bring someone with you. Look up online before seeing doctor. 2nd and 3rd opinion. Give feedback. Don’t try to be your own doctor.
Notes:
Evidence based medicine vs science based medicine. Placebo effect is a combination of many effects.
Herb. No proven effect. Quality control poor. Because the effective ingredient is not known, dosage essentially vary hugely between plants and even pills. Manufacturers substitution, adulteration, heavy metal pollution. They even add pharmaceuticals to boost effectiveness. Natural halo effect. “Natural must be better”. However, plants evolve to produce toxins to kill animal that try to eat them. Occasionally one herb do have real effect, scientifically proven, but they are already made into pharmaceuticals.
Supplements: mostly useless. Harmful if overdose. Beneficial if you have specific deficiencies, which most people with healthy diets don’t.
Homeopathy. Laws of similarity. Laws of infinitesimals. Simply absurd. Crazy that they are automatically approved by FDA.
Magnetic devices. No benefit. You need extremely strong magnetic fields to even have a physiological effect. Detox mostly bullshit. Netipot is the only documented method that removes one specific kind of toxins.
Energy med. outdated vitalism and essentialism revived.
Acupuncture and cupping. Weak pain relief evidence.
Acupuncture. Elaborate placebo effect. Study show it has same effect as tooth pick pricks.
Chiropractic. Chiropractic in the very narrow sense, a manipulative procedure to treat muscular-skeletal problems, do have positive benefits, although evidence is not comprehensive. But the more traditional broad Chiropractic, which claims to treat/prevent other disease like ear infection, is completely non scientific.
Brain games. He highlighted some brain games that won’t work, but left room for legitimate cognitive therapy. Wasn’t very clear to me how to distinguish between them besides "see if the theory is fringe".
Cutting Edge science. Beware of legitimate science that are still in preliminary research phase. Some might overstate their efficacy to profit. Stem cell. Probiotic. Brain wave therapy.
How to be a skeptical consumer. News: trust no single source. Seek a contrarian opinion. Source associated with institutions/universities > professional group > commercial website that wants to sell you something.
Red flags: Advice outside of their area of expertise. One cause/cure for all disease. They are the only clinic that can perform a cure. Treating you as part of research but still charging you. Located in low regulation countries. Hard sell. Invoke conspiracy theory to explain other red flags. (“They” are hiding a cancer cure.)
Dealing with poor MDs. Association. Recommendation from primary care. Get 2nd 3rd opinion. Red flag: offer pseudo-science.
DO are essentially the same MD nowadays. Beware chiropractic that adhere to pseudo science theories.
Products: red flags: supplements are not reg’ed by FDA. They can legally claim anything as long as they don’t mention disease by name. They can legally claim to “boost immunity” etc without any requirement of evidence. Beware of such “structure/function claims”. Red flags: techno babble. Quantum. Frequency. Energy. Natural. Appeal to ancient wisdoms.
Do not rely too much on your own anecdotal evidence. Placebo effect. Revert to the mean. Similar, if you don’t get better, doesn’t mean treatment is worthless.
Interaction: ask questions. They like patients w/ questions. Bring someone with you. Look up online before seeing doctor. 2nd and 3rd opinion. Give feedback. Don’t try to be your own doctor.
January 23, 2022
There were parts of this that were solid, but others were lacking. First, too many examples felt pretty obvious, like forcing a child to crawl won't help her overcome neurological developmental delays. Second, he was pretty dismissive of treatments based on one or two more out there claims than the full range of possibilities. For example, he briefly mentioned that cupping was a sham, but in the context of claims like it boosting immunity. Several of my doctors have recommended it to loosen knots in my muscles which are pinching veins and arteries. I've received this treatment at a well recognized healthcare system. After a cupping session, one can physically feel the difference in my muscles. Same with trigger point injections (though it's not clear if his dismissal of dry needling is the same as trigger point injections). If he meant that loosening very tight muscles has no impact on any condition, it would have been helpful for him to explain why. Doctors have measured the difference over the course of my treatment and there's been improvement. I didn't expect him to cover all treatments for all conditions, but saying something like, there's no evidence it can improve immunity, but it seems to help in limited cases like muscle tension. There wasn't this nuance in his lectures and there really needed to be to take his other claims seriously. Lastly, there were a few glaring gaps in his coverage. Probably the biggest one being Ayurvedic medicine. Maybe this is because it is an effective treatment, but it would have been useful to say that in a sentence or two when he discussed things like Chinese medicine and the idea that longevity doesn't mean evidence based success. There were useful things to get out of this course, but not as many as I had hoped.
August 15, 2021
Why is this so short? It's extremely short to be an entry in The Great Courses. A bigger problem is that there's a wealth of material for the author to explore - I believe this book could be easily twice the size and still be interesting and valuable.
