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Defending Isagenix a Case Study in Flawed Thinking SI Jan Feb 11 from home_SI new design masters 11/12/10 11:56 AM Page 41 Defending Isagenix A Case Study in Flawed Thinking Do those who comment on blogs even read the articles they are responding to? Here is a case study in emotional thinking, ad hominem arguments, logical fallacies, irrationality, and misinformation. HARRIET HALL he Internet is a wonderful medium for communicat- To illustrate, let’s look at some re- sponses to a piece I wrote about a ing ideas and information in a rapid, interactive way. weight-loss product called Isagenix, TMany online articles are followed by a section for which is sold through a multilevel mar- comments. Like so many things in this imperfect world, keting (MLM) scheme. To quote its website verbatim, “The Isagenix cleanse comments are a mixed blessing. They can enhance the ar- is unique because it not only removes ticle by correcting errors, adding further information, or impurities at the cellular level, it builds contributing useful thoughts to a productive discussion. the body up with incredible nutrition. Besides detoxing the body, Isagenix But all too often the comments section consists of emo- teaches people a wonderful lesson that tional outbursts, unwarranted personal attacks on the au- they don’t need to eat as much as they thor, logical fallacies, and misinformation. It provides are accustom [sic] to and eating healthy choices are really important and also a irrational and ignorant people with a soapbox from which lot of the food we are eating is nutri- to promote prejudices and false information. tionally bankrupt.” Skeptical Inquirer | January/ February 2 01 1 4 1 SI Jan Feb 11 from home_SI new design masters 11/12/10 11:56 AM Page 42 I didn’t set out to write this article. health is not a matter of choosing be- Isagenix and it seems to be slowly It started when I received an e-mail tween open-heart surgery and diet sup- killing them: they have de creased en- inquiry about Isagenix. I posted my plements. No one commented on that. ergy, declining health, mood swings, answer on a discussion list, and it was Instead of rational responses, we got: and poorer control of diabetes. picked up and published at http://health Testimonials Rebuttals to Negative Testimonials fraudoz.blogspot.com/2006/11/critique- of-isagenix.html. Sandy Szwarc, author The greatest number of comments were Supposedly the people Isagenix hasn’t of a blog titled Junkfood Science, approved testimonials: “I took it and I lost helped haven’t been following the of it and kindly reposted it (see weight.” People claimed not just weight program correctly. Apparent bad re - http://junkfoodscience.blogspot.com/20 loss but a variety of improvements. Is- actions are just signs that it is working: 06/11/can-you-really-cleanse-your-way- agenix allegedly cured fibromyalgia, os- “When one is cleansing out years of ac- to.html). teoarthritis, and hemorrhoids. It cumulation of toxins, chemicals, jet fuel, As I write, the comments on the facilitated getting off sleeping pills and gasoline, arsenic, heavy metals, radiation healthfraudoz website have reached caffeine, balanced brain chemistry poisoning—one will have reactions.” a total of 176. A few commenters (what does that mean?), improved focus ‘Evidence’ That It Works approved of what I wrote, but the and mental clarity, allowed running majority tried to defend Isagenix. Their longer marathons with less fatigue, One commenter heard a doctor speak defense was irrational, incompetent, saved a failing marriage, stopped irri- who cited all kinds of studies to support and sometimes amusing. tability and crankiness, and kept an arm the theory behind Isagenix—that Is- It was as if no one had actually read from getting sore after pitching. agenix cleansing can supposedly solve what I wrote. No one bothered to “Made my son interact appropriately the problems of environmental toxicity, address any of my specific criticisms. with peers, take care of himself, and want depletion of nutrients in the food sup- No one even tried to defend Isagenix’s to be hugged and kissed,” claimed one. ply, gastrointestinal malabsorption, and false claims that toxicity accounts for “I made money selling it,” our incessant food cravings. most disease, that the body protects said another. Here are some of the other com- itself from toxins by coating them with One person wrote, “My out-of- menters’ opinions, a few of which I’ve fat, and that internal organs become control Irritable Bowel Syndrome dis- replied to in brackets. clogged and deteriorate if you don’t appeared and I had the healthiest BM A former Hare Krishna was im- cleanse. No one offered any evidence in about 6 years! ... You can’t brain- pressed by the array of nutrients in the that “detoxification” improves human wash POO!!” products and believed that the doctor health. No