The health myths: Fake claims NewsMeter busted in 2022

Hyderabad: 2022 saw a number of viral hacks and tips for healthy living. Most of them turned out to be useless, some were even harmful. NewsMeter busted several healthcare myths this year. Here are our top 10:

1. Popping an aspirin will not help you survive a heart attack

A post quoting Dr. Edmond Fernandes about the efficacy of aspirin in preventing heart attacks went viral on social media.

NewsMeter found that the claim was misleading and in fact, taking an aspirin daily is not recommended.

A study conducted in 2018 showed that the risk of major internal bleeding associated with taking an aspirin a day is higher than any preventative benefits.

A recent WebMD article from 27 April 2022, titled "Aspirin No Longer Recommended to Prevent First Heart Attack, Stroke," said, "For years, doctors have recommended that patients in their 50s begin taking baby aspirin daily to protect against heart attacks and strokes. But in recent years, new evidence has highlighted the possible harms of daily aspirin, and doctors began shifting their recommendations."

Read the full article here.

2. Can this prickly fruit treat cancer?

A viral Facebook post claimed that soursop or graviola can cure cancer.

NewsMeter found that while soursop or graviola may have some anti-cancerous effects and has shown promising results in some studies on mice, more research is needed to prove it can be an alternative treatment to treat cancer in humans. As of now, the claims are completely anecdotal and unproven.

Read the full article here.

3. Can an estrogen-rich diet increase breast size?

A post claiming that eating an estrogen-rich diet can enlarge the breasts went viral on social media.

NewsMeter debunked the claim.

According to Healthline, "The size of your breasts is largely determined by genetics. When women think about breast size, they often focus on breast volume or fullness. Other factors, such as chest circumference, also play a role in how large your breasts appear."

It added, "No food or diet plan has been clinically proven to increase breast size. There are also no supplements, pumps, or creams that can make breasts larger. The best natural way to enhance the look of your breasts is to do exercises that strengthen the chest, back, and shoulder area. Good posture also helps."

Read the full article here.

4. Can a slice of potato in socks combat cold and flu?

Social media users claimed that placing a slice of potato inside the socks overnight can help children combat flu and cold. Alas, this too was found to be false.

According to an article in Healthline, "Potatoes have many health benefits and are packed with nutrients. Even drinking raw potato juice can help boost your immune system."

It added, "However, potatoes in your socks can't cure cold or other ailments, like coughs, runny noses, or sinus infections."

Read the full article here.

5. Can Eucalyptus oil treat hallucinations and autism?

A Facebook video claimed that eucalyptus oil can cure hallucinations.

NewsMeter debunked this claim.

"Eucalyptus is used for its soothing effects when inhaled, for example during a cold or cough. If swallowed, eucalyptus oil can cause seizures," according to Poison.Org.

It should be noted that as little as 2 ml (less than half a teaspoon) of eucalyptus oil can cause significant poisoning in an infant, according to Healthy WA.

It is evident that there is no scientific evidence to back the efficacy of eucalyptus oil for hallucination or autism.

Read the full article here.

6. Has there been a pandemic every 100 years?

A viral post claimed that there has been a pandemic every 100 years.

NewsMeter systematically busted this claim and proved it wrong.

Plague (1347–1351): According to the National Human Genome Research Institute, "Black Death," a plague that swept through Europe during the 14th century, killed anywhere between 30-50% of the population.

Cholera (1817–1821): According to one study, "The first pandemic (1817–1821) known as "Asiatic cholera" began in Jessore near Calcutta and then appeared throughout India before spreading into the Far East and other regions of the world, including Muscat, Tehran and Baghdad."

Spanish Flu (1918): The Center for Disease Control and Prevention states, "The 1918 H1N1 flu pandemic, sometimes referred to as the "Spanish flu," killed an estimated 50 million people worldwide, including an estimated 675,000 people in the United States."

Corona virus (2019): According to the National Health Mission, "COVID-19 is the infectious disease caused by the most recently discovered corona virus. This new virus and disease were unknown before the outbreak began in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. The most common symptoms of Covid-19 are fever, tiredness, and dry cough."

The above data clearly shows that there is no pattern or a gap of 100 years between pandemics. Another myth busted.

Read the full article here.

7. Can Vicks VapoRub reduce acne and pimples?

NewsMeter also proved fake an Instagram post that claimed Vicks VapoRub can reduce acne.

According to Healthline, "Plenty of anecdotes say that dotting a cystic acne flare-up with a bit of Vicks and leaving it on overnight will shrink your zit by morning. Some of the ingredients in Vicks VapoRub are known pimple fighters, so this home remedy isn't totally unfounded. But other ingredients, specifically petroleum jelly, have actually been shown to make acne worse in the long run."

Read the full article here.

8. Can chia seeds help you lose fat in just 3 days?

A tweet proclaimed that chia seeds was the magic ingredient for weight loss.

While chia seeds are a nutritious pseudo grain that can be part of a healthy weight loss plan, they are not a quick fix to drop a dress size. And if you eat too many, they may have the opposite effect. No single food is ever responsible for healthy weight loss.

Read the full article here.

9. Do plastic water bottles contain toxins that cause cancer?

For many years, people have been circulating hoax emails claiming that drinking water from plastic bottles can cause cancer, especially if they have been left in cars, or frozen and reused. There is no good scientific evidence to support these claims. Many of these emails credit the warnings to Johns Hopkins University or the Walter Reed Army Medical Center, but both institutions have denied any involvement. The emails also claim that heating, freezing or reusing plastic water bottles releases chemicals from the plastics that could cause cancer, including dioxins. However, the plastic in water bottles contains no dioxins at all.

Read the full article here.

10. Can hot coconut water 'kill' cancer cells?

A viral WhatsApp message, attributed to Dr. Rajendra A. Badwe from the Tata Memorial Hospital, claimed that hot coconut water releases an "anti-cancer substance" that can kill cancer cells.

NewsMeter proved that there is no scientific data to suggest that hot coconut water can cure cancer. "I urge the public to not be misinformed by such messages shared on social media. It does more harm than good and many cancer specialists are battling such misleading miracle cures for cancer shared widely on various social media platforms. Such messages are extremely damaging and there are absolutely no validations for such remedies," Dr. Palanki Satya Dattatreya of Renova Soumya Cancer Centre, told NewsMeter.

Coconuts do have many health benefits, but curing cancer is not one of them.

Read the full article here.