▲ 409 ▼ Alternative medicine (thelemmy.club) submitted 1 month ago by Track_Shovel@slrpnk.net to c/lemmyshitpost@lemmy.world 165 comments fedilink hide all child comments The only reason I keep Facebook is for unhinged stuff like this
[–] andros_rex@lemmy.world 11 points 1 month ago (2 children) “Proof of effectiveness” means a placebo controlled trial. Preferably multiple, with sample sizes substantial enough for sufficient statistical power. permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 4 child comments replies: [–] HerbGrower@slrpnk.net 3 points 1 month ago (2 children) Or we could just start selling placebo tablets and make a fortune. I have some clay in my garden that should be easy enough to shape into pill shapes. We could even paint a few of them red and sell those as extra strong. Not hurting anyone... permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 4 child comments replies: [–] Jarix@lemmy.world 3 points 1 month ago (1 child) Um Clay would have an effect. Use powdered sugar and simply compress them into a pill. This is literally one way they do already make placebos in pill form. You can buy a pill press on amazon permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 2 child comments replies: [–] HerbGrower@slrpnk.net 1 point 1 month ago (1 child) Sugar isn't great for diabetics. Wouldn't clay just pass through as it has no nutritional value. permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 2 child comments replies: [–] Jarix@lemmy.world 1 point 1 month ago* (1 child) Well sure but you could use other household ingredient that aren't contaminated with whatever might be in your soil. It was intentional that i said it's one way they already make placebos in pill form. It entirely is only important if you care about hurting people and not just stealing from them. Which you seem to since you are arguing over diabetes permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 2 child comments replies: [–] HerbGrower@slrpnk.net 2 points 1 month ago (1 child) People eat clay sometimes. IIRC its a famine thing used to bulk out actual food to make it feel slightly more filling. Pills are tiny. Wtf do you think the soil is contaminated with? permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 2 child comments replies: [–] Jarix@lemmy.world 1 point 1 month ago I'm sure they do but not without problems E coli, anthrax, Lead, mercury, oil, piss, shit, fungus, spores, mold, fucking anything really. You have no idea what's gone into the ground or what it contains. Even if it's "probably" safe why not use a much easier already approved product that has 0 risk associated with it Unless you are running it through some spectrum analyzer or whatever and have a process to then purify it, it's a bad idea to just ingest something you dug up. And why bother not starting with already human grade ingestible material that you also probably have in your kitchen. Harmful substances are many orders of magnitude smaller than the tiniest pill. And no shovels required permalink fedilink source parent [–] almost1337@lemmy.zip 1 point 1 month ago Why waste valuable clay when you can just sell homeopathic remedies? permalink fedilink source parent [–] Senal@programming.dev 1 point 1 month ago (2 children) ah, that makes sense. Does that still apply if the underlying mechanism isn't understood? I know examples of this exist already , I'm wondering if "proof of effectiveness" really means just the effectiveness in this context. permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 4 child comments replies: [–] andros_rex@lemmy.world 7 points 1 month ago (1 child) Effectiveness is independent of mechanism. As an example, to my knowledge SSRIs don’t really make sense but mostly outperform placebo. permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 2 child comments replies: [–] Senal@programming.dev 3 points 1 month ago Agreed, Pretty sure anesthesia is similar, (in the not fully understanding the underlying mechanism) permalink fedilink source parent [–] turmacar@lemmy.world 4 points 1 month ago (1 child) We are only 'pretty sure' of the mechanism of how Tylenol works biochemically as of 2025. You can test for effectiveness and dangers and everything else you need to prescribe something to get a good idea of whether its actually doing something or not. 'Alternative medicine' is largely, "I felt better after a bit". permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 2 child comments replies: [–] HerbGrower@slrpnk.net 2 points 1 month ago We didn't know how alcohol worked but it was still an effective medicine for battlefield surgeons through history. permalink fedilink source parent
[–] HerbGrower@slrpnk.net 3 points 1 month ago (2 children) Or we could just start selling placebo tablets and make a fortune. I have some clay in my garden that should be easy enough to shape into pill shapes. We could even paint a few of them red and sell those as extra strong. Not hurting anyone... permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 4 child comments replies: [–] Jarix@lemmy.world 3 points 1 month ago (1 child) Um Clay would have an effect. Use powdered sugar and simply compress them into a pill. This is literally one way they do already make placebos in pill form. You can buy a pill press on amazon permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 2 child comments replies: [–] HerbGrower@slrpnk.net 1 point 1 month ago (1 child) Sugar isn't great for diabetics. Wouldn't clay just pass through as it has no nutritional value. permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 2 child comments replies: [–] Jarix@lemmy.world 1 point 1 month ago* (1 child) Well sure but you could use other household ingredient that aren't contaminated with whatever might be in your soil. It was intentional that i said it's one way they already make placebos in pill form. It entirely is only important if you care about hurting people and not