What is it? Why do we need it? Where can we find it?
What is it?
Evidence based research is exactly what it sounds like, it is studies often by scientists and academics, which uses experiments to understand the validity of an idea. Because the experiments have outcomes, regardless of being good or bad, the outcomes serve as evidence. When enough of these are done, particularly to a "golden standard", using a double-blind sample group where one half of the group gets the real supplement and another get's a placebo, but the researchers don't know which group had which supplement, this produces creditable data that can then be used to support or discredit the hypothesis about the supplement.
Why do we need it?
In the world of modern medicine, many preventative treatments include dietary supplements. For example, one of the most common supplements taken in the world is Vitamin D. Many people in the world have a Vitamin D deficiency because they do not spend enough time in sunlight, which is the primary way that we get it. We know people need to take Vitamin D supplements because thousands of studies have proven the efficacy of doing so over and over.
For every new treatment or beneficial effect that we might achieve by changing what we consume and how we live, there are usually studies that have been conducted which tell us more about those effects and if we should believe the hype.
You may have found yourself reading a newspaper or magazine article talking of some huge discovery that will be a health game changer. For example, about the harms of sitting in a chair too much. Or how looking at a phone screen late at night, due to blue light exposure, can decrease the quality of your sleep. But what you might not have paid attention to is that these articles sometimes, but not always, reference a study which proves the claims of the article. It's important, before taking any of the tips these sources of information suggest as fact, to check that there is evidence that supports the claims. All too often, content creators and journalists stretch the positive or negative outcomes or just don't have room in their story to mention the fine print. Most of the time, however, we can at least expect a link in the article to the study they are referencing. And this is where things get interesting!
As long as the study can be found, you can take the fact checking into your own hands and decide if there is something to learn from the research. Or if there was more talk than walk in the interpretation of the data. And for the very brave souls out there, you can even choose your own adventure and search through the millions of studies available on the Internet to find any other studies that are of interest to you.
Where can we find it?
One of the most reliable sources of evidence based research is PubMed. An online database of scientific research projects, PubMed is an excellent resource for finding evidence based research. Claims are often made about the benefits or harms of things we eat, lifestyles we choose, the environment we live in, and of course – the supplements we take. But when those claims are made without referencing the study that proves them, or almost just as bad, when these statements exaggerate the credibility of a study's finding, either because the sample size wasn't large enough, the demographics were biased, or any number of other variables which might allow for convenient results, readers are misled.
For better or worse, most people are not interested in digging through technical research which is no simple errand. But it's important for anyone willing to take their health into their own hands and that wants to prevent health issues from happening, rather than waiting for symptoms of diseases and conditions that might be easier to avoid in early stages, to know how to break down the facts from the pseudo-science.