The author logically tears apart concepts like acupuncture, homeopathy, chiropractice, reiki and many more, as well as providing some general guidance on spotting dubious medical claims.
Especially in this era (during a pandemic exacerbated by anti-vaxxers) we desperately need people to be properly educated and question medical beliefs that go against accepted medical practice.
If only there was a way to get such people to listen to this audiobook.
The author logically tears apart concepts like acupuncture, homeopathy, chiropractice, reiki and many more, as well as providing some general guidance on spotting dubious medical claims.
Especially in this era (during a pandemic exacerbated by anti-vaxxers) we desperately need people to be properly educated and question medical beliefs that go against accepted medical practice.
If only there was a way to get such people to listen to this audiobook.
April 2, 2021
Because this book approaches its topic from the direction of scientific rigor, it inherently comes out against most forms of alternative medicine. Unlike religion, what you believe isn't what matters. Opinions aren't scientific fact. This book gives an excellent history and overview of each treatment type, covering what studies say is good or bad. It also explains why different studies are considered good or bad by the scientific community. The science is explained in a way that the general population should be able to understand it.
July 30, 2020
There are so many people out there who lack a funding grasp of science who fall prey to these ludicrous ideas that it's no wonder that the world at large doesnt listen to experts anymore. Especially when even experts can fall foul of not listening to the evidence and drawing their own biased conclusions. The ability to think critically needs to be taught from a much earlier level to save people and their pets from those out to make a quick buck from those who don't but should know better.
November 18, 2021
This book provides useful information on how to objectively evaluate health claims. Even if we directly experience improvements from a treatment, we need to look at possible causes. It may be when we feel at our worst, we sought out a treatment. And with or without treatment, our body was on the road to recovery.
September 30, 2021
Great book about the scientific process and how to be skeptical.
Only about 1% of basic science findings will pan out to become new medical treatments
Observational studies find correlation only, not cause and effect because you can't control variables. Ex: does taking vitamins reduce risk of health events or do people who take vitamins also exercise? (Heathly/unhealthy user effect)
Does a treatment really work? Must wait for the decline effect. Preliminary studies are often positive but as more studies are conducted the effectiveness often declines.more positive studies are published than negative ones and those positive results can often be attributed to bias or chance. As more studies are done the average of these overall effectiveness is revealed.
When is it the right time to adopt new treatments? Very complex, hierachy of evidence, consider risk vs cost
About 60% of preliminary clinical research is false positive. If a treatment is less and less scientifically plausible, that number approaches 100%.(ex: a study showing a positive result that a psychic healer can treat diabetes is highly improbable).
Naturally occurring does not necessarily mean safe. Health halo = "naturally occurring must be safe"
Read the study that showed that 20% of liver toxicity is due to herbal products.
" Natural products could be beneficial over the counter remedies but but need to be studied with clinical trials. If you take the time to study them then purify and quantify the active ingredient it becomes a pharmaceutical."
On herbs and supplements: At the end of the day there is no advantage to taking a mix of drugs in varying doses.
Last chapter is a great summary of red flags/considerations.
Only about 1% of basic science findings will pan out to become new medical treatments
Observational studies find correlation only, not cause and effect because you can't control variables. Ex: does taking vitamins reduce risk of health events or do people who take vitamins also exercise? (Heathly/unhealthy user effect)
Does a treatment really work? Must wait for the decline effect. Preliminary studies are often positive but as more studies are conducted the effectiveness often declines.more positive studies are published than negative ones and those positive results can often be attributed to bias or chance. As more studies are done the average of these overall effectiveness is revealed.
When is it the right time to adopt new treatments? Very complex, hierachy of evidence, consider risk vs cost
About 60% of preliminary clinical research is false positive. If a treatment is less and less scientifically plausible, that number approaches 100%.(ex: a study showing a positive result that a psychic healer can treat diabetes is highly improbable).
Naturally occurring does not necessarily mean safe. Health halo = "naturally occurring must be safe"
Read the study that showed that 20% of liver toxicity is due to herbal products.
" Natural products could be beneficial over the counter remedies but but need to be studied with clinical trials. If you take the time to study them then purify and quantify the active ingredient it becomes a pharmaceutical."
On herbs and supplements: At the end of the day there is no advantage to taking a mix of drugs in varying doses.
Last chapter is a great summary of red flags/considerations.
April 14, 2024
Whilst it covers similar ground to the skeptics guide to the universe book its good covering of common pitfalls made in the medical industry and a reminder to be a skeptical consumer. Can be funny and sarcastic at times "This cereal is part of a nutrious breakfast. Yes, but is it an important part of that nutritious breakfast." And sometimes can lump things together: Eye movement PSTD treatment, high coat and difficult, if lumped in with meditation and mindfullness, free and low cost.
