Both are useful, but evidence is better.
Most people first take a natural health product because a person they trust recommended it…a family member, a friend, a health care professional. Market research has shown time and again that word-of-mouth testimonials – anecdotes – are a key factor in influencing a person's decision to try something new. And a lot of companies who make natural products rely solely on anecdotes without conducting the research that proves their products actually work.
Making a claim? Prove it.
Some might think, “If someone I know endorses a product, shouldn't that be good enough for me? I trust my friends. Why should I care whether or not the product has been researched in a lab?" Scientific research deals with the most fundamental issue of all…trust. Scientific validation irrefutably establishes that the product you’re taking rises to the three vital standards any health product should meet…safety, efficacy and consistency. Whether anecdotes are involved or not, science provides evidence. “Here’s why a product works for your neighbor. Here’s why it’ll work for you, too.”
Historically, traditional or herbal remedies seldom qualify under 'pharmaceutical' requirements for safety, efficacy and consistency. In fact, 'pharmaceutical-grade herbal remedies' used to be an oxymoron. For decades, the stringent research, development and manufacturing processes used by pharmaceutical companies in the sterile production of synthetic drugs were thought to be those companies' exclusive domain.
That all changed in 1930. With the founding of The Himalaya Drug Company in India, the very first steps were made in applying modern Western-style research and manufacturing processes to herbal formulas. Over 77 years ago, Himalaya was already taking ancient remedies and scientifically refining them to meet contemporary standards and needs.
It takes years of work to optimize a given formula, conduct experimental studies, assess acute and chronic toxicity, investigate the mode of action of the constituents, and subject the formula to rigorously controlled clinical trials. It’s called primary research, and it’s the only way to accurately verify that the herbal healthcare product you purchase has been proven both safe and effective.
Anecdotes and testimonials help build a collective body of knowledge. They provide a personal viewpoint about a product's success or failure. But it’s evidence alone that validates how a product will ultimately perform for most people, under most conditions. Only evidence, gathered through primary research on the product itself, will provide verifiable information about whether the product you buy can be trusted.
