I saw the ad for the first time today and knew there would be a write-up coming. As I watched Drew talk about how confused she was and she couldn’t find a doctor who could/would help her. And I wanted to tell her, “Dr. Jen Gunter. She literally wrote the book.”
Excellent! “If a product could do all of this, Big Pharma would have marketed the shit out of this years ago.” Yep. I have said this very thing many times. I used to work for one of the big Pharma Companies doing clinical research. I was part of the team that conducted the Phase 1-3 trials that got a major antibiotic registered. And yes, if a product has any promise at all for treating a condition with such a huge financial potential, Big Pharma will be all over it like stink on shit.
Fascinatingly sad how people will spend their hard earned money on crap like this, but won’t see a medical professional and follow her/his guidance.
I'm soooo disappointed that Drew has chosen to hop on the meno-scam bandwagon, especially as a celebrity who likely has influence on a large number of women. She should've used that star power to solicit legitimate information but maybe that doesn't pay as well? (*sarcasm*) I do think she means well, though. Perhaps she too fell prey to the demoralizing dismissal that so many of us have experienced when we've sought help from physicians for our very real symptoms. It's really hard to be told to suck it up and deal because it's "natural" or to be offered options that are not first line because the doctor is working with outdated info. Is anyone really surprised that women turn elsewhere? Add in the shocking levels of disparity in access to care and there are a lot of women who are needlessly suffering. I also keep seeing and hearing from various providers on social media that women need to self-advocate by bringing information from the internet to their appointments. This advice is almost chastising in its tone. While I agree we should each be informed and make an effort to work as a partner with our physician in our own care, I don't understand why there is an expectation out there that we, as non-physicians, are expected to educate our physicians on how to best treat us? Why are physicians not mandated to automatically offer us care options that follow current guidelines? If I can find them on the internet, they surely can do the same. It's perplexing, at minimum, and doesn't lead me to have much faith in our medical system. Thank you so much for your candid posts, Dr. Gunter.
Really Drew? You can’t find a doctor, in New York City, to help you? No wonder people fall for this. If Drew can’t find a doctor, how are the masses supposed to cope? It’s one thing for a celeb to be the face of a beauty brand (and consumers are getting savvy about all the BS in that arena), this is just irresponsible. Thank you for shining a light on this terrible, and growing, problem.
My first question when I see questionable supplements from relatively successful people is "How much money do they need?!?!?!". 100% not surprised she's pushing snake oil though. Gross.
I have a Drew Barrymore-branded electric griddle that I really like. If I make pancakes on it, will they boost my metabolism? Because that would be EPIC.
"It is always hard to write about medical bullshit because the energy it takes to debunk it is infinitely more significant than the lack of effort and research it took to create it." Amen. Feel that. Word. But thanks for taking the time because truth does trickle down and does make a difference to many of us. Our bodies are so incredible; if we nourish, move and de-stress them, heck imagine not needing anything as you transition....and if you do, no problem, there are well researched and tested hormonal and non-hormonal options. A frustration for me: two legit-diploma-on-wall-medical-center gynos I consulted pushed pellets and creams and all this other stuff because they too, profited from their in-office sales. So then, they are basically Drew too. It makes me so sad, even if you try to avoid marketing bullsh*t...it seeps into you even as you are in the stirrups. You almost feel like you MUST take something because something IS wrong with you, menopause is BAD. If just one million women purchase this just one time (because it doesn't work so they never re-order)...179 million $ is transferred, much of which is profit. That's a lot of Ben Franks. It really is pretty gross.
