Have you ever seen a headline like “Coffee prevents cancer!” or “This supplement boosts your brain 200%!” — and wondered if it’s actually true?
You’re not alone. Every day, new “scientific studies” make the rounds online. Some are solid, others… not so much. Learning how to read and understand a study can save you from falling for hype — or wasting money on sketchy health products.
Let’s break it down in plain English.
Why Bother Reading Studies Yourself?
Because not every “study” tells the whole truth.
Some research is well done and carefully reviewed. Others are small, biased, or even twisted by marketers to sell you something.
Here at Contra Health Scam, we have been exposing health products that misuse science — showing how easily data can be cherry-picked or exaggerated to sound impressive. Knowing how to check the facts for yourself keeps you one step ahead, and knowing how to read and interpret scientific studies is one valuable tool you can have to this effect.
Step 1: Know the Type of Study
Different studies answer different kinds of questions.
Here’s a quick guide:
- Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs): People are randomly split into groups — one gets the treatment, the other doesn’t. These are the gold standard for figuring out if something causes an effect.
- Observational Studies: Researchers simply watch what happens naturally — no treatments given. These show links (like “coffee drinkers have lower risk”) but not cause and effect.
- Systematic Reviews & Meta-Analyses: These combine lots of studies to get the “big picture.” Usually more reliable.
- Lab or Animal Studies: Good for early clues — but results often don’t apply directly to humans.
Tip: A single small study rarely proves anything. Wait for more research before getting too excited.
Step 2: How to Read a Study Without Drowning in Jargon
You don’t need to read every word! Here’s the smart way:
- Start with the abstract. It’s a short summary of what they studied and found. But don’t stop there — abstracts can exaggerate results.
- Glance at the tables and graphs. They show the real numbers — not just the spin.
- Check the methods section. Who were the participants? How long did it last? Was there a control group? If these details are missing, that’s a red flag.
- Look at the results. Focus on how big the effect was — not just whether it was “statistically significant.”
- Read the discussion. Good researchers admit their study’s limitations. If the authors act like their small trial “proves everything,” be skeptical.
Step 3: Watch for Red Flags
Here are common signs a study (or the way it’s being promoted) might not be trustworthy:
- Tiny sample size — a survey of 10 people does not prove much.
- Funded by the company selling the product. Always check who paid for it.
- Big claims from lab or animal tests. What works in mice does not always work in humans. Always be skeptical whenever you see a health product claiming to be “clinically proven.” Most of these claims are based on animal studies.
- Cherry-picked results. Sometimes companies highlight only the data that looks good.
- Hyped-up press releases. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
Contra Health Scam has exposed many health products that misuse small or irrelevant studies to sound “scientifically-backed” (see our Diabetes Freedom review as an example). Learning these warning signs helps you spot the same patterns yourself.
Step 4: Understand the Numbers (Without Freaking Out)
- P-value: This simply tells you how likely it is that the result happened by chance. A small p-value isn’t magic — it does not mean the effect is important.
- Confidence Interval (CI): This indicates the uncertainty associated with the result. Wide intervals = less reliable.
- Absolute vs. Relative Risk: Saying something “cuts risk by 50%” sounds huge — but if the original risk was only 2 in 10,000, it’s barely anything.
Step 5: Use a Quick Study-Reading Checklist
Ask yourself:
- What kind of study is this?
- How many people were studied?
- Who paid for it?
- Are the results big enough to matter in real life?
- Did they compare it to something (like a placebo or control group)?
- Has it been repeated in other studies?
If too many of these are missing or unclear, take the results with a big grain of salt.
Where to Find Reliable Info
- Cochrane: Excellent summaries of medical evidence.
- PubMed: Free database of scientific papers.
- CONSORT/STROBE checklists: Standards that show whether studies reported enough details.
- Contra Health Scam: Great for spotting fake “scientific” marketing and sketchy health products.
Final Thoughts
You don’t have to be a scientist to understand science. With a little practice, you can quickly tell the difference between real research and marketing dressed up as science.
Next time you see a wild health claim, pause. Look up the actual study. Ask the right questions.
Because good science speaks for itself — it does not need hype.