just stealing from them. Which you seem to since you are arguing over diabetes permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 2 child comments replies: [–] HerbGrower@slrpnk.net 2 points 1 month ago (1 child) People eat clay sometimes. IIRC its a famine thing used to bulk out actual food to make it feel slightly more filling. Pills are tiny. Wtf do you think the soil is contaminated with? permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 2 child comments replies: [–] Jarix@lemmy.world 1 point 1 month ago I'm sure they do but not without problems E coli, anthrax, Lead, mercury, oil, piss, shit, fungus, spores, mold, fucking anything really. You have no idea what's gone into the ground or what it contains. Even if it's "probably" safe why not use a much easier already approved product that has 0 risk associated with it Unless you are running it through some spectrum analyzer or whatever and have a process to then purify it, it's a bad idea to just ingest something you dug up. And why bother not starting with already human grade ingestible material that you also probably have in your kitchen. Harmful substances are many orders of magnitude smaller than the tiniest pill. And no shovels required permalink fedilink source parent [–] almost1337@lemmy.zip 1 point 1 month ago Why waste valuable clay when you can just sell homeopathic remedies? permalink fedilink source parent
[–] Jarix@lemmy.world 3 points 1 month ago (1 child) Um Clay would have an effect. Use powdered sugar and simply compress them into a pill. This is literally one way they do already make placebos in pill form. You can buy a pill press on amazon permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 2 child comments replies: [–] HerbGrower@slrpnk.net 1 point 1 month ago (1 child) Sugar isn't great for diabetics. Wouldn't clay just pass through as it has no nutritional value. permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 2 child comments replies: [–] Jarix@lemmy.world 1 point 1 month ago* (1 child) Well sure but you could use other household ingredient that aren't contaminated with whatever might be in your soil. It was intentional that i said it's one way they already make placebos in pill form. It entirely is only important if you care about hurting people and not just stealing from them. Which you seem to since you are arguing over diabetes permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 2 child comments replies: [–] HerbGrower@slrpnk.net 2 points 1 month ago (1 child) People eat clay sometimes. IIRC its a famine thing used to bulk out actual food to make it feel slightly more filling. Pills are tiny. Wtf do you think the soil is contaminated with? permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 2 child comments replies: [–] Jarix@lemmy.world 1 point 1 month ago I'm sure they do but not without problems E coli, anthrax, Lead, mercury, oil, piss, shit, fungus, spores, mold, fucking anything really. You have no idea what's gone into the ground or what it contains. Even if it's "probably" safe why not use a much easier already approved product that has 0 risk associated with it Unless you are running it through some spectrum analyzer or whatever and have a process to then purify it, it's a bad idea to just ingest something you dug up. And why bother not starting with already human grade ingestible material that you also probably have in your kitchen. Harmful substances are many orders of magnitude smaller than the tiniest pill. And no shovels required permalink fedilink source parent
[–] HerbGrower@slrpnk.net 1 point 1 month ago (1 child) Sugar isn't great for diabetics. Wouldn't clay just pass through as it has no nutritional value. permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 2 child comments replies: [–] Jarix@lemmy.world 1 point 1 month ago* (1 child) Well sure but you could use other household ingredient that aren't contaminated with whatever might be in your soil. It was intentional that i said it's one way they already make placebos in pill form. It entirely is only important if you care about hurting people and not just stealing from them. Which you seem to since you are arguing over diabetes permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 2 child comments replies: [–] HerbGrower@slrpnk.net 2 points 1 month ago (1 child) People eat clay sometimes. IIRC its a famine thing used to bulk out actual food to make it feel slightly more filling. Pills are tiny. Wtf do you think the soil is contaminated with? permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 2 child comments replies: [–] Jarix@lemmy.world 1 point 1 month ago I'm sure they do but not without problems E coli, anthrax, Lead, mercury, oil, piss, shit, fungus, spores, mold, fucking anything really. You have no idea what's gone into the ground or what it contains. Even if it's "probably" safe why not use a much easier already approved product that has 0 risk associated with it Unless you are running it through some spectrum analyzer or whatever and have a process to then purify it, it's a bad idea to just ingest something you dug up. And why bother not starting with already human grade ingestible material that you also probably have in your kitchen. Harmful substances are many orders of magnitude smaller than the tiniest pill. And no shovels required permalink fedilink source parent
