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- Issue No. 16: The Power of Placebo
Issue No. 16: The Power of Placebo
Use Expectations To Achieve Your Health Goals
New Zapiens
March 07, 2024
Happy Thursday, Zapien 👋
Never underestimate the power of your mind - Thanks to the placebo effect, you can actually believe certain things into being; even in situations of “honest fakery” as titled by Nature (meaning you’re aware of the placebo effect in action).
The cool thing: In our quest to extend our health span, we can actively make use of the placebo effect to reach our goals. Let’s find out how.
TODAY’S ISSUE
➤ Longevity Beat:
With the right expectations, reinforcements & rituals, you can use the placebo effect to achieve your health goals
➤ Inspiration:
3 examples of how elite athletes use aspects of placebo to achieve success
➤ Short Hack:
Your guide to buy the right supplements
➤ Health News:
Funding for happiness biomarker, adverse health effects of ultra-processed foods and negative side effects of niacin supplementation
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LONGEVITY BEAT
The power of the placebo effect lies in the concept of belief, which is tied to our expectations of what a medication, treatment or behavior will do to our mind and body. The effect hinges on your understanding of what to expect; you must understand the intervention's purpose and anticipate that precise outcome.
Placebo is a genuine biological effect that goes way beyond positive thinking. Rather it’s a prime example of how the mind can influence physical health through a complex interplay between the brain and body.
Placebos can produce actual biological changes, such as changes in blood pressure, heart rate, neurotransmitter & hormone levels and so on.
The underlying mechanisms of the placebo effect involve a complex neurobiological dance starting in the prefrontal cortex. This includes the release of neurotransmitters, like endorphins and dopamine, and increased activity in brain regions linked to mood and self-awareness.
What’s influencing the effect?
Placebos can still be effective even when people know they're receiving one, as long as they expect a certain effect of the treatment. A study on migraine medication showed that taking a known placebo could still achieve half the efficacy of the real drug, suggesting that the act of taking a pill, the ritual itself, can be inherently healing.
Talking about ritual, the treatment routine - visiting clinics, the presence of medical staff, or the process of receiving care - plays a crucial role for many people. These external factors can enhance the placebo effect, illustrating the power of our environment and conditioning in influencing health outcomes.
Interesting fact: Expectations of the quality of the "treatment" have a huge influence on the strength of the placebo effect. Perceived quality is affected by branding, packaging, color, etc. Could this be why fancy, expensive supplements are selling like crazy?
How to use the placebo effect to achieve your health goals
1. Educate yourself: Understanding how the placebo effect works can empower you to consciously cultivate positive beliefs about your health behaviors (congrats, by reading this issue you’re already doing it!).
2. Positive expectations: When you believe that a certain health behavior will lead to positive outcomes, your body can initiate physiological changes that support those beliefs. This is the essence of the placebo effect - positive expectations can lead to real and measurable improvements.
3. Positive reinforcement: To boost the placebo effect, surround yourself with positive messages & success stories to reinforce the belief that your health practices are effective. The easiest way to do this is to surround yourself with supportive peers like in the New Zapiens Community!
4. Rituals and routines: Taking supplements with a small ceremony or having a specific pre-exercise routine can improve the perceived effectiveness of these actions, potentially increasing their actual effectiveness.
Placebo can only get you so far
The placebo effect is very good at managing symptoms influenced by the brain, such as pain perception or stress-induced insomnia. But not all body functions can be influenced by the effect.
For example, in cancer treatment, placebos cannot eliminate tumors or reduce their size. They can, however, reduce negative side effects and thereby make cancer patients feel better.
Also, not everyone responds to a placebo and the power of suggestion alone cannot replace all medications. Understanding why some people respond, for example, due to specific genetic variations, while others do not remains the "holy grail" of placebo research.
3 Things to dive deeper:
1. Book: Placebo Effects: Understanding the other side of medical care by Fabrizio Benedetti
2. Podcast: Huberman on How Placebo Effects Work to Change Our Biology & Psychology
3. Study: Mind over Milkshake (mindsets, not just nutrients, determine your response to food)
INSPIRATION
“Your fitness is 100% mental. Your body won’t go where your mind doesn’t push it.” (Wim Hof)
Let’s look at examples of elite athletes and how they use positive expectations, reinforcement and rituals to succeed with their goals.
