Paltrow's placebos

Gwyneth Paltrow sells stickers called Body Vibes. You stick them on your upper arms to “promote healing,” “rebalance energy frequencies,” “smooth out physical tension and anxiety,” and “boost cell turnover” (do you want your cells to turn over?).  For $60, you can get a pack of ten! Here are a few:

Paltrow says the healing power of Body Vibes came from NASA space science, using the “same conductive carbon material that NASA uses to line spacesuits…using a biofrequency that resonates with the body’s natural energy fields…” NASA debunked the claim, stating that spacesuits “do not have any conductive carbon material lining.” But the stickers work! Users say they feel better!

This, of course, is an example of the placebo effect, which is actually a rather complicated business and can be triggered in different ways. One has to do with your expectation that you’re going to feel better. Your expectation triggers the release of endorphins—natural pain-relieving chemicals. This endorphin release occurs even when you take a real painkiller. Studies show that painkillers such as morphine are markedly less effective if you don’t know you’re taking them—that is, the expectation is part of the pain relief effect.

Studies have also shown that people can learn to enhance and suppress their own immune systems—a kind of Pavlovian response. And the state of our minds also affect our health. Researchers found that, during a severe flu epidemic, depressed people who had the flu were sicker for longer periods than people who were not depressed. There’s no shortage of examples of the placebo effect, including sham surgeries that recipients were certain made them well.

As one placebo researcher remarked, “I think it’s connected to systems that generate emotional responses. It’s a window into ways in which psychological factors can affect brain and body factors that are related to health.” It’s that old mind over matter business. But I don’t know, I’d find it hard to put my faith in those stickers.

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