Earthing - Keep Your Feet on the Ground

When I read about this last week, I could only think, “Where has people’s critical thinking gone?  Earthing, proclaimed as “the greatest health discovery ever” and “right up there with the discovery of penicillin,” is the practice of walking outside barefoot or in some other way increasing contact with the earth to allow us to absorb free electrons from the earth’s surface leading to improved health.  There is a detailed explanation of how this works along with – you guessed it! – lots of endorsements.

How many times have I repeated that endorsements or wonderful stories are not proof of effectiveness nor is selling supposed remedies as ancient wisdom, old knowledge rediscovered, or the unlocking of some secret?  When I read this, several questions immediately came to mind.  Why are the earth’s electrons any different from other free electrons?  Why did our ancient ancestors who had more contact with the earth have a much shorter life expectancy?  Why don’t our doctors tell us to walk outside barefoot more often – some kind of conspiracy to withhold the information or are they just tired of giving tetanus shots?  If electrons from the earth enter a body so easily, why can’t you slowly drain a flashlight battery by holding both ends between your fingers?  Where is the research?

I actually did find some research.  Here is one paper describing a particular study.  It had 12 participants.  The researchers grounded their beds and measured cortisol levels as well as participant reports of pain, stress and sleep dysfunction.  This seems like pretty shabby experimental design.  How were the 12 chosen?  Such a small sample size limits the statistical validity.  Where was the control group and “double-blind" setup to guard against placebo effect?  Self-reporting is prone to error.  This isn’t even in the same league as FDA requirements for any approved treatment.  It’s almost like getting 12 people together for an endorsement party.  Other studies are cited, but to what end?  Their website lists 13 bullet point benefits and implies that it's just the tip of the iceberg.  Snake oil, anyone?

The disclaimer on the site is most telling:  “Products and information on this site are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.”  Of course not, that would probably be illegal.  (I don't doubt their sincerity, since everyone just walking around barefoot would fit their theory and not profit them a dime. but sincerity is never proof of validity.)  In any case, they strongly imply throughout that health benefits abound while making it easy to order their $60 mats, $200 kits and $300 bed sheets. 

One hundred dollars here, one hundred dollars there – it all adds up -- and a non-skeptical, non-critical thinking society then finds itself wondering how can I afford to retire or why am I part of a $1 trillion college debt crisis?