By Lissa Rankin, M.D., Author of Mind Over Medicine
Most of us have heard of "the placebo effect," the heal-inducing effect patients in clinical trials experience when they believe they're getting a fancy new drug or surgery but are actually getting fake treatment. The placebo effect is real, it works about 18-80% of the time, and it's not just in your head – it actually dilates bronchi, heals ulcers, makes warts disappear, drops your blood pressure, and even makes bald men who think they're getting Rogaine grow hair!
But the placebo effect has a shadow side. The same mind-body power that can heal you can also harm you. When patients in double-blinded clinical trials are warned about the side effects they may experience if they're given the real drug, approximately 25% experience sometimes severe side effects, even when they're only taking sugar pills.
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