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… 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 | 