I was —this close— to being sucked in. I’m happy to have found this newsletter. I turn 46 tomorrow and am desperate. All my life I’ve been petite (5’1”) and tiny, even after 2 pregnancies and an RA diagnosis. In the last 8 years, I gained 40 lbs with literally no explanation—doctors wringing their hands—and if I hear the phrase “well, when a woman reaches a certain age” one more time, I swear I will strangle someone as it is liberally applied to every single complaint that can’t be plucked out of a handbook or stuffed into a well-defined box. I had one doc suggest that eating fresh fruit in the morning was likely the culprit since “it has some sugar”. I uncerimoniously dumped him. All of my other docs are female. I appreciate them, but they still don’t have answers. I sat in my primary’s office after I’d gained the first 5 lbs and said, “this might not seem important, but can we keep an eye on it? 5 lbs isn’t much, but if I gain 5 every six months for the next….” well, I’ll end up exactly where I am. Each visit with her, many of them tearful, she still has no answers. When I asked if it would be safe to try the Happy Mammoth supplements a few years ago she assured me, “it shouldn’t hurt—let me know if they work!” It is unbearable to go to the experts for help and discover that they really don’t know much more than I do. After years of trying to “cure” my RA with naturopathy, acupuncture, shamans—even, hookworm therapy!—I handily dismiss catch-all solutions, but, like I said, I am so desperate. I have just purchased your book and look forward to reading it.
Thank you so very much for this "take down." Here's the deal: I'm immune suppressed thanks to my RA/PsA meds. The LAST thing I want is to enhance my immune system (!). Thank you for taking time to tear apart this dangerous woo.
I just became a subscriber to say that Bone Broth Wizards is my new band name.
Also, "88% Of Women In User Group *Felt* Improvement In Fatigue Levels". If the feels are research, my graduating thesis would have been a breeze. Instead, I had to do it the hard way.
It's so hard to battle this kind of marketing, isn't it? People want to believe there is a magical cure for the low, low cost of $199 per month, especially women, who have been historically ignored dismissed by the medical establishment as a whole, and don't even get me started on women's health. Even I feel prey to naturopathy and general "natural health" in the mid to late-90s after I was diagnosed with a pretty serious and tricky case of ulcerative colitis when I was 25. The only real med that worked for me was prednisone to keep me in remission, and I was desperate, very desperate. All the other NSAIDs treatments at that time were not enough, until I got a specialist who tried me out on an immunosuppressant for organ recipients (off label use). It wasn't magic, but it was enough to make my life more manageable until better drugs came along. I'm still on azathioprine, btw, as well as a fancy arse, expensive biologic and doing pretty okay at the age of 53. And rode out my transition to menopause the real natural way in the heights of the pandemic (of course) and it was surprisingly low-key. I consider myself very lucky in that regard, compared to what friends have gone through.
We need to do more for people to give them the reality of what can be done, and some hope through trusted medical professionals and treatments. People need to feel heard at the very least, and if they are truly heard, they will (hopefully) stay away from grift like proprietary blends.
Thank you for your thoughtful and well researched articles. I'm so glad I stumbled upon your substack. I used to not think about what might be in supplements or how harmful they can be, but all the claims that are made definitely felt off. Now I have some information behind my decision not to fall into the supplement trap, and I'm so glad!
Can you do Dr. Nathan Riley and midwife Sara Rosser and their Born Free anti vaxx propaganda Born Free MLM pyramid? Sara was the midwife for Instagram's christian mommy influencer @thefranklinmama's baby Autumn Louise who died in December. There should be some investigation into that baby's death. Thank you!
I think it's unethical for a tv host to promote a product like that. That said, I absolutely HATE the commercials for Balance of Nature Fruits and Vegetables. You will notice now that they don't really make any statistical claims. Kathy Lee: "I cannot tell you what a difference it has made in my life." That literally could mean it has made no difference, so she cannot tell you about any difference.
It kills me though how many women fall for this crap and spend hard earned money on it plus endanger their health. I have seen some of my patients take 30 different supplements „prescribed“ to them by their naturopath… it is unbelievable.
I saw the ad for the first time today and knew there would be a write-up coming. As I watched Drew talk about how confused she was and she couldn’t find a doctor who could/would help her. And I wanted to tell her, “Dr. Jen Gunter. She literally wrote the book.”
