Medical Myths

As the world’s understanding of medicine has grown throughout the years, misinformation on just about every aspect of it has permeated society. Here are four of the most common misconceptions about medicine and the human body:

Vaccines cause autism.

Long story short, vaccines do not cause autism. The roots of this stigma lie in an article published in a medical journal which stated the opinions of parents of only eight children with autism who had received the MMR vaccine. Clearly, this “research” was later debunked, with a 2002 study of over 500,000 children finding no link between vaccinations and a child’s risk of developing autism. Vaccines, and the ingredients that comprise them, are completely safe aside from very rare exceptions.

Humans only use 10% of their brains.

This belief began as early as the 1900s, often promoted by motivational speakers to help people unlock latent abilities, or simply feel better about themselves. However, it has been debunked multiple times by neuroscientists, most recently through the use of PET and fMRI scans. These scans have repeatedly shown that all parts of the brain are constantly active - even when the body is asleep, the brain is regulating, interpreting, and reasoning.

You should drink exactly 8 glasses of water a day.

The 8-glasses-a-day myth originated from a statement by the National Research Council, which said that adults should have an intake of 2 liters (about 8 cups) daily. However, this amount does not apply to all people, as fluid intake can vary based on exercise, environmental factors, and overall health. Most healthy people can remain hydrated by drinking water when they feel the need to, and besides, water isn’t the only option to staying hydrated: eating different fruits and vegetables can contribute to this as well.

It’s okay to take more than a recommended amount of medication.

Contrary to some beliefs, a recommended dose of a prescribed or over-the-counter drug isn’t merely a suggestion: it’s a calculated amount formed over many clinical trials. Ingesting more than the listed dosage can magnify the side effects of the medicine while simultaneously nullifying the benefits of taking it. Similarly, taking pills more frequently than needed doesn’t make you get well faster: for one, most medicines aren’t created to work this way and an overdose may occur, causing life-threatening complications.