Do You Believe in Magic?: The Sense and Nonsense of Alternative Medicine

Summary (from the publisher): A half-century ago, acupuncture, homeopathy, naturopathy, Chinese herbs, Christian exorcisms, dietary supplements, chiropractic manipulations, and traditional Indian remedies were considered to be on the fringe of medicine. Now these practices - known as alternative, complementary, holistic, and integrative medicine - have become mainstream, used by half of all Americans today seeking to burn fat, detoxify livers, shrink prostates, alleviate colds, stimulate brains, boost energy, reduce stress, enhance immunity, eliminate pain, prevent cancer, and enliven sex.

But as Dr. Paul A. Offit, the chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, reveals, alternative medicine - an unregulated industry under no legal obligation to prove its claims or admit its risks - can actually be harmful to our health. In Do You Believe in Magic? he exposes the risks of alternative treatments, including megavitamins, acupuncture, dietary supplements, and Chinese herbs; debunks the treatments that don't work, and explains why. He also takes on the media celebrities who promote alternative medicine, including Mehmet Oz, Suzanne Somers, and Jenny McCarthy. Using dramatic real-life stories, he separates the sense from the nonsense, showing why any therapy - alternative or traditional - should be scrutinized. He also shows how some nontraditional methods can do a great deal of good, in some cases exceeding therapies offered by conventional practitioners. As he advises us, "There's no such thing as alternative medicine. There's only medicine that works and medicine that doesn't."

Review: I received an Advance Reader Copy from HarperCollins.

Dr. Offit's book is a harsh indictment of alternative medicine, the majority of which he views as quackery that in many cases has no, or worse, harmful, effects. Offit argues that people who are desperate to improve their health or that of their loved ones fall for the false promise of healing from someone who offers strict guidelines that are clear and easy to follow, a personalized plan to wellness, and frequently the promise of ancient wisdom. Additionally, these therapies are frequently endorsed by well-known celebrities whose familiar face reels people in, including Jenny McCarthy's ill-advised ideas about preventing autism and Suzanne Somer's arguing that she has found the cure for aging, while conveniently omitting that she is making a fortune off the sale of her products and has had cosmetic surgery to reduce aging.

I was struck by the dozens and dozens of examples of treatable illnesses or cancers that people ignored in favor of alternative therapies - and led to their deaths. Offit even illuminates the fact that Steve Jobs had an operable tumor in his pancreas but chose alternative treatment until it was too late and his cancer had spread to other areas of his body. I was also personally alarmed by the section of the book that discusses vitamins and supplements. I have taken a multivitamin daily for years and had no clue that this was not only not supported by the FDA, but that as recently as October 2011, studies consistently have found that "women who took supplemental multivitamins died at higher rates than those who didn't." Yet these drugs are still sold in stores across the country and consumed by many, who believe that they are doing something good for their health.

I was excited to see Offit reference Siddhartha Mukherjee's book The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer that I read and enjoyed. However, it was alarming when comparing the content of his writing to that of Suzanne Somers, both of which have sold well, although only Mukherjee's is told from a scientist's perspective. "Nowhere in Somers's book do we learn about oncogenes and their products, and nowhere in Mukherjee's do we learn about coffee enemas and miracle diets. It's as if they were written in parallel universes. In Mukherjee's universe, drugs have to be science-based, thoroughly tested, and proven to work before they're licensed by the FDA. In Somers's universe, treatments aren't science-based, proven to work, or licensed by the FDA; rather, they're promoted with testimonials and sold on websites." It's clear to me which I find more credible and what appears like a money making scheme.

The only problem I had with Offit's books is that he's incredibly biased. He practices conventional medicine and is clearly on the side of his profession and medical degree. I definitely buy what he's saying - mostly because it's not just opinion but substantiated by scientific studies and in-depth case studies - however, I recognize that his book is largely one-sided. In fact, I'm not sure why the sub-title "sense and nonsense of alternative medicine" is included because aside from one brief chapter, Offit using this book to prove the ills and pitfalls of alternative magic or as his title calls it "magic." Although I trust his judgement, I found it depressing that the only benefit he could offer up in defense of alternative therapies is the benefit of the placebo effect and the release of endorphins that this psychological belief can cause.

The bottom line of everything Offit discusses can be summed up in his words: "There's no such thing as alternative medicine. There's only medicine that works and medicine that doesn't."

Stars: 3