477 Health claim verifications avg. score 5.0/10 172 rated true or mostly true 305 rated false or misleading
“Psilobalsam provides faster symptom relief than Dermodrin for insect bites and itching.”
The claim is not supported by the evidence. No reliable clinical studies or product documents show that Psilobalsam relieves insect-bite symptoms faster than Dermodrin, and the cited literature does not provide comparative onset-of-action data between them. Any suggestion of superiority rests on mechanism or marketing, not demonstrated clinical evidence.
“When the environment pH decreases from 9 to 8, some amino acid residues in pancreatic lipase bind slightly more hydrogen ions, causing a small charge change that alters the active site's shape or binding affinity and slightly reduces the enzyme's efficiency at binding fat.”
The evidence does not support the claim that lowering pH from 9 to 8 makes pancreatic lipase bind fat less efficiently. General biochemistry does show that pH can change residue protonation and enzyme shape, but pancreatic lipase is commonly reported to work best around pH 8 or within about 7.5–8.5. That means the specific directional conclusion is unsupported and may be the reverse of what the evidence suggests.
“On average, McDonald's hamburgers have a worse overall nutrition score than the average fast-food hamburger sold in the United States.”
The claim is not supported by the evidence. No cited high-quality source establishes an average U.S. fast-food hamburger nutrition score or shows McDonald’s falling below it on a defined composite measure. The limited direct comparisons available more often suggest McDonald’s basic hamburgers are average or relatively better than many competitors, not worse overall.
“The timing of sexual intercourse relative to ovulation can influence the probability that a couple conceives a male (boy) versus female (girl) baby.”
Better evidence does not show that having sex at particular times around ovulation changes whether a baby will be male or female. Large prospective studies and mainstream medical guidance have found no consistent, statistically significant effect, and popular timing methods such as Shettles are not scientifically supported. Older studies suggesting an association have not held up against stronger research.
“Normal whole-gut transit time in humans is 24 to 72 hours.”
The quoted range is a simplified rule of thumb, not a reliable universal normal range. Stronger clinical sources show normal whole-gut transit can be faster than 24 hours—often about 10–14 hours—and the upper end varies by testing method, with some protocols allowing longer than 72 hours. The 72-hour upper bound is broadly defensible, but the 24-hour lower bound is not.
“Coffee consumption stunts human growth (reduces height growth).”
Available evidence does not support the idea that drinking coffee reduces human height growth. Clinical guidance from major pediatric and medical sources treats this as a debunked myth, and studies in adolescents have not shown lower height growth from caffeine intake. Caffeine can still be a problem for children and teens because it can disrupt sleep and cause other health effects, but that is different from stunting height.
“Pharmaceutical companies have promoted the overprescription of opioid painkillers in order to increase their profits.”
Extensive evidence shows several opioid manufacturers promoted higher prescribing to increase sales and profits. That evidence includes Purdue Pharma’s federal guilty plea, congressional investigations, and peer-reviewed studies linking industry marketing and physician payments to increased opioid prescribing and overdose harm. The wording is broad, but the central claim is well supported.
“The medical prefix "cardio-" refers to the heart.”
Authoritative medical references consistently use cardio- or cardi/o to mean “heart.” A technical caveat exists because some terminology guides classify cardi/o as a combining form rather than a strict prefix. That distinction does not change the practical meaning of the claim.
“The weight-loss product marketed as "Jillian Michaels' Jelly Lean" does not work for weight loss.”
Consumers should not expect weight loss from anything sold as 'Jillian Michaels' Jelly Lean.' Jillian Michaels says the product is not real or endorsed by her, BBB records describe scam complaints, and the gummies reportedly sent to buyers contain ingredients with weak or no reliable evidence for meaningful weight loss. The main caveat is that no authentic, standardized product exists to test directly.
“Drinking hydrogen-rich water improves kidney function in people with chronic kidney disease.”
Early research suggests possible benefits, but current evidence does not show that drinking hydrogen-rich water reliably improves kidney function in people with chronic kidney disease. The strongest reviews describe the human evidence as limited and preliminary. Much of the positive evidence comes from animal studies, very small trials, or dialysis settings that do not prove benefit for the broader CKD population.
“Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioners assess a person's health status by using pulse diagnosis, tongue observation, and physical examination to identify patterns of imbalance.”
