Goop by Gwyneth Paltrow: Bad Science or Bad Business Practice?

As biologists, we often scoff at treatments deemed alternative to modern

medicine. Everyone has heard of herbal teas, supplements, mind-body exercises, and seemingly

superstitious rituals to cure you of any ailment. Many of these medicinal practices are ancient,

and although not all of them stand the test of time, some herbal treatments have been the

foundation of modern pharmaceuticals. Of course, when a product is in demand there is a vendor

willing to sell it. Goop by Gwyneth Paltrow is a health and wellness brand that sells everything

from vitamin supplements to furniture. Two products in particular piqued my interest: vitamin

supplements and mind-body wellness items. Goop’s vitamin supplements are oddly expensive.

For example, the “High School Genes” pack that promises to optimize metabolism is $90. The

mind-body wellness items are even more expensive. The “Rainbow Mat” advertises “infrared

heating” capabilities and is embedded with seven different minerals to balance chakras. This

glorified heating mat boasts a $1999 price tag. Let's examine the scientific findings around

herbal medicine and mind-body medicinal practices. Is the Goop company selling snake oil? Are

these items helpful for the body and harmful for the wallet?


In the aforementioned “High School Genes” vitamin box, the multiple pills in the

daily pack consist of a massive concoction of herbs. Omega-3 fatty acids, green tea, Chinese

cinnamon, licorice, ginger, and rhubarb create a metabolism-boosting concotion. The question

remains: Do herbal supplements do anything to the body? According to one study in the South

African Journal of Botany, herbs do affect the body. A team of researchers compiled a list of

scientific literature from 2008 to 2017 to obtain a comprehensive table of all traditional

medicinal consumables that alter enzyme behavior. They found that 94 plants could decrease the

expression of digestive enzymes. Herbal medicines can alter expressions of many enzymes

throughout the body. This can help manage certain symptoms of chronic illness, viruses, and

bacterial infections. In short, although herbs do not cure illnesses, taking herbal supplements can

help manage symptoms and alter enzyme activity.


Goop’s Rainbow Mat is another beast entirely. The Rainbow Mat advertises

improved yoga sessions with the addition of heat and chakra-balancing crystals. In an article

entitled “Alternative Medicine Meets Science”, Phil B. Fontanarosa, MD found through a series

of “6 randomized clinical trials” that certain mind-body practices were no more effective than

placebo drugs. Yoga only lessens symptoms of carpal tunnel. Yoga is a valuable exercise

method, but as a medicine, it does not hold any more merit than the benefits of going on a run or

lifting weights. Adding heat and crystals will not change the fact that yoga is exercise, not

medicine.


Alternative medicine is a conglomerate of cultural practices that date back thousands of

years. The earliest forms of medicine were based on herbs and mind-body conjoining rituals.

Although mind-body medicine has proven ineffective, herbal medicine is still a powerful

medical tool to help manage symptoms. Herbal medicine is both culturally significant and widely

accessible. When brands like Goop throw exorbitant price tags on previously accessible items it

alienates a good majority of the population that herbal products were meant for. Goop’s

supplements do work. Herbal medicine is a valuable medical tool, but this still does not justify

the $90 price point. Herbal medicine is not a cure-all and it should not be priced as such. A mat

with crystals is not going to make you healthier, even if it is $2000. Goop by Gwenyth Paltrow is

a company that commodifies the cultural history of herbal medicine and pedals “wellness” goods

no more effective than a placebo to turn a profit. Plant a garden for herbs. Meditate if it makes

you feel better. Drink tea to settle the stomach. Don’t look for a cure with Goop. Keep your

money out of Gwenyth Paltrow’s pockets. She has enough already.


Posted by: Jillian Gobbi (5)


References:

Goop | A modern lifestyle brand. Accessed October 13, 2023. https://goop.com/.

Phil B. Fontanarosa, MD. “Alternative Medicine Meets Science.” JAMA, November 11, 1998.

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/188137.

“Potential of Traditionally Consumed Medicinal Herbs, Spices, and Food Plants to Inhibit Key

Digestive Enzymes Geared towards Diabetes Mellitus Management - A Systematic Review.”

South African Journal of Botany, June 29, 2018.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0254629918309281.

Comments

  1. AnonymousOctober 24, 2023 at 9:56 AM

    Hi Jillian. I have noticed other companies like Goop trying to profit off of people's ignorance. While sometimes the products may work, a lot of the time, people are better off taking a placebo. It feels like capitalism is starting to spread into the world of science where if a product as popular backing and seems legit, then they have no reason to doubt its standards or effectiveness. This could set a poor standard for the quality assurance of many pharmaceuticals or supplements going forward.
    -Sid Warrier

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Jill GobbiOctober 26, 2023 at 6:42 AM

      Hi Sid! I totally agree that the future of pharmaceuticals does not look bright. The more and more people distrust the industry, the more people will put themselves in harms way to avoid it. The sheer amount of money that all drugs, even very necessary ones, cost in America is staggering. I certainly agree that capitalism has negative implications on the future of medicine.

      Delete
  2. Megan WinklerOctober 25, 2023 at 7:34 AM

    Hey Jill! I loved this post. It is wild how easy it is for fake science to proliferate now, especially with the existence of social media and influencers. No matter how many times we were told to "not believe everything you read on the internet, people are still eating up absolutely everything that celebrities tell them without doing their own research. And capitalism continues to benefit off this! It's setting such a devastating precedent.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Jill GobbiOctober 26, 2023 at 6:41 AM

      Hi Megan! There is something to be said for putting so much influence in the hands of ordinary, un-trained people. For most influencers online, money is the main motivator. Posting on social media is such an interesting and pervasive method of advertising now, and I wonder how long it will take for the human population to adapt to these insanely high standards of media literacy necessary to navigate the online scientific landscape.

      Delete
  3. AnonymousOctober 25, 2023 at 9:23 AM

    Hi Jillian. This was such an interesting read. I have heard a lot of BS claims Goop has made over the past couple of years, and some of them are down right insane. I have noticed that they profit off people by convincing them of an issue they need to cure with their products. It's crazy that Gweneth is the front and center of this company because she is such a big actor with a huge fanbase that will be more likely to believe what she claims. Great post, good job!
    -Lyssa Cunha

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Jill GobbiOctober 26, 2023 at 6:44 AM

      Hi Lyssa! The star power that A-list celebrities have, I agree, is absolutely crazy. It seems like they can just convince their fans of anything. It's almost a mentor-like relationship where the celebrity simply because of their social status has all the answers. I feel as though this takes advantage of people's good faith and will to believe that things can get better somehow.

      Delete
  4. Julius SmithOctober 30, 2023 at 10:34 AM

    Hi Jillian, this was a great blog post. It is certainly astonishing how people can try and use science to support the efficacy of a supplement that they do not have a strong understanding of. The fact that Gwyneth Paltrow has attached her name to it and has priced the products as if they are life saving is the cherry on top. My hypothesis is that many people who buy these products do not care about how well they work, but are paying for the ability to say that they own a product from Gwyneth Paltrow's line.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Julius SmithOctober 30, 2023 at 10:36 AM

    Hi Sean, I think the underlying issue we should think about is why these clearly biased and unfounded articles are attracting traffic and quickly gaining momentum to spread their false information. I believe it is so easy for websites and blog posts of this nature to gain traction is that people lack the education to fully or even partially understand how the seemingly impossible feat of getting a vaccine to the public in 12 months was achieved. However, the lack of education of Americans can also be blamed on the education system itself.

    ReplyDelete

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