[–] Jarix@lemmy.world 1 point 1 month ago* (1 child) Well sure but you could use other household ingredient that aren't contaminated with whatever might be in your soil. It was intentional that i said it's one way they already make placebos in pill form. It entirely is only important if you care about hurting people and not just stealing from them. Which you seem to since you are arguing over diabetes permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 2 child comments replies: [–] HerbGrower@slrpnk.net 2 points 1 month ago (1 child) People eat clay sometimes. IIRC its a famine thing used to bulk out actual food to make it feel slightly more filling. Pills are tiny. Wtf do you think the soil is contaminated with? permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 2 child comments replies: [–] Jarix@lemmy.world 1 point 1 month ago I'm sure they do but not without problems E coli, anthrax, Lead, mercury, oil, piss, shit, fungus, spores, mold, fucking anything really. You have no idea what's gone into the ground or what it contains. Even if it's "probably" safe why not use a much easier already approved product that has 0 risk associated with it Unless you are running it through some spectrum analyzer or whatever and have a process to then purify it, it's a bad idea to just ingest something you dug up. And why bother not starting with already human grade ingestible material that you also probably have in your kitchen. Harmful substances are many orders of magnitude smaller than the tiniest pill. And no shovels required permalink fedilink source parent
[–] HerbGrower@slrpnk.net 2 points 1 month ago (1 child) People eat clay sometimes. IIRC its a famine thing used to bulk out actual food to make it feel slightly more filling. Pills are tiny. Wtf do you think the soil is contaminated with? permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 2 child comments replies: [–] Jarix@lemmy.world 1 point 1 month ago I'm sure they do but not without problems E coli, anthrax, Lead, mercury, oil, piss, shit, fungus, spores, mold, fucking anything really. You have no idea what's gone into the ground or what it contains. Even if it's "probably" safe why not use a much easier already approved product that has 0 risk associated with it Unless you are running it through some spectrum analyzer or whatever and have a process to then purify it, it's a bad idea to just ingest something you dug up. And why bother not starting with already human grade ingestible material that you also probably have in your kitchen. Harmful substances are many orders of magnitude smaller than the tiniest pill. And no shovels required permalink fedilink source parent
[–] Jarix@lemmy.world 1 point 1 month ago I'm sure they do but not without problems E coli, anthrax, Lead, mercury, oil, piss, shit, fungus, spores, mold, fucking anything really. You have no idea what's gone into the ground or what it contains. Even if it's "probably" safe why not use a much easier already approved product that has 0 risk associated with it Unless you are running it through some spectrum analyzer or whatever and have a process to then purify it, it's a bad idea to just ingest something you dug up. And why bother not starting with already human grade ingestible material that you also probably have in your kitchen. Harmful substances are many orders of magnitude smaller than the tiniest pill. And no shovels required permalink fedilink source parent
[–] almost1337@lemmy.zip 1 point 1 month ago Why waste valuable clay when you can just sell homeopathic remedies? permalink fedilink source parent
[–] Senal@programming.dev 1 point 1 month ago (2 children) ah, that makes sense. Does that still apply if the underlying mechanism isn't understood? I know examples of this exist already , I'm wondering if "proof of effectiveness" really means just the effectiveness in this context. permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 4 child comments replies: [–] andros_rex@lemmy.world 7 points 1 month ago (1 child) Effectiveness is independent of mechanism. As an example, to my knowledge SSRIs don’t really make sense but mostly outperform placebo. permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 2 child comments replies: [–] Senal@programming.dev 3 points 1 month ago Agreed, Pretty sure anesthesia is similar, (in the not fully understanding the underlying mechanism) permalink fedilink source parent [–] turmacar@lemmy.world 4 points 1 month ago (1 child) We are only 'pretty sure' of the mechanism of how Tylenol works biochemically as of 2025. You can test for effectiveness and dangers and everything else you need to prescribe something to get a good idea of whether its actually doing something or not. 'Alternative medicine' is largely, "I felt better after a bit". permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 2 child comments replies: [–] HerbGrower@slrpnk.net 2 points 1 month ago We didn't know how alcohol worked but it was still an effective medicine for battlefield surgeons through history. permalink fedilink source parent
[–] andros_rex@lemmy.world 7 points 1 month ago (1 child) Effectiveness is independent of mechanism. As an example, to my knowledge SSRIs don’t really make sense but mostly outperform placebo. permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 2 child comments replies: [–] Senal@programming.dev 3 points 1 month ago Agreed, Pretty sure anesthesia is similar, (in the not fully understanding the underlying mechanism) permalink fedilink source parent
[–] Senal@programming.dev 3 points 1 month ago Agreed, Pretty sure anesthesia is similar, (in the not fully understanding the underlying mechanism) permalink fedilink source parent
[–] turmacar@lemmy.world 4 points 1 month ago (1 child) We are only 'pretty sure' of the mechanism of how Tylenol works biochemically as of 2025. You can test for effectiveness and dangers and everything else you need to prescribe something to get a good idea of whether its actually doing something or not. 'Alternative medicine' is largely, "I felt better after a bit". permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 2 child comments replies: [–] HerbGrower@slrpnk.net 2 points 1 month ago We didn't know how alcohol worked but it was still an effective medicine for battlefield surgeons through history. permalink fedilink source parent
[–] HerbGrower@slrpnk.net 2 points 1 month ago We didn't know how alcohol worked but it was still an effective medicine for battlefield surgeons through history. permalink fedilink source parent