The statement matches mainstream descriptions of TCM diagnosis. Authoritative sources describe pulse reading, tongue observation, and palpation/physical examination as standard tools used to identify syndromes or patterns of imbalance. The main caveat is that classical TCM diagnosis usually also includes questioning and listening/smelling, so the claim is accurate but not complete.
“In acupuncture assessment for migraine, practitioners evaluate a patient's body balance using methods such as pulse reading, tongue observation, and physical examination to identify patterns of imbalance.”
The claim accurately describes standard TCM-style acupuncture assessment for migraine. Major medical and NIH-linked sources describe acupuncturists using pulse reading, tongue observation, and physical examination to identify patterns of imbalance before treatment. The main caveat is that these steps are part of traditional diagnostic practice and are not always standardized or detailed in migraine guidelines or clinical trials.
“After an initial course of acupuncture for migraine management, maintenance acupuncture sessions are typically done monthly or as needed.”
The evidence does not support monthly or as-needed acupuncture as the typical maintenance schedule for migraine after an initial course. Authoritative reviews and guidelines generally describe individualized treatment plans or fixed short-term courses, and they do not establish a standard maintenance cadence. Some clinics recommend monthly follow-up, but that reflects local practice patterns rather than broad evidence-based consensus.
“Acupuncture sessions for migraine treatment typically last 45–60 minutes, including consultation time.”
Full acupuncture visits for migraine can last 45–60 minutes when consultation is counted, but that is not the best-supported typical range. Authoritative migraine and general medical sources more often place routine sessions around 30–45 minutes, with 60 minutes commonly describing initial or longer appointments. The claim therefore overstates how long a standard session usually lasts.
“Acupuncture is used both for migraine prevention (reducing future migraine attack frequency) and for relief during an active migraine attack.”
Available evidence supports both parts of the claim. Acupuncture is well studied as a preventive option for migraine, with multiple systematic reviews showing reduced attack frequency. It has also been used during active migraine attacks in trials and some clinical settings, although the acute-use evidence is much smaller and it is not a standard first-line abortive treatment.
“Only two of seven triptan medicines available globally are publicly funded in New Zealand: sumatriptan and rizatriptan.”
Current New Zealand evidence supports the claim. PHARMAC’s schedule and decision records show that only sumatriptan and rizatriptan are publicly funded, while the other five triptan medicines used globally are not subsidised in New Zealand. Older sources about availability or approval do not rebut this, because they address access rather than public funding.
“In New Zealand, funded sumatriptan and funded rizatriptan are available at the standard prescription co-payment of about NZ$5 for people with a Community Services Card.”
The evidence supports that funded sumatriptan and funded rizatriptan are available in New Zealand, but it does not support the claim that people with a Community Services Card pay about NZ$5 for them. Official sources describe CSC prescription charges as reduced, and sometimes zero, relative to the usual standard charge. That makes the CSC-specific pricing in the claim inaccurately framed.
“Consuming caffeine via energy drinks is worse for health than consuming an equivalent amount of caffeine via coffee.”
The evidence indicates that energy drinks generally cause more adverse acute cardiovascular effects than the same amount of caffeine from coffee. Randomized trials show larger changes in blood pressure and electrical heart measures after energy drinks, including one direct caffeine-matched coffee comparison. But the claim is broader than the evidence: most studies are short-term, use surrogate markers, and do not prove worse overall or long-term health outcomes in every circumstance.
“A recommended initial course of 6–10 sessions at clinics in Auckland, New Zealand typically totals NZ$480–NZ$1,400 before any maintenance sessions.”
The stated NZ$480–NZ$1,400 range fits some lower-cost clinic services, but it is not a reliable typical total across Auckland clinics as a whole. For common private mental-health services, posted fees often imply 6–10 sessions costing about NZ$1,140–NZ$2,600, well above the claimed ceiling. Because the claim does not specify the treatment type, it gives an overly low impression of what many patients would actually pay.
“Sessions at clinics in Auckland, New Zealand, typically cost NZ$80–NZ$140 each.”
NZ$80–NZ$140 is a common price band for some Auckland clinic services, but not for clinic sessions overall. Many enrolled GP visits are often below NZ$80, especially at subsidised or VLCA practices, while some private therapy sessions are above NZ$140. Without specifying casual, unsubsidised, urgent-care, or allied-health visits, the range is too broad to describe what Auckland clinic sessions typically cost.