Does Science Support Ayurveda?
Ayurvedic medicine was practiced for thousands of years before anyone invented the placebo controlled experiment. How has this ancient system held up to modern scientific scrutiny?
Beth writes: “I’ve been listening to your podcasts for a long time. I enjoy them and find you to be a trustworthy and balanced source. So, I am curious what you think about Ayurveda. Is there any science to back it up? “
Ayurveda is an ancient Hindu system of medicine as well as a general philosophy of health and wellness. It includes advice on diet, exercise, sleep, and hygiene, as well as the use of herbal preparations.
Like most traditional medicine systems, it was developed and refined over thousands of years, using observation and experience—and that’s exactly where science begins. In fact, the Sanskrit word “ayurveda” literally means the “science of life.”
Scientific by Nature
Humans have a few unique attributes that make us predisposed to scientific inquiry and discovery. First, we are excellent at pattern recognition. We are quick to notice that certain things always seem to occur together, while other things never occur together, or that a certain sequence of events usually seems to lead to the same outcome.
We are also predisposed to believe that things happen for a reason, which drives us to come up with explanations for the things we observe. This talent at pattern recognition and our desire to figure out cause and effect give us a little more control (or at least the illusion of control!) over our environment and the ability to anticipate and prepare for future events. And this has given us a powerful survival advantage.
Testing Our Assumptions
Although this is where science begins, it’s not where science ends—because we are also prone to see patterns or cause-and-effect where there actually aren’t any. For a few millennia, for example, we believed that dancing in a certain way made it rain or that sacrificing animals (or virgins) would cause the crops to grow well.
We also sometimes come up with an explanation that seems to fit the available evidence but turns out not to be true. For example, at some point in history, we observed that people tend to be weak after losing a lot of blood and that eating red meat can revitalize them. In other words, we figured out how to treat iron-deficiency anemia long before we knew anything about iron or hemoglobin or red blood cells. But because we always want to have an explanation for things, we reasoned that the spirit and energy of the animal entered the person eating that animal.
The modern scientific era began when we started developing a methodology for testing our hypotheses. We learned to design experiments that minimized variables as well as the unconscious influence of the experimenter, the placebo effect, and so on. And with those tools, we have been able to weed out all kinds of ineffective medical treatments from the effective ones. We’ve been able to replace inaccurate explanations with more accurate ones. And these new more accurate understandings have given rise to even more effective treatments.
Is Ayurveda a Science?
So, back to Ayurveda: It is grounded in observation and experience: the foundational pillars of science. And some Ayurvedic herbal remedies have been evaluated in placebo-controlled trials—with mixed results. However, modern scientific method is, by design, only concerned with things that can be measured. Ayurveda, on the other hand, is far more esoteric and involves lots of things that cannot be easily measured by the instruments and methods used by modern science.
In Ayurveda, for example, your regimen is customized according to your “dosha,” or your energetic constitution, as well as any energetic imbalances that may be contributing to your symptoms. That theory is a little hard to test with modern scientific methods! But people who believe in this system of medicine are content to do it the way it’s always been done.
The Way It’s Always Been Done
I’m reminded of that old story of the young newlywed who asked his mother for the recipe for her famous pot roast, which was one of his favorite dishes. She gave him the entire recipe step by step. Step one: Cut about an inch from one end of the roast. Step two: brown the roast on all sides in a little olive oil. Step three: season with salt and pepper … and so on.
“Why do you have to cut an inch off the end of the roast,” he wanted to know. “I’m not sure,” his Mom answered. “That’s what your grandmother always did when she made it. And because her pot roast was always perfect, I just always did it exactly the same way. “
Because he was curious, the young man rang up his grandmother to find out the reason for this essential step. (See, he was a scientist at heart!) “Grandma,” he said, “why is it necessary to cut an inch off the end of the roast before cooking it?” “It’s not necessary,” she said. “I just had a small roasting pan and I never could never fit the entire roast into it. So I cut a little off. “
Babies and Bathwater
Any system built on thousands of years of careful observation is bound to have figured out a lot.
I’m not saying that Ayurvedic medicine or nutrition isn’t valid. Any system built on thousands of years of careful observation is bound to have figured out a lot. Herbal medicine is the direct precursor to modern pharmacology. I’m just saying that there may also be a lot of folklore, myth, and false notions in the mix as well. You might be getting good results, but you also might be spending time, money, or effort on things that aren’t actually contributing much to your results. You might be throwing away an inch of your pot roast for no good reason.
Finally, when our explanations for why things work are based more on myth and lore instead of biological understandings, it limits our ability to expand those understandings. And that may be why Ayurvedic medicine has not evolved as dramatically as modern medicine has over the last 100 years. For better or worse, it’s practiced today much the same way as it was when we believed that the sun was being dragged across the sky in a chariot.
Best of Both Worlds
Of course, modern medicine has its weaknesses and blind spots as well. The challenge—and opportunity—we have in the 21st century is to enjoy benefits and wisdom of our ancient philosophies, as well as the insights and advances that modern science has brought us.
What are thoughts on Ayurveda? Post them below or on the Nutrition Diva Facebook page.
Image courtesy of Shutterstock.
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About the Author
Monica Reinagel is a board-certified licensed nutritionist, author, and the creator of one of iTunes’ most highly ranked health and fitness podcasts. Her advice is regularly featured on the TODAY show, Dr. Oz, NPR, and in the nation’s leading newspapers, magazines, and websites. Do you have a nutrition question? Call the Nutrition Diva listener line at 443-961-6206. Your question could be featured on the show.
