Celebrities and science 2010 Each year at Sense About Science we review the odd science claims people in the public eye have made – about diets, cancer, magnets, radiation and more – sent in to us by scientists and members of the public. Many of these claims promote theories, therapies and campaigns that make no scientific sense. We ask scientists to respond, to help the celebrities realise where they are going wrong and to help the public to make sense of celebrity claims. As always, the review notes people in the public eye WHAT’S NEW IN THE 2010 REVIEW? who do make scientific sense. Reports ofJennifer This year, we have seen the biggest rise in dubious Aniston’s ‘baby food diet’ caused some raised theories about how the body works, so we have eyebrows, so dietitians were glad to see her deny included singer and actress Olivia Newton-John, rumours that she follows the puréed food regime. who said that she takes digestive enzymes and plant Jennifer said: “Sorry, but the last time I had tonics to boost her immune system. Other unusual baby food, I believe I was one. I’ve been on ideas about boosting our bodily functions have solids for about forty years now.”1 prompted strange diets, from Naomi Campbell’s maple syrup, lemon and pepper regime to Girls Aloud’s Sarah Harding sprinkling charcoal over To improve the outlook for 2011, we have distilled her meals. our scientists’ responses into easy-to-remember pointers for celebrity commentators. In sport and fitness, cage fighterAlex Reid shared tips about preparing for a fight (he ‘reabsorbs’ his Two old chestnuts: sperm). David Beckham and Kate Middleton _Nothing is chemical free: everything is made have been spotted wearing a hologram-embedded of chemicals, it’s just a case of which ones. silicone bracelet which claims to improve energy _Detox is a marketing myth: our body does it and fitness. AndCheryl Cole reputedly extolled a without pricey potions and detox diets. weight loss regime based on her blood group. Two new lessons from 2010: In health and disease, celebrity views about the _There’s no need to boost: bodily functions causes of cancer retained the improvement seen in occur without ‘boosting’. 2009, though actress Joanna Lumley and former _Energy and fitness come from… food and Harrods owner Mohamed Fayed both get a exercise: there are no shortcuts. mention. And although we have noted far fewer claims At Sense About Science we receive many calls about the benefits of ‘chemical free’ food this each year asking for help about scientific issues year, model Gisele Bündchen raised some old and we have thousands of scientists, from early misconceptions as she joined the ‘breast is best’ career researchers to leading experts, on hand. baby feeding debate. Celebrities, remember – all it takes is a phone call: Sense About Science is a small charity that equips people to make sense of science and evidence. Sense About Science, 25 Shaftesbury Avenue, London, W1D 7EG, Registered Charity No. 1101114 Compiled by Rose Wu, Sense Compiled about Wu, by Science, Rose with help from volunteers Mark Rebecca Brooke and Kennedy, Kate Designed Knowles. by Sean Publication McMahon. 29th date: December 2010 Celebrities and Science 2010 2 Anna Raymond, dietitian, British Dietetic 1. Physiology Association: Singer and actress Olivia Newton-John told newspapers that she takes “digestive enzymes Essentially it’s not cleaning with every meal, and ‘Illumination’, a tonic your body – it’s starving it! containing South American plant extracts A severe diet might actually that helps boost [the] immune system.”2 lead to the creation of potentially harmful chemicals Dr Melita Gordon, consultant gastroenter- called ketones as a result of ologist, Royal Liverpool University Hospital: changes in your metabolism. All the digestive enzymes you need are produced in a beautifully co-ordinated Pop star Sarah Harding told Now magazine that way by different structures she crumbles charcoal over her food. She said: “It in your gut. They work best doesn’t taste of anything and apparently at the exact location where absorbs all the bad, damaging stuff in the they are produced. Your body.”4 body makes all the enzymes you need, in the right place, at the right time. Dr John Emsley, chemical scientist and writer: Dr Helen Lock, immunologist: Charcoal is known to absorb toxic molecules when used Your immune system cannot in gas masks and in sewage be ‘boosted’. As long as you treatment. However, it is are generally fit and well, the unnecessary when it comes immune system is more than to diet because the body capable of fighting disease. is already quite capable of Although it can be damaged, removing any ‘bad, damaging by smoking and stress for stuff’ it encounters in ordinary consumption. example, there is no clinical It might help prevent any smelly farts though. evidence that it can be improved. Juliet Stevens, junior