No surprise that she joined the Gwyneth Paltrow train of “let’s see how gullible women can be and basically steal from them.”
Excellent! “If a product could do all of this, Big Pharma would have marketed the shit out of this years ago.” Yep. I have said this very thing many times. I used to work for one of the big Pharma Companies doing clinical research. I was part of the team that conducted the Phase 1-3 trials that got a major antibiotic registered. And yes, if a product has any promise at all for treating a condition with such a huge financial potential, Big Pharma will be all over it like stink on shit.
Fascinatingly sad how people will spend their hard earned money on crap like this, but won’t see a medical professional and follow her/his guidance.
I really like Drew Barrymore (her movies, anyway) but let's face it, she's not the sharpest knife in the drawer.
I'm soooo disappointed that Drew has chosen to hop on the meno-scam bandwagon, especially as a celebrity who likely has influence on a large number of women. She should've used that star power to solicit legitimate information but maybe that doesn't pay as well? (*sarcasm*) I do think she means well, though. Perhaps she too fell prey to the demoralizing dismissal that so many of us have experienced when we've sought help from physicians for our very real symptoms. It's really hard to be told to suck it up and deal because it's "natural" or to be offered options that are not first line because the doctor is working with outdated info. Is anyone really surprised that women turn elsewhere? Add in the shocking levels of disparity in access to care and there are a lot of women who are needlessly suffering. I also keep seeing and hearing from various providers on social media that women need to self-advocate by bringing information from the internet to their appointments. This advice is almost chastising in its tone. While I agree we should each be informed and make an effort to work as a partner with our physician in our own care, I don't understand why there is an expectation out there that we, as non-physicians, are expected to educate our physicians on how to best treat us? Why are physicians not mandated to automatically offer us care options that follow current guidelines? If I can find them on the internet, they surely can do the same. It's perplexing, at minimum, and doesn't lead me to have much faith in our medical system. Thank you so much for your candid posts, Dr. Gunter.
Really Drew? You can’t find a doctor, in New York City, to help you? No wonder people fall for this. If Drew can’t find a doctor, how are the masses supposed to cope? It’s one thing for a celeb to be the face of a beauty brand (and consumers are getting savvy about all the BS in that arena), this is just irresponsible. Thank you for shining a light on this terrible, and growing, problem.
My first question when I see questionable supplements from relatively successful people is "How much money do they need?!?!?!". 100% not surprised she's pushing snake oil though. Gross.
I have a Drew Barrymore-branded electric griddle that I really like. If I make pancakes on it, will they boost my metabolism? Because that would be EPIC.
"It is always hard to write about medical bullshit because the energy it takes to debunk it is infinitely more significant than the lack of effort and research it took to create it." Amen. Feel that. Word. But thanks for taking the time because truth does trickle down and does make a difference to many of us. Our bodies are so incredible; if we nourish, move and de-stress them, heck imagine not needing anything as you transition....and if you do, no problem, there are well researched and tested hormonal and non-hormonal options. A frustration for me: two legit-diploma-on-wall-medical-center gynos I consulted pushed pellets and creams and all this other stuff because they too, profited from their in-office sales. So then, they are basically Drew too. It makes me so sad, even if you try to avoid marketing bullsh*t...it seeps into you even as you are in the stirrups. You almost feel like you MUST take something because something IS wrong with you, menopause is BAD. If just one million women purchase this just one time (because it doesn't work so they never re-order)...179 million $ is transferred, much of which is profit. That's a lot of Ben Franks. It really is pretty gross.
