Robert O. Young

Last updated
Robert O. Young
RobertOYoung.jpg
Born
Robert Oldham Young

(1952-03-06) March 6, 1952 (age 71)
Occupation(s)Naturopath, author, entrepreneur
Known forPH Miracle book series
SpouseShelley Redford

Robert Oldham Young (born March 6, 1952) is an American naturopathic practitioner and author of alternative medicine books promoting an alkaline diet. [1] His most popular works are the "pH Miracle" series of books, which outline his beliefs about holistic healing and an "alkalarian" lifestyle. Young came to prominence after appearances on The Oprah Winfrey Show featured his treatment of Kim Tinkham for breast cancer. Tinkham and Young both claimed that he had cured her, but she died of her disease shortly afterward. [2] He was arrested in January 2014 and convicted in 2016 on two out of three charges of theft and practicing medicine without a license. [3] [4] He spent several months in jail in 2017. [5]

Contents

In November 2018 a San Diego jury awarded US$105 million in damages to a cancer patient he persuaded to forgo effective treatment in favor of his alkaline diet, resulting in her disease progressing to an incurable stage 4. [6]

Background

Young's website states he attended the University of Utah on a tennis scholarship and studied biology and business in the early 1970s. He did not graduate. [7] He then performed missionary work for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for two years in London. Young, who is not a medical doctor, has received doctorates for naturopathy and nutrition from Clayton College of Natural Health (formerly American College of Holistic Nutrition), a defunct correspondence school that was not accredited by any agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. [8] [9] [1] The prosecution at his 2016 trial said his doctorate was purchased from a "diploma mill", [10] and it was pointed out that he had gone from a bachelor's to a doctor's degree in eight months. [7]

Young has residences in Alpine, Utah and Rancho Del Sol, an avocado and grapefruit ranch in Valley Center, California, with his wife, Shelley Redford Young. [11]

Published books

Young has authored a series of books and videos titled The pH Miracle (2002), The pH Miracle for Diabetes (2004), The pH Miracle for Weight Loss (2005), and "The pH Miracle Revised" (2010). Other books he has authored include Herbal Nutritional Medications (1988), One Sickness, One Disease, One Treatment (1992), Sick and Tired (1995), Back to the House of Health (1999), and Back to the House of Health 2 (2003). The book titled Sick and Tired includes a foreword by celebrity Anthony Robbins in which he refers to Robert O Young as a genius multiple times.

Work

Young promotes an alkaline diet based on notions that are not compatible with the scientific understandings of nutrition and disease. [10] He claims that health depends primarily on proper balance between an alkaline and acid environment in the human body, and that an acid environment causes cancer, obesity, osteoporosis, yeast overgrowth, flu, skin disorders, and other diseases. [12] Young writes about pleomorphism, a school of thought that was prominent in late-19th-century microbiology that asserts that red blood cells transform into bacteria when the surrounding environment becomes acidic - a theory that has been proven wrong since the development of germ theory. [10] [13] [14] Young's fundamental claim is that the human body is alkaline by design and acidic by function, and that there is only one disease (acidosis) and one treatment (an alkaline diet). [15] [16]

Young's books recommend a low-stress lifestyle and a high-water-content, high-chlorophyll, plant-based diet. [17] He recommends moderate intake of high-carbohydrate vegetables, some grains, and fresh fish. [18] Young recommends abstaining from "acidic" foods—sugar, red meat, shellfish, eggs, dairy, processed and refined foods, stored grains, artificial sweeteners, alcohol, coffee, chocolate, and sodas—because he believes that such foods overload the body with acidity and cause disease. [18] Young claims that disorders such as weight gain, water retention, high cholesterol, kidney stones, and tumors are all life-saving mechanisms for dealing with excess acidity in the body. [18]

Research supporting alkaline diets, like that promoted by Young, is limited to in vitro and animal studies. [19] A number of recent systematic reviews and meta-analyses in the medical literature have concluded that there is no evidence that alkaline diets are beneficial to humans. [20] [21] [22]

According to a book review by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, some aspects of his diet, such as the emphasis on eating green leafy vegetables and exercise, would likely be healthy; however, the diet overall "is not a healthy way to lose weight." [23] Quackwatch describes Young's claims as "fanciful". [24]

