OT: LONG - Matol Warning was: Brad Sherback
Jobie
From the Rational Enquirer, Vol 3, No. 4, Apr 90.
Elliott Marchant and Barry Beyerstein
Matol is a herbal elixir hawked by an Amway-style marketing network for $40
per 950 ml. Known as "Km" in the U.S., it is vigorously promoted as a
panacea. Although Matol has no proven curative, preventative or
health-improving powers, a look at its contents suggests that immoderate use
may in itself pose threats to health. As with countless snake-oil remedies
that preceded it, Matol boasts numerous satisfied customers. Considering its
ingredients and the lack of double-blind, placebo-controlled trials, it is a
safe bet that users are beneficiaries of the powerful placebo effect rather
than any magical or molecular properties of the brew.
We first became suspicious of Matol when a number acquaintances began to
recommend it for widely differing ailments. One of us (E.M.) located a Matol
dealer and questioned him about the company's extraordinary claims. He
responded with a pamphlet extolling the potion's unique properties with
bafflegab such as: "...Matol acts as a regulatory and a catalyst; it helps
eliminate toxins, excess fat and waste material in the blood stream." Some
expected benefits (verbatim):
Excellent for athletes; increases endurance, accelerates recuperation of
overworked muscles. Excellent for pregnant women; prevents mood swings.
Helps one recuperate at a much faster rate after partying, illness or cold.
Helps to lessen discomfort of varicose veins, diminishes the swollen leg
syndrome of older people and restores blood circulation in the hands and
feet. Helps improve skin conditions when suffering from acne or psoriasis.
The formula is a great benefit to people suffering from hypoglycaemia. Matol
when taken regularly, will help drop cholesterol and triglyceride levels
rapidly.
-- and the list goes on.
By making such irresponsible claims, Matol Botanical International
eventually ran afoul of various regulatory agencies. They are now more
circumspect in their written claims to cure serious illnesses but we have
heard them make such assertions routinely in verbal pitches. In Canada, the
Health Protection Branch is responsible for dealing with fraudulent medical
devices or concoctions. The section of the Food and Drug Act (1988, p. 2)
concerning deceptive advertising states:
No person shall advertise any food, drug, cosmetic or device to the general
public as a treatment, preventative or cure for any disease, disorders or
abnormal physical states referred to in Schedule A.
Schedule A lists such varied ailments as cancer, alcoholism, arthritis, and
hypertension. As most of Matol's claims fall within Schedule A, they were
eventually prosecuted under the Act. In Montreal, on August 14, 1986, 36
charges were laid (case # 500-27-010691-865). The Matol organization pleaded
guilty and received a $20,000 fine. Although they were only convicted of
advertising medical cures directly to the public, Matol could not provide
any evidence of efficacy either.
Matol ran into similar problems in the U.S. Extravagant claims caused the
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to issue an "Import Alert" because Matol
(sold there as "Km") had not shown proof of safety and efficacy or applied
for the required permits. The FDA temporarily stopped all importation of
Matol but distributors struck a deal that allowed it to be imported legally
as long as no health claims were made. Km is now being marketed officially
in U.S. as a potassium supplement, though their pitchmen imply it will do
much more.
Matol is a concoction of the following raw ingredients: chamomile flowers,
sarsaparilla root, celery seed, angelica root, senega root, passion flower,
thyme, gentian root, and alfalfa (Km also contains the strong cathartic,
cascara sagrata, commonly known as "buckthorn"). These have been used in
folk remedies for centuries and may actually have some useful effects if
prescribed individually, by competent practitioners, for specific, properly
diagnosed complaints, and in appropriate doses (Griggs, 1981; Morton, 1977).
Unfortunately, herbalism today is an inextricable hodge-podge of
scientifically validated practices and the worst sort of quackery. Training
and certification of herbalists in most jurisdictions suggests that caveat
emptor is the prudent policy.
Matol's curative claims are too far-fetched to be taken seriously. But what
about its dietary pretensions and its safety? First let us compare the
concentrations of mineral ingredients (e.g., potassium, iron, calcium,
iodine and magnesium) to levels recommended by competent dieticians (e.g.,
Whitney & Hamilton, 1987). We must then ask whether these recommendations
could be met more safely, easily, inexpensively, and esthetically by eating
a balanced diet.
