According to doctors, bee venom therapy at Netflix’s (Un) Well and extreme fasting are controversial for reasons

Holistic wellness is part of a broader approach to health and combining crystal and ibuprofen for headaches does no harm to anyone. However, it is no secret that the wellness space is full of remedies and therapies that can be harmful as well as ineffective. New Netflix documentation (Un) Well Let’s dive deeper into this phenomenon and look at six different wellness practices aimed at treating diabetes and chronic Lyme disease from different perspectives.

This show highlights some epidemic therapies, including ayahuasca rituals, breastfeeding, and essential oils, depicting patients and practitioners with doctors and scientists, and explaining why you need to be careful when you leave traditional medicine. To do. (The show also clearly states at the beginning of each episode “Entertaining and informative-designed not to provide medical advice.” From arthritis to Lyme disease to extreme fasting. Various diseases. Needless to say, adaptogen, Both approaches are known to pose serious health risks.

So (Un) Well Shaw sometimes finds cures elsewhere where people with chronic illnesses do not find the help they need in traditional medicine. Without proper research and precautions, it is dangerous. “I warn patients not to use unproven treatments that offer an ineffective risk,” Dr. Michael Kornberg, MD, Ph.D.Associate Professor of Neurology at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, tells Bustle.

Why experts say bee venom therapy is dangerous

(Yup Therapeutic therapy episode From face masks to the treatment of chronic Lyme disease and multiple sclerosis, we are investigating treatment methods that use bee venom.

Beekeeping is not suitable for the weak. People sting themselves for months or years to relieve pain. They include 24-year-old Kelly Ciuro who has been undiagnosed for Lyme for 10 years. “I’m ready to believe in bees,” she says at the show.

To (Un) Well, Beekeeping Therapy Center Heal Hive, Brooke Gearhan, Explain that apitherapy means “rupture” the containing cells B. burgdorferi, It stimulates the bacteria behind lime and the body’s immune response. In the camera, neurologist Dr. Stephen Novella says the body produces painkillers to deal with the discomfort of stinging, but the poison does not help in chronic conditions like Tiuro. “The bee venom is like a witch’s brew of toxins and chemicals. They are all there to cause you pain and harm,” Novella says at the show.

“There is absolutely no evidence that bee venom has any value in treating chronic Lyme disease,” Dr. Philip J. Baker, Executive Director of the American Lyme Disease Foundation, told Bustle. Studies showing bee venom B. Burgdorferi Happened in a small study of petri dishes, This is unlike human studies, and has not been reproduced.

Bee venom therapy also targets multiple sclerosis, but it is less promising. “The scientific basis of Bee venom therapy is weakly used in multiple sclerosis, And there is no evidence that MS patients have any benefit,” Dr. Kornberg told Bustle. The only clinical trial of bee venom therapy in MS patients There is no benefit and there is a risk of severe allergic reactions such as anaphylaxis. ”

I’m not saying that melittin, the main ingredient of bee venom, has no potential as a healing agent. Separated from many other toxic compounds in venom, it shows potential Anti-tumor therapy, But research shows that More work needs to be done To understand how to apply it to humans-without the risk of causing an allergic reaction.

Why experts pay attention to extreme fasting

(Un) Well look Extreme fasting, It also includes people trying to extend their life by limiting food intake, such as 28-day fasts and “body hackers.” According to experts, they are all dangerous. “There is absolutely no evidence to support an extreme fast,” nutritionist Abbey Langer RD Tell Bustle. “It does not make you healthier, stronger, or “hack” anything to say no to food. “

Fasting is popular because it is currently popular Intermittent fasting, People limit their daily eating schedule, but heavy fasting is dangerous. “There is some evidence to suggest it. Short-term fasting may have health benefits There are also well-known risks to certain people.” Lorna Richards MBChB, Consultant Psychiatrist at Eating Disorders and Addictions Treatment Facility Life works, Tell Bustle. Physically, extreme fasting can cause dehydration, low blood pressure, kidney problems, syncope, and digestive problems, she says. Refeeding after a fast can be very dangerous because it puts a heavy burden on the digestive system. One man who had a story Feature (Un) Well He died during refeeding after a 28-day fast.