Nutritional microscopy

Young bases some of his theories, research, and written works on the alternative medical approach of live blood analysis. Young teaches microscopy courses in which he trains people to perform live blood analysis as well as dry blood analysis. Young has stated that he teaches live blood analysis solely for research and educational purposes, and not for use in diagnosing medical conditions, which the San Diego Union-Tribune characterizes as "a legal distinction that some might find elusive in practice". [25]

Live blood analysis is used by alternative medical practitioners, who claim it to be a valuable qualitative assessment of a person's state of health. Live blood analysis lacks scientific foundation, and has been described as a fraudulent means of convincing patients to buy dietary supplements and as a medically useless "money-making scheme". [25] [26] [27] Live blood analysis has been described by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services as an "unestablished laboratory test", or test that is not generally accepted in laboratory medicine. [28]

Practicing medicine without a license

In 1995, Young allegedly drew blood from two women, told them they were ill, and then sold them herbal products to treat these illnesses. He was charged with two third-degree felony counts of practicing medicine without a license, but pled guilty to a reduced misdemeanor charge. [14] [25] Young argued that he had never claimed to be a medical doctor, that the women had entrapped him by asking to be part of his research, and that he "looked at the women's blood and simply gave them some nutritional advice." [14]

In 2001, Young was again charged with a felony in Utah, after a cancer patient alleged that Young told her to stop chemotherapy and to substitute one of his products to treat her cancer. Subsequently, when an undercover agent visited Young, he allegedly analyzed her blood and prescribed a liquid diet. The case was taken to preliminary trial, but charges were dropped after the prosecutor stated that he could not find enough people who felt cheated by Young. [25] Young dismissed the arrests as "harassment" and stated that he moved to California because the legal climate there was more tolerant. [25] On May 12, 2011 Quackwatch published a critical analysis of Young's qualifications and practices. [24]

In 2014 Young was arrested in San Diego and received 18 felony charges relating to practicing medicine without a license, and of theft. [29] According to the Medical Board of California's press release chronically ill patients were paying Young up to $50,000 for his treatments. [30] His trial started in Vista Superior Court in November 2015. [31] In February 2016, jurors found Young guilty of two counts of practicing medicine without a license. [32] As of January 2017 he was facing a three-year jail sentence and was also to be retried on six charges of fraud, after a jury deadlocked 8–4. [33] To avoid a retrial, Young pleaded guilty to two more counts of practicing medicine without a license. The 44-month sentence in the plea agreement included a declaration by Young that he has no degrees from any accredited schools, and that he is not "a microbiologist, hematologist, medical doctor, naturopathic doctor, or trained scientist". [34] [5]

Young was sentenced at the end of June 2017. [34]

In November 2018 he was ordered to pay US$105 million to a cancer patient who had sued him for claiming to be a doctor and advising her to forgo traditional medical treatment. [35]

Kim Tinkham

In 2007, Kim Tinkham, diagnosed with stage three breast cancer, adopted Young's protocols, promoting them on her own website and on The Oprah Winfrey Show . She claimed to be "cancer free by all medical terms" in 2008, but died of cancer in 2010. [36] [37]

Claims about vaccines

In 2020, at a meeting of the conspiracy theory group, the International Tribunal for Natural Justice, Young made a speech that included comments about Bill Gates and vaccines ("For the purpose of sterilization and population control, there’s too many people on the planet we need to get rid of. In the words of Bill Gates, at least three billion people need to die”; international health agencies are "using chemical warfare against all of us.") that went viral on social media, which were dismissed as false by numerous factcheck organizations. [38] [39]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fat</span> Esters of fatty acid or triglycerides

In nutrition, biology, and chemistry, fat usually means any ester of fatty acids, or a mixture of such compounds, most commonly those that occur in living beings or in food.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Naturopathy</span> Form of alternative medicine

Naturopathy, or naturopathic medicine, is a form of alternative medicine. A wide array of pseudoscientific practices branded as "natural", "non-invasive", or promoting "self-healing" are employed by its practitioners, who are known as naturopaths. Difficult to generalize, these treatments range from the thoroughly discredited, like homeopathy, to the widely-accepted, like certain forms of psychotherapy. The ideology and methods of naturopathy are based on vitalism and folk medicine rather than evidence-based medicine, although practitioners may use techniques supported by evidence. The ethics of naturopathy have been called into question by medical professionals and its practice has been characterized as quackery.

