Buyer beware: on snake oil, false promises, male menopause and Michael Jackson

Posted by Liz on Aug 7, 2009 in menopause | 2 comments

Snake oil. Can’t live with it. 

Patented snake oil remedies have been around since the early 1700’s, lending credence to the hypothesis that preying on an individual’s healthcare needs is a well-honed art. For months now, I’ve been exposing various menopausal remedies that offer relief for anything and everything that ails.  I’ve found supplements, chewing gum and magnets, audio tapes, creams, rubs and lotions… the whole nine yards. Mind you, some do contain ingredients that, on their own and in standardized formulations, may alleviate or prevent symptoms from worsening or peaking. However, I have long fought against the “one size fits all” proposition, instead arguing that the best therapeutic approach is individualized, evidenced-based, methodical, fluid and supervised by a licensed healthcare professional.

The menopause market is huge, with latest industry projections topping, if not exceeding $4 to $8 billion, depending on who you speak to. And this number is expected to grow as the population ages. So, it’s not surprising that there are increasing numbers of players who want a piece of the action. And, that the action is not just geared towards women, but to men as well.

Wait! Women are the only one’s who go through menopause, right?!

Readers of this blog know what I think about male menopause and I continue to question the terminology as well as its comparison to what women experience during the transition. Yet, regardless of my beliefs, I object to predators, period.

So, it troubled me when I ran across the following headline:

“Michael Jackson could have been going through ‘male menopause’ says SimplyAgeless411.”

Hmmmm. The rat is back. And he’s smelling even worse.

According to the two anti-aging consultants who are quoted in the press release, Michael Jackson, a “dark, troubled soul,” could have been suffering from male menopause for years, that the anxiety, depression, insomnia and fatigue that prompted his reliance on prescription medicines might have been easily treated had he gotten to the right doctor. The hook here is that if you “realize after taking a long hard look at the man in the mirror that male menopause might be sneaking up on you,” that you should talk to your doctor about hormone therapy. The close? That low hormone levels can be easily addressed through a regimen of tablets, and gels applied to the skin. Results they claim, are “dramatic and immediate.” Of note, a frequent contributor to this site’s Ezine is a Board-certified hormone specialist.

So, ladies and gents, gather round, the menopausal marketing circus is in town. And it appears that it’s here to stay. If the spotlight in the ring is on “dramatic,” “immediate,” “cure” or “guarantee,” money-back or not, you might want to avoid the big tent at all costs.

p.s. If you are looking for information about how to go about selecting an alternative therapy for menopause, Flashfree is the place. Throughout this blog and its various topics, I’ve explored many alternative therapies and the most current evidence that I can find supporting or disputing their use throughout the menopause; I encourage you to peruse the archives. You might also want to revisit ‘Navigating the Maze, Parts I and II,’ my interview with  NYC-based acupuncturist and Chinese medicine specialist Elaine Stern, about what to look for. I also recommend that you check out the links on the Blogroll, as they will take you to reputable sources of information.

Special thanks to Andrew Scherer and Scherer Cybrarian LLC for assistance with some of the research for this post.