Choice notes
Aromotherapy In order to end up with one atom of earth for a 30c solution you would need 10 billion earths
Brain training improves performance on the task performed, little benefit on related tasks and no benefit to other tasks
150 trials of therapeutic touch showed 47% could tell if they were touching a real arm. No difference in number of years of experience and 130 follow up tests showed 41% success. Not Statistically different from random guys. Emily rosen was 9 at the time she did this for science fair
Chiropractic study showing equal to rehab was on patients already cleared from counter indicted conditions e.g. pinched nerve. Not how most chiropractors work.
Claims are premature. Trying to capitalise on how. 15-20 year lag between flashy headline and the ultimate treatment, if it even gets there.
Yoghurt to boost micro biome is like planting corn in the rainforest, unlikely to effect the billions of already present organisms
To effect a neuro transmitter we have to work with that it is used by other networks in the brain. We cannot get more precise targeted pharmaceutical mental benefits than nature had provided for us.
Choice notes
Aromotherapy In order to end up with one atom of earth for a 30c solution you would need 10 billion earths
Brain training improves performance on the task performed, little benefit on related tasks and no benefit to other tasks
150 trials of therapeutic touch showed 47% could tell if they were touching a real arm. No difference in number of years of experience and 130 follow up tests showed 41% success. Not Statistically different from random guys. Emily rosen was 9 at the time she did this for science fair
Chiropractic study showing equal to rehab was on patients already cleared from counter indicted conditions e.g. pinched nerve. Not how most chiropractors work.
Claims are premature. Trying to capitalise on how. 15-20 year lag between flashy headline and the ultimate treatment, if it even gets there.
Yoghurt to boost micro biome is like planting corn in the rainforest, unlikely to effect the billions of already present organisms
To effect a neuro transmitter we have to work with that it is used by other networks in the brain. We cannot get more precise targeted pharmaceutical mental benefits than nature had provided for us.
December 20, 2022
Another must-consume work on critical thinking from Dr Novella, this time laser-focused on alternative medicine.
After introducing the listener to what constitutes good evidence, and laying out a framework for evaluating a proposed area of treatment, Dr Novella gets straight to work applying this framework to some of the most popular areas of alternative medicine around today.
He dives into the history for each of these “fields” and explains the claims made by their practitioners. The underlying plausibility of these claims based on known science is covered, followed by a brief overview of recent valid scientific investigation of them. Finally a discussion of all of these factors gives an idea of what value, if any, can actually be gained from the field.
This systematic approach is interesting, effective, and can easily be applied to other topics as well. It’s a relatively light but worthwhile listen.
After introducing the listener to what constitutes good evidence, and laying out a framework for evaluating a proposed area of treatment, Dr Novella gets straight to work applying this framework to some of the most popular areas of alternative medicine around today.
He dives into the history for each of these “fields” and explains the claims made by their practitioners. The underlying plausibility of these claims based on known science is covered, followed by a brief overview of recent valid scientific investigation of them. Finally a discussion of all of these factors gives an idea of what value, if any, can actually be gained from the field.
This systematic approach is interesting, effective, and can easily be applied to other topics as well. It’s a relatively light but worthwhile listen.
July 23, 2021
Save yourself some time and pass on this book. Spoiler alert:
According to Dr. Steven Novella, MD, no alternative medicine modalities are effective. If there are studies that prove their efficacy, the studies are implausible or flawed for many reasons. If there aren't many studies available, or those studies are not published, he states that it is proof that the modalities do not work. He never suggests that more studies are needed.
This reads more like a bitter medical doctor who wants his patients to stay away from alternative medicine. If you are a skeptic, you will continue to be a skeptic. If you are curious about alternative medicine, this isn't an impartial read.
According to Dr. Steven Novella, MD, no alternative medicine modalities are effective. If there are studies that prove their efficacy, the studies are implausible or flawed for many reasons. If there aren't many studies available, or those studies are not published, he states that it is proof that the modalities do not work. He never suggests that more studies are needed.
This reads more like a bitter medical doctor who wants his patients to stay away from alternative medicine. If you are a skeptic, you will continue to be a skeptic. If you are curious about alternative medicine, this isn't an impartial read.
June 11, 2023
I don’t think he’s 100% right.
I also don’t think he’s 100% wrong.
I do believe there is far more middle-ground than what he’s teaching in this book.
But it’s good to get a variety of options.
The final chapter was my favorite, at least he said to look at all your options, but he was still very against so many of them.
So then I looked at the publish date - 2019 - well that’s not that old. I mean, there have been some updates since then, but even that doesn’t explain his complete lack of support for outside opinions.
Oh well– it’s good to get a variety of opinions – even he says this – and absolutely his opinions are strong.
I also don’t think he’s 100% wrong.