From a cognitive or intellectual standpoint all 3 are fully aware of the risk of failure (meaning certain death in one case). Yet, when approaching their challenge, their mindset is completely based on the belief that they will succeed.
#1 Positive expectations
Ueli Steck, a Swiss mountaineering legend, still holds the solo speed climbing record for the Eiger north face.
Typically, even the most skilled mountaineers attempt the ascent in a rope team and require two days to cover 1,800 meters of altitude with 3,500 meters of climbing route through treacherous terrain. Since 1935, at least 64 climbers have died attempting this feat. However, Ueli Steck accomplished it solo and without ropes in just 2 h, 22 mins and 50 sec (nuts - watch this!) .
Like many professional mountaineers, Ueli Steck used visualization techniques as part of his intense preparation. He watched slide shows of the mountain faces and possible climbing routes ahead of him to meticulously plan and navigate.
But at least as important, this practice helped him build the extreme level of confidence required to climb the route step by step in his mind before actually doing it.
(He also regularly did 3 hours of autogenic training per week, but that’s a different technique & mechanism.)
#2 Reinforcement & #3 Rituals
Tamara Walcott is a US powerlifter and former world record holder for deadlifting, benching and squatting 737 kg (1620 lbs).
Watch how confidently she walks on stage and approaches the bar at one of her competitions. Also, take note of the supporters in the background cheering her on. Her body language prior to the lift exudes confidence, determination and focus, reinforcing her belief in her own success (triggering an upward spiral of more confidence).
You find no signs of doubt or hesitation (despite the fact that, statistically, the probability of failure is very high). This positive mindset is further reinforced by her supporters cheering and shouting. “Let’s Go!”, “You got it”, “All day”… Then she begins her own ritual or dance, culminating in the lift-off position of the deadlift.
Similarly, quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who just won the Super Bowl with the Kansas City Chiefs, has his own pregame rituals. It’s a long list: He avoids stepping on any field lines or logos before kick-off. He prays between the goal posts on the opponent's side and jumps up 2-3 times facing the crowd on his own side screaming before running backwards…
He admits to being very superstitious, which can go hand in hand with the placebo effect.
SHORT HACK, LONG LIFE
We never thought we would say this: Buy any supplement! Now! The greener and nastier the better. The more expensive the better. Just make sure that the packaging and the look of it is super fancy (→ high quality expectation) and that Huberman has endorsed it (which is likely since it’s green & expensive). Oh, and you should know what it’s supposed to do so you have the right expectations.
Don’t read the fine print with all potential risks and side effects when you buy drugs (→ nocebo effect). And don’t buy them online. Rather, always go to an offline pharmacy. Tell the pharmacist what you’re looking for and then let her or him slowly explain to you (→reinforce) how the drug works and how great the effect is (→ positive expectation).
(Important - this is not medical advice. Of course, we strongly recommend that you always read the fine print and not start buying random supplements. Don't sue us.)
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HEALTH & LONGEVITY NEWS
Matter received $26 million in funding to find a happiness biomarker.
Fresh off the press: New umbrella review analyzes all the data out there on the adverse health effects of ultra-processed foods.
Niacin dietary supplements may be less save than previously thought, as it seems to increase the risk of cardiovascular events.
BECAUSE WE LOVE NUMBERS
⚡️ 85% ⚡️
As much as 85% (!!) of cough treatment success is likely due to placebo and only 15% due to active ingredients in cough medicines.
ABOUT US
Lisa has a PhD in Medical Biology. She was a researcher at Harvard Medical before developing D2C laboratory diagnostics.
Karol is a serial founder who helped thousands of people build healthy eating habits with Upfit.
Simon is a healthcare entrepreneur who brought the doctor online-booking service Doctolib to Germany.
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Health Disclaimer
New Zapien’s products and services are not intended to substitute for professional medical guidance. Our content and media offerings do not aim to diagnose, cure, or address any medical issues.
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