Unlocking the Mystery of Placebo Effects

In summary: So in that sense, the placebo effect could be more psychological than actual physical?In summary, the big-muscle-guy magazine was advertising weight loss products, and the ads used bar graphs to represent how much weight people on the products lost. The people on the products also lost weight, but the people on the placebo lost weight just as much.
  • #1
aychamo
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So what causes this? I was at a clinic the other day, waiting on my girlfriends mom to get out, and was reading a big-muscle-guy magazine. I was looking at the performance enhancers/weight loss formulas/muscle building/etc in there (do any of these really work?), and I noticed ads like this:

"On (WhateverBrand) people lost 25 pounds in 4 weeks, with placebo they lost 12.5" (but it was represented in bar-graph format)

So the people on the stuff being tested lost weight, but also people on the placebo lost weight, just not as much. I'd (probably wrongly) assume both groups led similar lifestyles, and that as much as possible was kept constant between the experimental and control groups.

So, why did the placebo group lose weight? In a broader aspect, why does the placebo group get any effect at all?
 
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  • #2
For things like weight loss, some of the effect is probably due to dieting or additional exercise that goes along with the reasons someone is motivated to take a diet pill. That one example is probably far more straightforward than most other instances of the placebo effect. I think we discussed this fairly recently here. I think the bottom line is that we don't really know, but it might be the expectation that it will do something that reduces stress-related symptoms or something like that.
 
  • #3
Well I am not so sure of the correct answer to this question, but I sure bet I know where it can be found.

The 'placebo' effect is the one constant working solution in all experiments, from AIDS drugs, to aspirin, to Vitamen C (hmm, Masters and Johnson, Viagra too?)

Why don't we focus on the 'placebo effect' that seems to have a small but effective functioning demonstration in every and all experiments?

Like I heard someone funny once say
" Sounds like I got to get me some of them placebos!"

Moonrat
 
  • #4
Could the placebo effect be more of a psychological reaction? For example, if someone takes a placebo they think "hmm... I took a pill, maybe ill get better" and they are more motivated and less stressed about the problem.
 

1. What exactly is a placebo effect?

A placebo effect is a phenomenon where a patient experiences a positive medical outcome, such as a decrease in symptoms, even though they received an inactive substance, or placebo, instead of an actual treatment. It is believed to be caused by the patient's belief in the effectiveness of the treatment, rather than the treatment itself.

2. How does the placebo effect work?

The exact mechanism of the placebo effect is not fully understood, but it is believed to involve the brain and its ability to influence the body's physiological response. When a patient believes they are receiving an effective treatment, their brain may release neurotransmitters and hormones that can influence pain perception, immune response, and other bodily functions.

3. Are there different types of placebo effects?

Yes, there are various types of placebo effects, including classical conditioning, where a response is triggered by a specific cue or context; expectancy, where a patient's belief in a treatment's effectiveness influences their response; and social learning, where a patient's observation of others experiencing positive outcomes can lead to their own positive response.

4. Do placebo effects only occur with physical conditions?

No, placebo effects can also occur with psychological and emotional conditions. For example, a patient may experience a decrease in symptoms of depression or anxiety after receiving a placebo, even though the treatment itself has no active ingredients.

5. Can the placebo effect be harnessed for medical purposes?

Yes, the placebo effect can be utilized in clinical trials to assess the effectiveness of a new treatment. In some cases, the placebo effect may be strong enough to show a positive response, which can help researchers determine the true effectiveness of the treatment being tested. Additionally, healthcare providers may use placebo treatments to help manage symptoms and improve outcomes for their patients.

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