I do believe there is far more middle-ground than what he’s teaching in this book.
But it’s good to get a variety of options.
The final chapter was my favorite, at least he said to look at all your options, but he was still very against so many of them.
So then I looked at the publish date - 2019 - well that’s not that old. I mean, there have been some updates since then, but even that doesn’t explain his complete lack of support for outside opinions.
Oh well– it’s good to get a variety of opinions – even he says this – and absolutely his opinions are strong.
October 3, 2023
Another reviewer said it best: “This book reads like an atheist’s guide to religion.”
While some chapters are very well researched, others take a single aspect of a practice that is questionable or difficult to explain, and reject the entire tradition?
For example, acupuncture/acupressure may not cure cancer as a few might claim, but it can do wonders for headaches, migrations, or seasickness.
Just because there are some problems and charlatans in a field should not cause whole cloth rejection.
One should take as skeptical a view about the book as it does other subjects in order to discern parts that are of value and parts that have questionable conclusions.
While some chapters are very well researched, others take a single aspect of a practice that is questionable or difficult to explain, and reject the entire tradition?
For example, acupuncture/acupressure may not cure cancer as a few might claim, but it can do wonders for headaches, migrations, or seasickness.
Just because there are some problems and charlatans in a field should not cause whole cloth rejection.
One should take as skeptical a view about the book as it does other subjects in order to discern parts that are of value and parts that have questionable conclusions.
February 15, 2022
1,5 stars. The author tries (desperately, sometimes) to prove that alternative therapies/medicine is all fraud, which is the case in most cases, but you can't put everything in one category and use one umbrella term of woo for everything (especially for herbs). I found it biased so I didn't really know what to believe after a while. I cann't say that I enjoyed this audiobook, I would prefer to listen to a more objective author talking about this very interesting topic.
March 10, 2024
Steve Novella, M.D., who runs the award winning “The Skeptic’s Guide To The Universe” podcast, does a masterful job of explaining the pitfalls of pseudoscience to the listener.
Listening to this might save you money on wasteful nutritional supplements that don’t work, and may possibly keep you from harming yourself via bogus medical treatments that are potentially dangerous.
This is a first rate lecture.
Listening to this might save you money on wasteful nutritional supplements that don’t work, and may possibly keep you from harming yourself via bogus medical treatments that are potentially dangerous.
This is a first rate lecture.
May 23, 2023
This is a fun read. Steven digs deep into the history of some alternative medical treatments, thoroughly explains the methodology and points out the flawed logic. I will be watching commercials and reading ads for products with a whole new perspective. Minus one star only because the audio quality is pretty poor in some places.
April 16, 2024
4.5 This was free on audible, so I picked it up and so glad that I did. To the point, educative, although some topics might benefit from deeper analysis. Last chapter on how to be a skeptical health consumer deserves 5 stars alone. If you are interested in similar topic I also recommend one of my all time favourite books Snake oil science (R. Barker Bausell)
November 23, 2024
I'm very familiar with Dr. Novella, as I've listened to the podcast he and his brothers do (Skeptic's Guide to the Universe) ever since 2007 or so. Given how often these topics come up on the show, I was generally familiar with the content but had never dived into trying to understand something like chiropractic in depth.
September 30, 2025
2.5 ⭐
I am the choir so I don't need convincing. However if I did need convincing, I don't think this would have challenged my beliefs because everything is only touched upon so lightly that you're barely able to feel it.
As the choir, I didn't find any new information here. It didn't show me any new ways of looking at things or offer any new insights etc..
I am the choir so I don't need convincing. However if I did need convincing, I don't think this would have challenged my beliefs because everything is only touched upon so lightly that you're barely able to feel it.
As the choir, I didn't find any new information here. It didn't show me any new ways of looking at things or offer any new insights etc..
June 10, 2020
Very nicely said. This audiobook covers some real science behind quackery in a nice and easy to understand manner. Science communication at a really high level. I wish it was translated in my language so my parents could listen to it...
August 16, 2020
I was recently watching the docuseries Unwell on Netflix about the insanity of the wellness industry and decided it was time to check out this course. Steven Novella is the best when it comes to helping people become better critical thinkers
November 1, 2021
Takeaways: homeopathic medicine is a crock, chiropractors due more harm than good, acupuncture is unproven, many commercial supplements are fraudulent, and drugmakers are not concealing a cure for cancer.
November 6, 2021
Very interesting to learn about the history of several different types if "alternative" medicines. Especially was shocked to find out that acupuncture is not the "traditional Chinese practice" I have been led to believe.
January 22, 2022
I like this format and structure. This book lost some ground by not exploring the harm or potential harms from these treatments. E.g. Vitamins don’t help unless you have a vitamin deficiency? Well what is the potential harm if I take them anyway?
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