The Placebo Effect

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A Placebo Daily May Work Better than Risky, Expensive Drugs
The awesome power of suggestion
A placebo a day keeps the (heart) doctor away?
I've written before about the "placebo effect." In case
you've never heard the term, it refers to how a purely
symbolic medication (called a placebo) can still be powerful
medicine because of the amazing ability of the mind to heal
the body. Many studies have been conducted that prove not
only the existence of this effect, but its efficacy for medical
treatment.
Recently, I read about one body of research that catalogs the
power of this phenomenon better than anything else I can
remember coming across. In short, the study found this:
When taken regularly as part of a doctor-recommended
regimen for heart health, a daily placebo works just as well as
risky, expensive drugs. This supports other, smaller studies in
the past, which have concluded almost exactly the same
thing!
Conducted by Duke University staffers who analyzed the
results of a 7600 patient clinical trial for a new hypertension
drug, the researchers found that those patients who took their
pills every day — whether medication or placebo — in a
regular and disciplined fashion slashed their risk of death
during the study period by 50% when compared to those who
did not.
Whether this is solely because of the placebo effect or
because folks who take their medications on schedule are
also more likely to pay attention to their doctors' other
recommendations for healthier living could not be
determined. I suspect, though, that it's largely because of the
placebo effect. I'm not the only doctor who thinks so, either.
A recent British Medical Journal report revealed that more
than 60% of Israeli doctors and other health care providers
regularly prescribe placebos to patients...
And that 94% of these patients found them to be at least
somewhat effective!
Why does the placebo effect work? Quite simply, because
when people want to get better, they do. When people believe
they're doing something pro-active that's going to help them
be healthier, they become healthier. In fact, I've long
believed that at least some of the "benefits" of prescription
drugs come from this powerful mind-over-body
phenomenon. Makes you wonder why we bother with the
drugs at all, doesn't it?
But as strong a force as suggestion can be for bolstering
health and wellness, it can also contribute to some pretty
heavy negatives if you don't watch out. Keep reading...
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The fear factor
The immortal words "The only thing we have to fear is fear
itself," ring more true than we ever realized, if a recent study
holds true.
According to a body of 2003 Israeli research, fear of
terrorism can lead to an elevated risk of cardiovascular
disease among women. A daily fact of life in Israel, terrorist
attacks and suicide bombings can raise levels of C-reactive
protein (a chemical linked to elevated risk of heart attack and
inflammation) in the blood of women in that perpetually war-
torn nation.
Based on data from over 1000 subjects of both sexes aged
20-70, the research (published in the journal Psychosomatic
Medicine) found that although "terror-stress" affected both
sexes, it caused elevated levels of C-reactive protein only in
women — nearly half of those surveyed. The study made no
conclusions as to why men did not experience a similar
increase in these terror-related killer proteins.
Oddly, it seemed not to matter whether the affected women
lived in areas of the country known to suffer terror attacks or
not. Apparently, it is the overall fear that terrorism breeds,
not the acute fear of a sudden attack in close proximity, that
causes the spike in C-reactive protein levels. Ethical issues
aside, I wonder if a daily placebo of the type Israeli doctors
regularly prescribe would help decrease this risk?
I also wonder how many American women are suffering an
increased risk of heart attack because of terror-related anxiety
in the wake of September 11th...

Fighting fear with facts,
William Campbell Douglass II, MD
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