Each ml. of Matol contains the following minerals: potassium citrate, 25.8
mg/ml; potassium glycerophosphate, 0.16 mg/ml; iron (ferric
glycerophosphate), 0.09 mg/ml; calcium glycerophosphate, 2.19 mg/ml; iodine
(potassium iodide), 0.0015 mg/ml, and magnesium glycerophosphate, 0.84
mg/ml.
For potassium, the recommended daily allowance (RDA), a U.S. term, is
between 1,875 and 5,625 mg. Matol's suggested daily dose (30 ml per day)
contains approximately 1254 mg of potassium. Two cups of fresh orange juice,
two slices of watermelon or an eight ounce sirloin steak provide about the
same amount of potassium, and taste much better.
The RDA of iron for women of childbearing age is 18 mg per day and for men
it is 10 mg per day. According to the label, the standard dose of Matol
would provide 2.7 mg per day of iron. Since a baked potato supplies 2.75 mg
of iron, we see that the iron supplied by Matol is easily surpassed in a
healthy diet.
The recommended intake of calcium is 700 to 800 mg per day. In order to
equal the calcium content of Matol's daily dose (65.7 mg/30 ml), one would
simply have to ingest one table spoon of parmesan cheese, one glass of
orange juice, or one quarter cup of whole milk.
Both shortages and excesses of iodine are potentially dangerous, but these
days, authorities are more concerned about overdoses. The average daily
consumption of iodine rose from 150 micrograms (mcg) per day in 1960 to over
800 mcg in 1974 (Whitney & Hamilton, 1987). The level at which detectable
harm results is 2000 mcg per day. Matol, used as recommended, supplies 45
mcg of iodine per day -- a further addition of a mineral that few are short
of and many already ingest in close to toxic amounts.
A dietary deficiency of magnesium is unlikely except in those suffering from
severe vomiting, diarrhea, alcohol abuse, or protein malnutrition (Whitney &
Hamilton, 1987). The RDA is about 325 mg. Matol supplies 25.2 mg per daily
dose, equal to one slice of whole wheat bread, one cup of popcorn, or one
glass of milk.
The foregoing demonstrates that the mineral content of the manufacturer's
recommended daily dose of Matol is easily obtained from a well-balanced
diet. A 950 ml bottle will typically last 30 days, amounting to a cost of
approximately $1.33 per day. Spending this amount wisely at the supermarket,
one could obtain everything Matol offers, without the risks outlined below.
Matol contains other, more mysterious ingredients. Specific concentrations
of the roots, flowers, foliage, and bark it contains are not listed on the
bottle and Matol Botanical International would not divulge this information
when we requested it. The Newsletter of the National Council Against Health
Fraud (Vol. 12, no. 2, 1989) lists the following potentially dangerous plant
materials in Matol: chamomile root, celery seed, sarsaparilla root, angelica
root, horehound root, senega root, passion flower, gentian root, cascara
sagrata, and licorice root. The reported effects of overindulgence in one or
more of these ingredients range from headache, stomach upset, inflammation
and allergic reactions to extreme diuretic, emetic and laxative activity,
hypertension, and heart arrhythmias. One ingredient, angelica root, is
listed as a carcinogen.
Another of our concerns is that Matol officials would not clarify which
varieties of the listed plants they use or their concentrations. There are
several kinds of chamomile, e.g., including common, wild, and stinking. The
double-flowered wild chamomile plant is much more potent than the common
variety. It contains a powerful alkali that can seriously irritate the
lining of the stomach and bowels (Grieve, 1970). According to Morton (1977),
certain strains of chamomile are useful as a liniment, but ingesting
sufficient amounts can be fatal.
Morton (1977) also documents the fact that another ingredient, licorice
root, can be harmful. Some who have used it to treat stomach ulcers have
developed edema, hypertension and cardiac arrhythmias. Licorice root can
induce abnormal heart action by depleting potassium (luckily Matol is a
potassium supplement!) and can precipitate kidney failure. Morton recommends
that persons suffering from cardiac, hypertensive, or kidney complaints and
those who are overweight or pregnant avoid licorice root. These are all
conditions for which Matol claims to be beneficial.
Matol also contains the folk remedy emetic and expectorant, senega root.
Taken in sufficient quantities, it can severely irritate the
gastrointestinal tract or act as a general protoplasmic poison (Grieve,
1970). The root has also been known to cause vertigo, visual distortions,
nausea, and violent vomiting. It can also cause weakness of the muscles of
the respiratory tract and vasomotor system, resulting in capillary
congestion followed by rapid loss of fluids across membranes.
