Tequila Plant May Help Fight Bone Loss
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Rating
Tequila Plant May Help Fight Bone Loss
Our Review Summary
HealthDay published – and at least one major news organization (BusinessWeek) republished – this overly enthusiastic story about what substances in tequila plants, garlic and onions may do to "fight bone loss" and a host of other problems. Read the review for full details.
Why This Matters
The credibility of journalism is called into question with stories like this. Independent vetting? None. Making the leap from mouse research to what "can be used" in products for children and infants to help prevent various diseases? Indefensibly definitive language.
Criteria
Not Applicable
Not applicable. Cost not discussed but there is no product yet to cost estimate.
Not Satisfactory
First, this was in mice – a fact that was minimized in the story. But we don’t know how many mice were tested. Was it two? Was it 200? And we’re only given a relative benefit statistic – "50 percent increase in levels of a protein associated with the build-up of new bone tissue." 50% of what?
Yet this mouse story allowed the researcher – based on a quote from a news release – to say:
"They can be used in many products for children and infants to help prevent various diseases, and can even be used in ice cream as a sugar substitute."
Shameful.
Not Satisfactory
Not a word about potential harms.
Not Satisfactory
It took 5 paragraphs – half way through the story – before it was mentioned that the research on bone growth was in mice. And even then no caveats were provided about interpreting such evidence.
Not Satisfactory
Besides the headline claim about fighting bone loss, the story states that "Experimental studies suggest that fructans may be beneficial in diabetes, obesity, stimulating the immune system of the body, decreasing levels of disease-causing bacteria in the intestine, relieving constipation and reducing the risk of colon cancer." Are you sure you didn’t leave something out?
Not Satisfactory
No independent sources.
Not Satisfactory
No such comparisons provided.
Not Applicable
Not applicable. The availability of these plants is not in question.
Satisfactory
The story briefly mentioned past experimental studies suggesting benefits from fructans.
Not Satisfactory
The story admits that it is based on "background information in a news release from the American Chemical Society."
Total Score: 1 of 8 Satisfactory
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