Health
Medical claims, wellness fads, and what the evidence actually supports.
The medical prefix "cardio-" refers to the heart.
NOT BS
Pharmaceutical companies have promoted the overprescription of opioid painkillers in order to increase their profits.
NOT BS
Coffee consumption stunts human growth (reduces height growth).
TOTAL BS
Drinking hydrogen-rich water improves kidney function in people with chronic kidney disease.
SOME BS
The weight-loss product marketed as "Jillian Michaels' Jelly Lean" does not work for weight loss.
NOT BS
Fruit remains in the human stomach for only about 15 minutes after being eaten.
TOTAL BS
Sessions at clinics in Auckland, New Zealand, typically cost NZ$80–NZ$140 each.
MOSTLY BS
A recommended initial course of 6–10 sessions at clinics in Auckland, New Zealand, typically totals NZ$480–NZ$1,400 before any maintenance sessions.
MOSTLY BS
Consuming caffeine via energy drinks is worse for health than consuming an equivalent amount of caffeine via coffee.
HARDLY BS
In New Zealand, funded sumatriptan and funded rizatriptan are available at the standard prescription co-payment of about NZ$5 for people with a Community Services Card.
TOTAL BS
Only two of seven triptan medicines available globally are publicly funded in New Zealand: sumatriptan and rizatriptan.
NOT BS
Acupuncture is used both for migraine prevention (reducing future migraine attack frequency) and for relief during an active migraine attack.
NOT BS
Acupuncture sessions for migraine treatment typically last 45–60 minutes, including consultation time.
HARDLY BS
After an initial course of acupuncture for migraine management, maintenance acupuncture sessions are typically done monthly or as needed.
MOSTLY BS
In acupuncture assessment for migraine, practitioners evaluate a patient's body balance using methods such as pulse reading, tongue observation, and physical examination to identify patterns of imbalance.
NOT BS
Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioners assess a person's health status by using pulse diagnosis, tongue observation, and physical examination to identify patterns of imbalance.
HARDLY BS
Kūmarahou does not have universally agreed dosage guidelines.
NOT BS
Triptans are taken during a migraine attack, not before or after it.
HARDLY BS
Kūmarahou (Pomaderris kumeraho) does not kill bacteria and is not an antibacterial agent.
TOTAL BSNo checks match that verdict.