I was —this close— to being sucked in. I’m happy to have found this newsletter. I turn 46 tomorrow and am desperate. All my life I’ve been petite (5’1”) and tiny, even after 2 pregnancies and an RA diagnosis. In the last 8 years, I gained 40 lbs with literally no explanation—doctors wringing their hands—and if I hear the phrase “well, when a woman reaches a certain age” one more time, I swear I will strangle someone as it is liberally applied to every single complaint that can’t be plucked out of a handbook or stuffed into a well-defined box. I had one doc suggest that eating fresh fruit in the morning was likely the culprit since “it has some sugar”. I uncerimoniously dumped him. All of my other docs are female. I appreciate them, but they still don’t have answers. I sat in my primary’s office after I’d gained the first 5 lbs and said, “this might not seem important, but can we keep an eye on it? 5 lbs isn’t much, but if I gain 5 every six months for the next….” well, I’ll end up exactly where I am. Each visit with her, many of them tearful, she still has no answers. When I asked if it would be safe to try the Happy Mammoth supplements a few years ago she assured me, “it shouldn’t hurt—let me know if they work!” It is unbearable to go to the experts for help and discover that they really don’t know much more than I do. After years of trying to “cure” my RA with naturopathy, acupuncture, shamans—even, hookworm therapy!—I handily dismiss catch-all solutions, but, like I said, I am so desperate. I have just purchased your book and look forward to reading it.
Thank you so very much for this "take down." Here's the deal: I'm immune suppressed thanks to my RA/PsA meds. The LAST thing I want is to enhance my immune system (!). Thank you for taking time to tear apart this dangerous woo.
I just became a subscriber to say that Bone Broth Wizards is my new band name.
Also, "88% Of Women In User Group *Felt* Improvement In Fatigue Levels". If the feels are research, my graduating thesis would have been a breeze. Instead, I had to do it the hard way.
It's so hard to battle this kind of marketing, isn't it? People want to believe there is a magical cure for the low, low cost of $199 per month, especially women, who have been historically ignored dismissed by the medical establishment as a whole, and don't even get me started on women's health. Even I feel prey to naturopathy and general "natural health" in the mid to late-90s after I was diagnosed with a pretty serious and tricky case of ulcerative colitis when I was 25. The only real med that worked for me was prednisone to keep me in remission, and I was desperate, very desperate. All the other NSAIDs treatments at that time were not enough, until I got a specialist who tried me out on an immunosuppressant for organ recipients (off label use). It wasn't magic, but it was enough to make my life more manageable until better drugs came along. I'm still on azathioprine, btw, as well as a fancy arse, expensive biologic and doing pretty okay at the age of 53. And rode out my transition to menopause the real natural way in the heights of the pandemic (of course) and it was surprisingly low-key. I consider myself very lucky in that regard, compared to what friends have gone through.
We need to do more for people to give them the reality of what can be done, and some hope through trusted medical professionals and treatments. People need to feel heard at the very least, and if they are truly heard, they will (hopefully) stay away from grift like proprietary blends.
Keep up the great work, Dr Gunter!
Thank you for your thoughtful and well researched articles. I'm so glad I stumbled upon your substack. I used to not think about what might be in supplements or how harmful they can be, but all the claims that are made definitely felt off. Now I have some information behind my decision not to fall into the supplement trap, and I'm so glad!
Thank you for Slaying the Quackery!
Can you do Dr. Nathan Riley and midwife Sara Rosser and their Born Free anti vaxx propaganda Born Free MLM pyramid? Sara was the midwife for Instagram's christian mommy influencer @thefranklinmama's baby Autumn Louise who died in December. There should be some investigation into that baby's death. Thank you!
I think it's unethical for a tv host to promote a product like that. That said, I absolutely HATE the commercials for Balance of Nature Fruits and Vegetables. You will notice now that they don't really make any statistical claims. Kathy Lee: "I cannot tell you what a difference it has made in my life." That literally could mean it has made no difference, so she cannot tell you about any difference.
It kills me though how many women fall for this crap and spend hard earned money on it plus endanger their health. I have seen some of my patients take 30 different supplements „prescribed“ to them by their naturopath… it is unbelievable.