Many natural health companies claim to have scientific, clinical studies that back the effectiveness of their products. You need to be aware that these studies and tests, once examined more closely, prove little to nothing at all.

First of all, the only clinical studies that prove anything are printed in referred or peer reviewed professional scientific and medical journals. To get published in one of these is extremely difficult.

The scientific community, at large, has to review and agree with the validity and accuracy of your findings. Although many natural health companies claim to do many scientific studies, haven't even had one of their studies professionally published.

Why? Because most of their studies don't prove anything and the scientific community as a whole does not accept them as accurate or valid. Also most of their studies are done and performed by people who work for that company. Somebody needs to explain to me how that study is going to be independent and not biased?

You need to look out for the following red flags when reading a "scientific study." Be wary of studies or tests done only in test tubes, on animals, or in culture dishes etc. Trials, studies, and tests for natural health supplements need to be done on real people. The supplements are for people, not animals and test tubes.

You also should look for independent clinical studies done by researchers from leading universities. As I said before, if a natural supplement company has something to prove then other people, without any interest in the company, should be testing the products and releasing the results.

Studies and tests performed must also be done on the particular finished product you are considering buying. Sometimes companies like to try to trick you by quoting other studies, done on products other than the one you are considering.

Always beware of comments like "our scientists have shown," again this means that the company's own staff have found something, but basically no one in the scientific community agrees with them. It's Garbage.

Also watch out for statements such as, "this product contains nutrient xyz, which has been shown to." This statement again proves nothing, because it is only saying that a particular nutrient within a product has been shown to do something, not the product itself.

For all we know there is something else within the product that counteracts the effectiveness of that nutrient they are boasting about. You could pick an orange out of the local landfill and say that if you eat it you will get the benefits of vitamin C, which has been shown to strengthen your immune system, but that orange would be disgusting, and not healthy to eat.

Also watch out for advertising journals, anybody can pay money to have someone else publish a study about their product. Also watch out for any articles you read about natural supplements in newspapers, magazines, and books.

You need to ask yourself, who is writing it? Why are they writing it? What do they know about natural health supplements? Are they even healthy? Who is paying for the article to be written? Who is benefiting from it? Does it help sell the paper, magazine, book etc.?

Last, but not least watch out for companies that base their credibility on only one product. This means that the other products they have probably aren't as effective. Always remember, any natural supplement company is going to tell you anything positive they can about their product or company.

You should pay more attention to what they DON'T say because that is the information they are hiding from you. A great natural health company should be able to give you full disclosure and provide you with all of the info you need to make your own decision on whether or not their product is for you.

They should have absolutely nothing to hide and, at the very least, should offer you a money back guarantee.