Beware Tempting Claims And False Promises

Would you like a longer penis, bigger breasts or a better memory? Perhaps you would prefer to lose weight overnight or grow hair on a balding head. If any of this sounds too familiar, you’ve been reading your email or watching too much late-night television.
A reader recently inquired, “I can’t believe the products being advertised on TV and in popular magazines. Some are supposed to cure just about anything that ails you.
“There are juices to build immunity and fight off colds and flu. Herbs and vitamins are guaranteed to boost energy and improve vision. There are even extracts that are supposed to protect you from cancer. And then there are lots of penis enlargement pills for $39.95 a month and up. Does any of this stuff work at all?”
Without scientific studies, we will never know. But apparently enough people are willing to shell out their hard-earned money to keep the hucksters in business.
Last spring authorities in Arizona seized $30 million from a company selling pills over the Internet that promised to lengthen the penis. The company also allegedly sold products to make people taller and enlarge women’s breasts. The penis pills apparently cost the company $2.50 per bottle, but a month’s supply sold for $40. No wonder the owners were driving some ritzy wheels: a Lamborghini, a Rolls Royce, a Ferrari and a Bentley.
What makes people so gullible? The notion that Tunisian blue-striped caterpillar frass could help you burn fat overnight while you sleep, strengthen muscles without exercise, erase wrinkles and improve your memory is too tempting for some folks to resist.
Perhaps many believe the Food and Drug Administration monitors such products or that the Federal Trade Commission actually prevents false or misleading advertising. That may once have been true. But in recent times, these federal agencies have been overwhelmed. Don’t count on them to protect you from quackery. You’ll have to do that for yourself.
How can you tell if an offer is too good to be true? If it defies common sense, that’s a good tip-off. Effortless weight loss without diet or exercise is virtually impossible. So any claim that you can shed pounds while you sleep is hard to believe.
Another red flag is “breakthrough,” especially if the ingredients are secret. Medical breakthroughs are announced in the headlines instead of lurking in the back of the magazine or in the infomercials that run in the wee hours of the morning.
Exotic locations and peculiar ingredients have the appeal of novelty-and it’s even possible, in some cases, that they will turn out to be useful. The Ayurvedic medicine guggul actually does lower cholesterol, and there are studies to show how. Without reputable research, though, keep your enthusiasm in check.
Testimonials are no substitute for clinical trials. So even if there are astonishing before-and-after pictures, hold on to your wallet. And lastly, don’t count on a money-back guarantee. By the time you discover the product you bought doesn’t work, the scam artists may have moved to another state. So be skeptical and use your good judgment to avoid quackery.