Uncovering the Dangers of Nutritional Fads: The Harmful Legacy of Adelle Davis

[Evo]

My thread on potassium brought this food faddist to my attention. It just re-emphasizes that people that go down the path of self-medicating or even making changes to a nutritionally sound diet are risking not only their health but their lives.

This is shocking, but unfortunately there are many, many people that are more willing to believe crackpots than follow sound advice. I strongly suggest reading the entire linked article.

Adelle Davis (1904-1974) was the first "health authority" among modern food faddists who had any formal professional background. She was trained in dietetics and nutrition at the University of California at Berkeley, and got an M.S. degree in biochemistry from the University of Southern California in 1938. Despite this training, she promoted hundreds of nutritional tidbits and theories that were unfounded. At the 1969 White House Conference on Food and Nutrition, the panel on deception and misinformation agreed that Davis was probably the most damaging source of false nutrition information in the nation. Most of her ideas were harmless unless carried to extremes, but some were very dangerous. For example, she recommended magnesium as a treatment for epilepsy, potassium chloride for certain patients with kidney disease, and megadoses of vitamins A and D for other conditions.

In 1971, a 4-year-old victim of Davis's advice was hospitalized at the University of California Medical Center in San Francisco. The child appeared pale and chronically ill. She was having diarrhea, vomiting, fever, and loss of hair. Her liver and spleen were enlarged, and other signs suggested she had a brain tumor. Her mother, "a food faddist who read Adelle Davis religiously," had been giving her large doses of vitamins A and D plus calcium lactate. Fortunately, when these supplements were stopped, the little girl's condition improved.

Little Eliza Young was not so fortunate. During her first year of life she was given "generous amounts" of vitamin A as recommended in Let's Have Healthy Children (1951). As a result, according to the suit filed in 1971 against Davis and her publisher, Eliza's growth was permanently stunted. The estate of Adelle Davis settled in 1976 for $150,000.

Two-month-old Ryan Pitzer was even less fortunate [5]. According to the suit filed by his parents, Ryan was killed in 1978 by the administration of potassium chloride for colic as suggested in the same book. The suit was settled out of court for a total of $160,000—$25,000 from the publisher, $75,000 from Davis's estate, and $60,000 from the potassium product's manufacturer. After the suit was filed, the book was recalled from bookstores, but it was reissued after changes were made by a physician allied with the health-food industry.

Adelle Davis used to say that she never saw anyone get cancer who drank a quart of milk daily, as she did. She stopped saying that when she died of cancer in 1974, leaving behind her a trail of ten million books and a following that was large, devoted, and misinformed.

Her influence has faded, but not to zero. In 2005, an 11-month-old boy who was raised on barley water and goats milk as recommended in Let's Have Healthy Children wound up with severe anemia due to vitamin deficiency [10]. The treating physicians said he was lucky to escape brain damage.

http://www.quackwatch.org/04ConsumerEducation/davis.html

 

[alxm]

Yup, it's a sad state of affairs indeed. It really borders on cult-like behavior at times.

No, strike that. It is cult behavior at times! Given that it seems to be pretty common for cults to form their own insane and often-dangerous ideas about health and nutrition. (Scientology, for instance, has quite the handful)

 

[mcknia07]

It wouldn't be so bad, if they would have kept it to small amounts. I was pretty much raised on drinking barley greens. It is a good cleanser, but only to be used in small amounts!

 

[turbo]

It wouldn't be so bad, if they would have kept it to small amounts. I was pretty much raised on drinking barley greens. It is a good cleanser, but only to be used in small amounts!

Not good. There is a fad being pushed at "health-food" stores these days selling "colon cleansers" that are organic, natural, and "good" for you. That is so ignorant and dishonest that it should be a crime. It does not matter if a laxative is chemically-derived or compounded from plants - laxative-overuse strips the body of vital nutrients, and while laxatives may help you lose weight temporarily, the disruption in the retention and uptake of nutrients is ultimately very unhealthy.

 

[Evo]

Not good. There is a fad being pushed at "health-food" stores these days selling "colon cleansers" that are organic, natural, and "good" for you. That is so ignorant and dishonest that it should be crime. It does not matter if a laxative is chemically-derived or compounded from plants - laxative-overuse strips the body of vital nutrients, and while laxatives may help you lose weight temporarily, the disruption in the retention and uptake of nutrients is ultimately very unhealthy.

The whole idea that people need to "cleanse" their colons is not only ridiculous, it's dangerous.

http://www.cancer.org/docroot/ETO/content/ETO_5_3X_Colon_Therapy.asp

 

[mgb_phys]

During her first year of life she was given "generous amounts" of vitamin A as recommended in Let's Have Healthy Children (1951).

To be fair, in the 50s doctors were recommending cigarettes to ease coughs and vegetarians were thought to be dangerous cranks.

 

[Evo]

To be fair, in the 50s doctors were recommending cigarettes to ease coughs and vegetarians were thought to be dangerous cranks.

Ah, you've been taken in by internet misinformation.

http://www.ajph.org/cgi/content/full/96/2/222

 

[mgb_phys]

Some great 40/50s ads for cigarrettes here
http://lane.stanford.edu/tobacco/index.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gCMzjJjuxQI

I suppose this IS a bit like a survey saying, "most drug addict doctors choose vicodin"

 

[Proton Soup]

... and vegetarians were thought to be dangerous cranks.

they certainly can be. and vegans are dangerous cranks.

 

[mcknia07]

they certainly can be. and vegans are dangerous cranks.

Hey now...I used to be vegan, you best be careful!

 

[Proton Soup]

Hey now...I used to be vegan, you best be careful!

well I'm glad you came to your senses.

 

[Andy Resnick]

Back in the 80's, Linus Pauling came here to speak on campus, and he did a local radio talk show that evening. He was going on and on about vitamin C, and a med student called in and excoriated him- really laid into the guy on air- for spreading pseudo-scientific nonsense. I was in high school at the time and realized that even great men can be lunatics.

 

[mgb_phys]

Back in the 80's, Linus Pauling came here to speak on campus, and he did a local radio talk show that evening. He was going on and on about vitamin C,

It did seem to be almost a relief to the medical industry when he finally died (in his 90s and as vigorous as ever)

You did feel that you would soon see articles like: "Medical doctors dismissed claims that megadose vitamin C helps you live longer and be more active. The 120 year old Linus Pauling could not be reached for comment since he was climbing Everest with his new 19year old wife"

 

[Blenton]

Adelle Davis used to say that she never saw anyone get cancer who drank a quart of milk daily, as she did. She stopped saying that when she died of cancer in 1974, leaving behind her a trail of ten million books and a following that was large, devoted, and misinformed.

So... is that to say the milk gave her cancer? Cause i drink almost a liter of milk a day. (not for any reason, just cause its great stuff)

 

[Proton Soup]

So... is that to say the milk gave her cancer? Cause i drink almost a liter of milk a day. (not for any reason, just cause its great stuff)

no. it means milk won't protect you from getting cancer. and neither will vitamin C or shark cartilage.

 

[Andy Resnick]

So... is that to say the milk gave her cancer? Cause i drink almost a liter of milk a day. (not for any reason, just cause its great stuff)

There's your problem: it has to be Imperial units, or the health benefits do not accrue. :)