Our task was to find health misinformation on social media and I thought I would search for items where food or natural products are described as having the ability to cure disease. I found this claim that snorting dry ginger can cure COVID-19. The noted video went viral after it was posted allegedly by a physician indicating that snorting dry ginger was a cure for COVID 19. This instance is concerning as someone portrayed that this message came from a physician and used the names of actual physicians to substantiate the claim. This claim has been refuted and the pictures of the actual physicians have been shared. However, this is an example of how quickly and broadly misinformation travels.
I am not opposed to the use of natural products and ginger has demonstrated positive impacts on health that have been supported by science. However, I was unable to find any research with clinical trials that demonstrated this claim related to inhaling dry ginger as a cure for viral infections. Several research articles support the use of ginger for nausea and vomiting (National Academies, 2022; NCCIH, 2020). Additional articles support the use of ginger extract for its potential beneficial effects on pulmonary problems such as ARDS, pulmonary fibrosis, and anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative influences which are symptoms seen in people with COVID 19 (Jafarzadeh et al., 2021; Thota, et al., 2020). However, most research indicates the need for further clinical trials.
The challenge with some of the claims related to the use of natural remedies to manage illness is the distinction between being the cure for disease versus symptom management. In the instance of COVID-19, if there is a belief of a simple readily available cure, people may not follow preventive public health measures such as masking, hand washing and socially distancing, may downplay the significance of transmitting or contracting the disease and/or may not seek treatment from a clinician if symptoms progress and health declines.
In addition, there are natural products that have therapeutic properties for maintaining good health with the potential to prevent and assist with the management of illness (Thota et al., 2020). False claims can also cause people to not consider their use to self-manage in circumstances where they have been shown to be effective. In both instances, critical review is necessary to determine which natural products have an evidence base and to understand their appropriate application.
References
Handoo, S. (2022 January 15) Snorting dry ginger can cure omnicron? Video viral with baseless claim. The Logical Indian. https://thelogicalindian.com/fact-check/snorting-ginger-powder-covid-19-33296
Nation Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) (2020). Ginger. National Institute for Health (NIH). https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/ginger
National Academies (2022). Based on science: Ginger does not prevent or cure COVID 19. https://www.nationalacademies.org/based-on-science/covid-ginger
Jafarzadeh,A., Jafarzadeh, S., & Nemati , M. (2021). Therapeutic potential of ginger against COVID-19: Is there enough evidence?, Journal of Traditional Chinese Medical Sciences,8 (4), 267-279. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtcms.2021.10.001.
Thota, S. M., Balan, V., & Sivaramakrishnan, V. (2020). Natural products as home-based prophylactic and symptom management agents in the setting of COVID-19. Phytotherapy research : PTR, 34(12), 3148–3167. https://doi.org/10.1002/ptr.6794