one tried to identify any of Two people commented that the Is- on the website had integrity and cared the alleged toxins or show that they are agenix program provides motivation; about her patients. actually removed. No one tried to pro- one said he needs “structer” (structure?) Several people claimed that we need vide any rationale for the particular to stay on a diet. nutritional supplements because the combination of ingredients (all 242 of The plural of anecdote is not data. ground has been depleted of nutrients. them!) in Isagenix products. No one Two commenters appropriately ob- “There have been many valid scien- questioned my assertion that “no caf- jected to all this testimonial evidence. tific research [sic] to back the claims of feine added” is inaccurate labeling be- They pointed out that testimonials are Isagenix.” [I couldn’t find any, and they cause green tea, which is added, unreliable and subject to post hoc ergo provided no clues as to where to look.] contains caffeine. No one commented propter hoc error, that all the “it works for Others claimed that because lots of when I observed that the amount of vi- me” comments can be attributed to a MDs are recommending Isagenix it tamin A in these products is dangerous low-calorie diet and exercise, and that the must work; these MDs can’t all be and goes against the recommendations testimonials are almost exclusively from quacks. [Appar ently they can. Lots of of the Medical Letter. No one offered people who are selling the product. MDs recommend homeopathy, and any evidence that more weight is lost by Anti-Testimonials some of them believe in astrology.] adding Isagenix to a low-calorie diet Some commenters pointed out that and exercise. I offered some alternative Quite a few commenters reported that Isagenix has paid for independent stud- explanations that might account for they had tried Isagenix and it either ies. [Where are they? What did they people believing that Isagenix is effec- didn’t work or caused side effects, such show? If Isagenix was paying, were they tive when it isn’t; no one commented on as five days of violent diarrhea. One re- truly independent?] that. ported gaining a lot of weight while Mainstream physicians are starting to The medical advisor on the Isagenix taking it; many reported losing weight realize cleansing is important, other com- website argued that at five dollars per just as well without it. Several reported menters claimed. [Not any of the ones day, Isagenix is less expensive than credit-card disputes with the company who practice science-based medicine.] open-heart surgery. I pointed out that and failure to get their money re funded. One commenter proposed that this is a laughable false dichotomy: good One reported that his parents are using cleansing makes sense because one of 42 Volume 35 Issue 1 | Skeptical Inquirer SI Jan Feb 11 from home_SI new design masters 11/12/10 11:56 AM Page 43 the main ingredients of pesticides and insecticides is estrogen. It makes women fat and casues erectile dysfunction in men. Toxicity is a bigger cause of obesity than most people realize. Another commenter insisted that be - These people apparently expect cause these products are “designed and formulated by professionals and advo- us to believe unsubstantiated cated by professionals,” they must work. One MD commenter claimed, assertions. They have no concept “I have the before and after pictures and the lab tests to prove it.” of what constitutes scientific Pseudoscientific claims peppered many comments, such as this one: “Most evidence or why controlled people only absorb 8% to 12% of what we eat—the rest is waste which we flush studies are needed. down the toilet. With Isagenix we can absorb up to 94% of what is in gested with less waste going down the toilet. Is- agenix is full of good probiotics which help rebuild our digestive systems, fights candida. Isagenix also helps the body be- cause products approved by the Food and One claimed I write only to feed my come alkaline, which is a healthy body. Drug Administration (FDA) don’t work, ego. John Hopkins 2008 Cancer Report and that MLM is “the most legitimate Another said I shouldn’t make com- stated that cancer cannot live in an alka- business out in the world today.” All cor- ments without doing any research. line body only acidic bodies. Processed porations are a pyramid anyway, they One thought I should try it for my- food makes our bodies acidic—thus the said. self. epedemic [sic] of cancer and diabites [sic] But one commenter called MLM an Another questioned why I didn’t learn in the USA along with heart disease.” “exploitative business model” and pointed more by attending a meeting for the [This is all nonsense.] out that the average yearly in come for Is- product, interviewing company represen- Isagenix is food, many commenters agenix distributors is only $116.87.
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