The common spice, thyme, was once a popular worming medication but has been
abandoned because the effective and toxic doses are very close. Symptoms
include diarrhea, dizziness, headache, nausea, vomiting, and muscular
weakness. It has also been reported to affect the heart and respiratory
system adversely as well as regulation of body temperature. Lethal overdoses
have also been documented in self-medicators (Morton, 1977).
Reports that alfalfa seeds lower cholesterol levels prompted some health
oriented individuals to ingest large quantities (Tyler, 1985). However,
animal studies revealed that extended high doses resulted in symptoms
resembling those of systemic lupus erythematosus, an autoimmune disorder
affecting connective tissue. As the component of alfalfa responsible for
these symptoms is not known, caution is advised.
Caution must be exercised with all herbal remedies in regard to their
origins and collection procedures. In most countries, statutes and
regulations governing the sale of herbal remedies are inadequate to protect
the consumer from adulterated, contaminated, or even substituted products
(Tyler, 1985). E.g., in Egypt, chamomile is routinely sprayed with
insecticides ten or more times per year. Toxic residues often remain on the
plant, yet tests are neither required of nor routinely conducted by
importers (Tyler, 1985).
Though the risk of toxicity may not be high for the average Matol user, the
danger is greater among the many unsophisticated people of the sort drawn to
such panaceas who tend to think that if a little is good, a lot will be
better. Our dealings with the Matol organization have not inspired
confidence in their knowledge or quality control measures. Their ability to
detect higher than normal concentrations of active agents in their raw
ingredients and their skill in preparing constant strength solutions cannot
be taken for granted.
The Health Protection Branch office in Burnaby, B.C. is well acquainted with
Matol. They told us that they frequently receive complaints from users who
experience cramps, vomiting and nausea. Customers experiencing these or
other ill-effects should notify the Health Protection Branch. They stress
that one of the greatest hazards of using such potions for medical
complaints is that users may delay seeking effective treatments. Some
ingredients may actually exacerbate symptoms and there are the added risks
of adulterants and allergic reactions. Matol dealers have no evidence that
it has ever cured anything but their own impecuniousness. For those who
indulge simply as a general "bracer" or health tonic, a bit of dietary
advice from their physician or a competent dietician would be far more
beneficial.
Matol's mineral content will have no additional impact on a well-nourished
body and will most likely be excreted by the urinary system. As Dr. Steven
Barrett, the critic of vitamin supplements -- another largely unnecessary
health fad -- once remarked, North Americans have the richest sewage in the
world.
References
Grieve, M. (1970). A Modern Herbal. Vols. 1 & 2. (rev. ed.). Darien: Hafner
Publishing Co.
Griggs, B. (1981) Green Pharmacy: A History of Herbal Medicine. London:
Norman & Hobhouse.
Morton, J. F. (1977). Major Medical Plants: Botany, Culture and Uses.
Springfield: Charles C. Thomas.
Tyler, V. E. (1985). Hazards of herbal medicine. In D. Stalker & C. Glymour
(Eds.), Examining Holistic Medicine (pp. 323-339). Buffalo: Prometheus
Books.
Whitney, E. N. & Hamilton, E. M. (1987). Understanding Nutrition (4th ed.)
New York: West Publishing.
http://www.psg.com/~ted/bcskeptics/ratenq/Re3.4-Elliott.html
lightlady
--
lynn,
"If all the world's a stage, where's the audience sitting?" author unknown
opinions mine based on my own experience & research
"Jobie" <jo...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:trem8qj...@corp.supernews.com...
> Herbal Humbug
> From the Rational Enquirer, Vol 3, No. 4, Apr 90.
>
> Elliott Marchant and Barry Beyerstein
>
> Matol is a herbal elixir hawked by an Amway-style marketing network for
$40
> per 950 ml. Known as "Km" in the U.S., it is vigorously promoted as a
> panacea. Although Matol has no proven curative, preventative or
> health-improving powers, a look at its contents suggests that immoderate
use
> may in itself pose threats to health. As with countless snake-oil remedies
> that preceded it, Matol boasts numerous satisfied customers. Considering
its
> ingredients and the lack of double-blind, placebo-controlled trials, it is
a
> safe bet that users are beneficiaries of the powerful placebo effect
rather
> than any magical or molecular properties of the brew.
>
<snip>
http://www.psg.com/~ted/bcskeptics/ratenq/Re3.4-Elliott.html