Orthomolecular medicine is a form of alternative medicine that aims to maintain human health through nutritional supplementation. The concept builds on the idea of an optimal nutritional environment in the body and suggests that diseases reflect deficiencies in this environment. Treatment for disease, according to this view, involves attempts to correct "imbalances or deficiencies based on individual biochemistry" by use of substances such as vitamins, minerals, amino acids, trace elements and fatty acids. The notions behind orthomolecular medicine are not supported by sound medical evidence, and the therapy is not effective for chronic disease prevention; even the validity of calling the orthomolecular approach a form of medicine has been questioned since the 1970s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bastyr University</span> Alternative medicine university

Bastyr University is a private alternative medicine university with campuses in Kenmore, Washington, and San Diego, California. Programs include naturopathy, acupuncture, Traditional Asian medicine, nutrition, herbal medicine, ayurvedic medicine, psychology, and midwifery.

A water ionizer is a home appliance which claims to raise the pH of drinking water by using electrolysis to separate the incoming water stream into acidic and alkaline components. The treated water is called alkaline water. Proponents claim that consumption of alkaline water results in a variety of health benefits, making it similar to the alternative health practice of alkaline diets. Such claims violate basic principles of chemistry and physiology. There is no medical evidence for any health benefits of alkaline water. Extensive scientific evidence has completely debunked these claims.

Henry Valentine Knaggs was an English physician, anti-vaccinationist, naturopath and alternative health writer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Max Gerson</span> American physician

Max Gerson was a German-born American physician who developed the Gerson Therapy, a dietary-based alternative cancer treatment that he claimed could cure cancer and most chronic, degenerative diseases.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Abram Hoffer</span> Canadian biochemist

Abram Hoffer was a Canadian biochemist, physician, and psychiatrist known for his "adrenochrome hypothesis" of schizoaffective disorders. According to Hoffer, megavitamin therapy and other nutritional interventions are potentially effective treatments for cancer and schizophrenia. Hoffer was also involved in studies of LSD as an experimental therapy for alcoholism and the discovery that high-dose niacin can be used to treat high cholesterol and other dyslipidemias. Hoffer's ideas about megavitamin therapy to treat mental illness are not accepted by the medical community.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arnold Ehret</span> German naturopath and alternative health educator

Arnold Ehret was a German naturopath, alternative health educator and germ theory denialist, best known for developing the Mucusless Diet Healing System. Ehret authored books and articles on dieting, detoxification, fruitarianism, fasting, food combining, health, longevity, naturopathy, physical culture and vitalism.

The Hay Diet is a nutrition method developed by the New York physician William Howard Hay in the 1920s. It claims to work by separating food into three groups: alkaline, acidic, and neutral. Acid foods are not combined with the alkaline ones. Acidic foods are protein rich, such as meat, fish, dairy, etc. Alkaline foods are carbohydrate rich, such as rice, grains and potatoes. It is also known as the food combining diet.

Megavitamin therapy is the use of large doses of vitamins, often many times greater than the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) in the attempt to prevent or treat diseases. Megavitamin therapy is typically used in alternative medicine by practitioners who call their approach orthomolecular medicine. Vitamins are useful in preventing and treating illnesses specifically associated with dietary vitamin shortfalls, but the conclusions of medical research are that the broad claims of disease treatment by advocates of megavitamin therapy are unsubstantiated by the available evidence. It is generally accepted that doses of any vitamin greatly in excess of nutritional requirements will result either in toxicity or in the excess simply being metabolised; thus evidence in favour of vitamin supplementation supports only doses in the normal range. Critics have described some aspects of orthomolecular medicine as food faddism or even quackery. Research on nutrient supplementation in general suggests that some nutritional supplements might be beneficial, and that others might be harmful; several specific nutritional therapies are associated with an increased likelihood of the condition they are meant to prevent.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William Howard Hay</span> American physician

William Howard Hay was an American physician and director of The East Aurora Sun and Diet Sanatorium. He is principally known for the 'Hay diet', a food-combining dietary system.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hulda Regehr Clark</span> Canadian naturopath and author

Hulda Regehr Clark was a Canadian naturopath, author, and practitioner of alternative medicine. Clark claimed all human disease was related to parasitic infection, and also claimed to be able to cure all diseases, including cancer and HIV/AIDS, by "zapping" them with electrical devices which she marketed. Clark wrote several books describing her methods and operated clinics in the United States. Following a string of lawsuits and eventual action by the Federal Trade Commission, she relocated to Tijuana, Mexico, where she ran the Century Nutrition clinic.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alkaline diet</span> Fad diet

Alkaline diet describes a group of loosely related diets based on the misconception that different types of food can have an effect on the pH balance of the body. It originated from the acid ash hypothesis, which primarily related to osteoporosis research. Proponents of the diet believe that certain foods can affect the acidity (pH) of the body and that the change in pH can therefore be used to treat or prevent disease. However, their claims are false, and there is no evidence supporting the claimed mechanisms of this diet, which is not recommended by dietitians or other health professionals.