Research on extreme fasting and its effects on health is difficult to find. 1 Published in BMC complementary and alternative medicine In 2018 We found that water-only fasting often had only mild or moderate side effects, including thirst, but we investigated only short-term fasting for two days. another Published in PLoS One In 2019 Said that patients who fasted for 4-21 days rated their physical health during the fast as “good”, but did not see how their bodies responded in the long run.

Christie Harrison RD CDNI was a registered dietitian, a dietitian, and one of the experts consulted by (Un) Well. “I decided to participate (Un) Well “I knew I wanted to help viewers about the dangers of fasting, and I knew that the fasting proponents featured in the series would probably not discuss these risks,” she said. .. Their well-being is severely damaged by fasting and other chaotic behavior. ” Long-term extreme fasting, She says it can increase the risk to people with osteoporosis as well as reproductive, thyroid, and heart problems.

Extreme fasting can also lead to eating disorders. “Diet significantly increases the risk of developing eating disorders“Conversely, the more you punish your diet, the more fulfilled you are,” Langer said, treating food as “off-limits” can result in long-term psychological damage. Un (well) Focusing on “hacking” his body turned out to mean that he developed symptoms of eating disorders.

Managing a state of health that is unresponsive to conventional medications can be very frustrating, (Un) Well Unproven treatments can be dangerous.

Expert:

Dr. Philip J. Baker

Christie Harrison RD CDN

Michael Kornberg, MD, Ph.D

Abbey Langer RD

Lorna Richards MBChB

Cited studies:

Finnell, JS, Saul, BC, Goldhamer, AC, and Myers, TR (2018). Is fasting safe? A medically monitored chart review of adverse events during a water-only fast. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 18(1), 67. https: //doi.org/10.1186/s12906-018-2136-6

Lyu, C., Fang, F. , & Li, B. (2019) Antitumor effects of melittin and its potential applications in clinics Current protein and peptide science, 20(3), 240–250. https://doi.org/10.2174/1389203719666180612084615

Rady, I., Siddiqui, IA, Rady, M. & Mukhtar, H. (2017) Melittin, the major peptide component of bee venom, and its complex in the treatment of cancer. Cancer Letters, 402, 16–31. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.canlet.2017.05.010

Socarras, KM, Theophilus, P., Torres, JP, Gupta, K. , And Sapi, E (2017). Antibacterial activity of bee venom and melittin against Borrelia burgdorferi Antibiotics (Basel, Switzerland), 6(4), 31. https: //doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics6040031

Wei, M., Brandhorst, S., Shelehchi, M., Mirzaei, H., Cheng, CW, Budniak, J., Groshen, S., Mack, WJ, Guen, E., Di Biase, S., Cohen , P. , Morgan, TE, Dorf, T. , Hong, K. , Michalsen, A. , Labiano, A. , And Longo, VD (2017). Fasting mimics and markers/risk factors for aging, diabetes, cancer and cardiovascular disease. Science Translational Medicine, 9 (377), eaai8700. https://doi.org/10.1126/scitranslmed.aai8700

Wesselius, T., Heersema, DJ, Mosert, JP, Heerings, M., Admiraal-Behloul, F., Talebian, A., van Buchem, MA, and De Keyser, J. (2005). A randomized crossover study of bee sting treatment for multiple sclerosis. Neurology, 65 (11), 1764–1768. https://doi.org/10.1212/01.wnl.0000184442.02551.4b

Wilhelmi de Toledo, F., Grundler, F., Bergouignan, A., Drinda, S., & Michalsen, A. (2019). Safety, improved health, and well-being during a fasting period of 4-21 days in an observational study involving 1422 subjects. PloS one, 14 (1), e0209353. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0209353