doctor: A diet used by Naomi Campbell, Ashton Well, Sarah, charcoal is useful Kutcher and Demi Moore this year is the ‘Master for treating life-threatening Cleanse’, where followers survive on maple syrup, poisonings and overdoses: lemon and pepper for up to two weeks with nothing in the stomach it binds else to eat. In an interview with Oprah Winfrey, directly with the dangerous Naomi Campbell explained: “it’s good just to substances, before they have clean out your body once in a while.”3 a chance to be absorbed by Ursula Arens, dietitican, British Dietetic the body. Luckily for us, the waste products Association: that our cells produce aren’t harmful, and are easily removed by our kidneys and liver. But, Naomi, the body has And, it’s no use after the festive season either many natural functions that - it doesn’t bind with alcohol at all! eliminate substances which would be ‘toxic’ if allowed to accumulate. Most diets have no effect on the rate of these physiological functions and do not improve the quality of ‘cleansing’ in the body. www.senseaboutscience.org Celebrities and Science 2010 3 Cheryl Cole and Cliff Richard tried the blood American basketball player Shaquille O’Neal is type diet, which claims that people with different also a huge fan of the bracelet, recounting the first blood groups break down food in different ways, time he wore the bracelet in a match: “We won and should eat different things. In an interview that game by 57 points!”7 with Hello! Cheryl said: “It has made such a difference, not just to my shape, but to how Michael Blastland, statistics writer and I feel and my energy levels.”5 broadcaster: Sian Porter, dietitian, British Dietetic Association: People have their ups and Your blood group cannot affect downs. Sometimes the ups digestion or the way food is occur when they wear broken down - this theory odd socks, sometimes a is really just another spin on new bracelet. Give enough reducing overall calorie intake. bracelets to enough people It is surprising that Cheryl and some are bound to have feels her energy levels have a great day. That’s just chance. improved as cutting out food And when you ask people to report the ups, groups can lead to flagging energy levels. it’s the ups that tend to be reported. That’s known as selection bias. So maybe it seems to be the bracelet that did it, Shaquille, but most likely it’s chance and selection. EASY-TO-REMEMBER POINTS our body does Detox is a marketing myth: Coronation Street actress Kate Ford used it without pricey potions and detox diets. magnet therapy to help lose weight: “I used There’s no need to boost: bodily functions Magnaslim… a magnet worn on my wrist’s occur without ‘boosting’. acupuncture point, which stopped me anxiety eating, curbed cravings and helped me drop 2st in a few months.”8 Edzard Ernst, Professor of Complemen- 2. Sport and Fitness tary Medicine, University of Exeter: Power Balance, a silicone bracelet embedded with a hologram, promises to improve strength, energy Kate, wearing the magnet might and flexibility. Celebrities sporting the bracelets have helped to strengthen your have included David Beckham, Robert de Niro, resolve to lose weight but it is Kate Middleton and even Spanish Ministers unlikely to have had much of of State. Formula 1 driver Rubens Barrichello gave the bracelet his official endorsement, saying: an effect on your body beyond “It is amazing how I feel better, stronger and this. Other than a placebo more flexible when I exercise.”6 effect, there is no evidence of any physical mechanism that Professor Greg Whyte, sports scientist, suggests magnets worn at wrist points can have Liverpool John Moores University: any beneficial powers. Rubens should feel better, stronger and more flexible when he exercises! Over time Cage fighter Alex Reid gave fans his tips on physical training enhances how to prepare for a match as he promoted his oxygen transport and new fight show, Alex Reid: The Fight of His Life. He consumption, and increases said: “it’s actually very good for a man to muscle mass and range have unprotected sex as long as he doesn’t of motion. Any perceived ejaculate. Because I believe that all that enhancement to his performance from wearing semen has a lot of nutrition. A tablespoon the Power Balance bracelet is likely to be a of semen has your equivalent of steak eggs, placebo effect, as he expects to feel a change. lemons and oranges. I am reabsorbing it into my body and it makes me go raaaaahh.”9 www.senseaboutscience.org Celebrities and Science 2010 4 Professor John Aplin, reproductive research Marianne Baker, research student, scientist, University of Manchester: Cancer Research UK: Alex, sperm can’t be Joanna, one reason cancer reabsorbed once they have can seem more common formed in the testes! In than ever is due to improved detection and longer life fact sperm die after a few expectancies.