Bill Statler
Member
I was extremely dissapointed to find this press release from the University of Cincinnati, which is allegedly a serious educational institution:
Ginkgo biloba may aid in treating Type 2 Diabetes, UC researcher says
All of the 13 authors come from institutions in Saudia Arabia or Egypt, and the research was Saudi-funded. One of the authors also happens to be a post-doc at the University of Cincinnati, which is how this news ended up on their website (as well as on sites like Medical Xpress and Science Daily which reprint press releases). I haven't seen it in the mainstream news yet.
Anyway, I wanted to write to the university and complain, but I haven't been able to find any good articles debunking "magnetic water". I think the concept is so physically and chemically ludicrous that no reputable academic journal has bothered to print anything about it. I've found articles by freelance debunkers on various sites, but nothing that I can wave in the face of the university's Public Information Officer and say "Look! You're pushing pseudoscience!"
Any suggestions?
[Slightly-related Metabunk thread: Dubious Claim: Radio-wave treated water improves crop output. But this covers mostly radio treatment and not magnetic treatment.]
Ginkgo biloba may aid in treating Type 2 Diabetes, UC researcher says
It was a very small study involving only 40 rats, of which only 10 received magnetized water and another 10 Ginkgo biloba.The extract of the leaves of Ginkgo biloba, a popular dietary supplement, may offer some therapeutic benefits in fighting Type 2 diabetes, according to a study co-authored by a researcher at the University of Cincinnati (UC) College of Medicine.
“In diabetic rats Ginkgo biloba had a very good effect on the beta cells of Langerhans—cells in the pancreas responsible for insulin secretion—by creating a restorative effect similar to what we see in healthy non-diabetic rats,” says Helal Fouad Hetta, PhD, a postdoctoral fellow and scientist in the UC Division of Digestive Diseases. Hetta, shown above, is also on faculty at Egypt’s Assiut University College of Medicine in the Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology.
The study in animal models by an international team of 13 researchers was published in the journal Diabetes, Metabolic Syndrome and Obesity: Targets and Therapy and is available online. The first author on the research is Ahmed Saleh, PhD, Jazan University in Saudi Arabia. The study demonstrates UC's committment to research as outlined in the university's strategic direction Next Lives Here.
“The extracts derived from Ginkgo biloba have been frequently used in traditional medicine and have been shown to exhibit antioxidant potency,” says Hetta. “Magnetized water, which has been passed through a magnetic field, has also been reported to reduce blood glucose, improve antioxidant status and lipid profiles in diabetic rat models.” ...
After having Ginkgo biloba and magnetized water added to their diets, the mass of the pancreatic beta cells and the amount of insulin in these cells was shown to increase markedly, almost back to normal levels, particularly in the Ginkgo biloba-treated group, says Hetta.
In addition, both Ginkgo biloba and magnetized water improved the anti-oxidant status and reduced the oxidative stress associated with type 2 diabetes by down regulation of the two antioxidant enzymes, glutathione and superoxide dismutase 2, in the pancreatic tissue, says Hetta. ...
All of the 13 authors come from institutions in Saudia Arabia or Egypt, and the research was Saudi-funded. One of the authors also happens to be a post-doc at the University of Cincinnati, which is how this news ended up on their website (as well as on sites like Medical Xpress and Science Daily which reprint press releases). I haven't seen it in the mainstream news yet.
Anyway, I wanted to write to the university and complain, but I haven't been able to find any good articles debunking "magnetic water". I think the concept is so physically and chemically ludicrous that no reputable academic journal has bothered to print anything about it. I've found articles by freelance debunkers on various sites, but nothing that I can wave in the face of the university's Public Information Officer and say "Look! You're pushing pseudoscience!"
Any suggestions?
[Slightly-related Metabunk thread: Dubious Claim: Radio-wave treated water improves crop output. But this covers mostly radio treatment and not magnetic treatment.]