Live blood analysis (LBA), live cell analysis, Hemaview or nutritional blood analysis is the use of high-resolution dark field microscopy to observe live blood cells. Live blood analysis is promoted by some alternative medicine practitioners, who assert that it can diagnose a range of diseases. There is no scientific evidence that live blood analysis is reliable or effective, and it has been described as a fraudulent means of convincing people that they are ill and should purchase dietary supplements.

Health is the state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and a positive concept emphasizing social and personal resources, as well as physical capacities. This article lists major topics related to personal health.

Canadian health claims by Health Canada, the department of the Government of Canada responsible for national health, has allowed five scientifically verified disease risk reduction claims to be used on food labels and on food advertising. Other countries, including the United States and Great Britain, have approved similar health claims on food labels.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ragnar Berg</span> Swedish biochemist

Ragnar Berg was a Swedish-born biochemist and nutritionist who worked most of his adult life in Germany. He is best known for his theories on the importance of acid-base balance and inorganic minerals like calcium in the diet; later in life he endorsed vegetarianism and ways to prolong the human life span. He promoted an alkaline rich diet and also invented the alkaline dietary supplement Basica, which Volkmar Klopfer manufactured and marketed from 1925.

Cheryl Ann Marie Anderson is an American epidemiologist. Anderson is a professor at and founding Dean of the University of California San Diego Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science. Anderson's research focus is on nutrition and chronic disease prevention in under-served human populations.

Alexander Haig was a Scottish physician, dietitian and vegetarianism activist. He was best known for pioneering the uric-acid free diet.

