I've always had a ridiculously strong immune system, managing to get sick only once in a 15-year span. That changed when I got hit with food poisoning, strep throat twice, and pneumonia, all within a six-month period. I guess the viruses were making up for lost time. After the flurry of maladies, I was looking for answers and turned to the wisdom of my best friend, Chuck, who swore by a magical product called Airborne. I raced to the pharm that day and picked up a box. Developed by a school teacher? How quaint. $6 for 10 tablets? That must mean it works! Desperate for a solution, I removed my critical analysis cap and bit the bullet.
With the onset of a cold approaching, I began taking the tablets as directed. I still got the cold. And it lasted for longer than the three days I took the tablets. That's when the skeptic in me decided to come out of hiding. It's almost embarrassing that as a personal trainer I hadn't looked over the contents. Airborne is nothing more than a supplement. And a really freakin expensive one. All of its contents can be bought as individual supplements over-the-counter for less than a third the price. I hate feeling suckered, so I did even more research.
It turns out there's a whole mess of information on how Knight-McDowell, the makers of Airborne, has been deliberately scamming the public. The most ludicrous is the results of a clinical study that determined Airborne was effective in combating cold and flu. Well, turns out Knight-McDowell sponsored the study, and "GNG is actually a two-man operation started up just to do the Airborne study. There was no clinic, no scientists and no doctors. The man who ran things said he had lots of clinical trial experience. He added that he had a degree from Indiana University, but the school says he never graduated." After being exposed, Knight-McDowell removed the study from their website. They also had to change the packaging because it alluded to successful clinical trials.
You'll notice the wording on the label is very crafty; instructions advise you to take Airborne "at the first sign of a cold symptom, or before entering crowded environments, like airplanes and offices." Upon further review, you'll notice, in even finer print, a legal cop-out about how it doesn't claim to help or cure you in any way. That puts it on the same level as homeopathy and comparable to products like HeadOn.
Seriously, HeadOn.
In terms of its true efficacy and supplemental value, this guy does a brilliant, thorough job of deconstructing Airborne.
Now, in terms of what I can provide myself through my education and training, a primer on how to best avoid getting sick.
1. Wash your hands several times a day. Never touch your face. Most viruses enter through our mouth, nose, and eyes.
2. Sleep well and develop a consistent cycle. Restless nights and inconsistent sleep patterns wreak havoc on our immune systems.
3. Eat your fruits and veggies. Seriously. 3-5 fruits and 3-5 vegetables a day. Then you don't even need to take supplements.
4. Exercise regularly. My most candid and best piece of advice is try to have sex at least twice a day. I hate the gym as much as you do.
Knight-McDowell is making false promises and robbing the public to the tune of $100 million in profits a year. Please spread the word to your friends and help try to put a stop to this scam.
No comments:
Post a Comment