References

  1. 1 2 Figueroa, Teri (18 November 2015). "Trial starts for pH Miracle author". The San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved 27 January 2016.
  2. ↑ Warner, Anthony. (2017). The Angry Chef: Bad Science and the Truth About Healthy Eating, Oneworld Publications. ISBN   9781786072177
  3. ↑ 10 News Archived 2015-07-22 at the Wayback Machine
  4. ↑ Alternative health provider's jury trial set [ permanent dead link ] Valley Center, 11 March 2015
  5. 1 2 "Jury awards $105 million to terminal cancer patient in suit against 'pH Miracle' author". Los Angeles Times . 2 November 2018.
  6. ↑ Figueroa, Teri. "Jury awards $105M in suit against pH Miracle author" . Retrieved 2019-01-08.
  7. 1 2 Teri Figueroa (3 February 2016). "Split verdict in 'pH Miracle' case". The San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved 19 January 2017.
  8. ↑ Jones, Adam (February 11, 2007). "State's diploma mills draw academic ire". Tuscaloosa News. Retrieved February 14, 2007. | page=5
  9. ↑ In 2008 Clayton's website stated that it was "A non-traditionally accredited school of naturopathy". "Educating the Leaders of Natural Health". Clayton College of Natural Health. 2008. Archived from the original on July 26, 2008.
  10. 1 2 3 Giles Yeo; Tristan Quinn (19 January 2017). "The dying officer treated for cancer with baking soda". BBC News. Retrieved 19 January 2017.
  11. ↑ "Utah County Property Owners 2008". Pbw.co.utah.ut.us. Archived from the original on 2009-05-06. Retrieved 2012-09-07.
  12. ↑ "The Alkalarian Approach to Optimal Health". Phmiracleliving.com. 2003-03-02. Retrieved 2012-09-07.
  13. ↑ Young, Robert (2001). Sick and Tired . Woodland Pub. pp.  22, 161–166. ISBN   978-1-58054-030-8 . Retrieved 2012-09-07. Young Robert Sick and Tired text.
  14. 1 2 3 "Herbalist in Alpine pleads guilty to reduced charge". Deseret News . February 5, 1996. Retrieved July 20, 2008.
  15. ↑ Mandy Bourgeois and Joe Duty. "Holistic Healing part 2". WCMessenger.com. Archived from the original on 25 February 2012.
  16. ↑ Young, Robert. Overacidity and Overgrowth of Yeast, Fungus and Moulds. Canada Consumer Health. May 1997.
  17. ↑ Young, Robert (2002). The pH Miracle . Warner Books. pp.  37, 41, 50–80. ISBN   978-0-446-52809-2. pH Miracle.[ dead link ]
  18. 1 2 3 Young, Robert (2002). The pH Miracle . Warner Books. pp.  58, 81–91. ISBN   978-0-446-52809-2. pH Miracle.[ dead link ]
  19. ↑ Vangsness, Stephanie (May 3, 2006). "Alkaline Diets and Cancer: Fact or Fiction?". Intelihealth. Archived from the original on 2008-01-17.
  20. ↑ Fenton TR, Tough SC, Lyon AW, Eliasziw M, Hanley DA (2011). "Causal assessment of dietary acid load and bone disease: a systematic review & meta-analysis applying Hill's epidemiologic criteria for causality". Nutr J. 10: 41. doi: 10.1186/1475-2891-10-41 . PMC   3114717 . PMID   21529374.
  21. ↑ Fenton TR, Lyon AW, Eliasziw M, Tough SC, Hanley DA (November 2009). "Meta-analysis of the effect of the acid-ash hypothesis of osteoporosis on calcium balance". J. Bone Miner. Res. 24 (11): 1835–40. doi: 10.1359/jbmr.090515 . PMID   19419322. S2CID   28279996.
  22. ↑ Fenton TR, Lyon AW, Eliasziw M, Tough SC, Hanley DA (2009). "Phosphate decreases urine calcium and increases calcium balance: a meta-analysis of the osteoporosis acid-ash diet hypothesis". Nutr J. 8: 41. doi: 10.1186/1475-2891-8-41 . PMC   2761938 . PMID   19754972.
  23. ↑ "The pH Miracle for Weight Loss Book Review". Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Archived from the original on 6 March 2012. Retrieved 10 August 2012.
  24. 1 2 Barrett, Stephen. "A Critical Look at "Dr." Robert Young's Theories and Credentials". Quackwatch . Retrieved 28 August 2013.
  25. 1 2 3 4 5 Naturopathic technique stirring bad blood, by Logan Jenkins. Published in the San Diego Union-Tribune on April 11, 2005; accessed July 20, 2008.
  26. ↑ Ernst, Edzard (2005-07-12). "Intrigued by the spectacular claims made for Live Blood Analysis? Don't be. It doesn't work". The Guardian . Retrieved 2008-11-17.
  27. ↑ Freyer, Felice (2005-06-21). "Chiropractor ordered to halt blood tests". Providence Journal . Archived from the original on June 23, 2005.
  28. ↑ "CLIA regulation of unestablished laboratory tests" (PDF). U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. July 2001.
  29. ↑ Richard Allyn (25 January 2014). "Controversial alternative health provider pleads not guilty to charges". CBS8.com. Retrieved 25 January 2014.
  30. ↑ Miller, Frank (24 January 2014). "Medical Board investigation leads to arrest of a Valley Center Man for the unlicensed practice of medicine" (PDF). Medical Board of California. p. 1. Retrieved 25 January 2014.
  31. ↑ Figueroa, Teri (17 December 2015). "pH Miracle author's trial grinds on".
  32. ↑ Figueroa, Teri (3 February 2016). "Split verdict for 'pH Miracle' author". San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved 4 February 2016.
  33. ↑ "Convicted pH Miracle naturopath Robert Young faces additional charges and civil suit". Escondido Grapevine. March 13, 2016. Retrieved March 16, 2016.
  34. 1 2 "'pH Miracle' Author Robert O. Young Sentenced".
  35. ↑ Figueroa, Teri (4 November 2018). "Jury awards $105M in suit against pH Miracle author". San Diego Union-Tribune. San Diego. Retrieved 4 November 2018.
  36. ↑ Gorski, David (6 December 2010). "Death by "alternative" medicine: Who's to blame? (Revisited)". ScienceBasedMedicine.org. Retrieved 2012-09-07.
  37. ↑ Bockstaele, Van. "Kim Tinkham, the woman whom Oprah made famous, dead at 53". Digital Journal. Retrieved 2012-09-07.
  38. ↑ "Fact check: No evidence Bill Gates said 'at least 3 billion people need to die'". Reuters. 2021-01-29. Retrieved 2021-06-09.
  39. ↑ Funke, Daniel (2021-01-25). "Bill Gates didn't say '3 billion people need to die' to reverse climate change". @politifact. Retrieved 2021-06-09.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.