Could this 10-second test REALLY predict death risk?

Some studies are just MADE to spoon-feed the media.

They know the kinds of stories the press will just EAT UP… and naturally, they’re usually the most SIMPLISTIC and IDIOTIC claptrap out there.

So, you get those headlines all over the place like this new one I’m sure you’ve seen lately: 10-second test predicts death!

I gotta imagine whoever cooked this up is EATING UP all the free and easy press coverage!

But how ACCURATE is it?

That’s another story altogether…

Here’s the test: Stand on one leg for 10 seconds.

That’s it.

That’s the entire test, start to finish.

Seems like a pretty easy-to-pass test to me.

Yet the study claims FLUNKING this test will QUADRUPLE your odds of death over the coming years from ANY cause.

Must be some pretty sick people out there to flunk such a simple test… and then DROP DEAD!

It’s also been a standard part of the drunk driving test for ages (not that I’d know firsthand).

But if the cops pull you over and you CAN’T pass the stand test… but it turns out you HAVEN’T had anything to drink… what do they do? Haul you off to the ER instead of the jail???

Let’s take a look at the details here…

First off, there’s that ALARMING phrase: “any cause.”

That includes everything from cancer to lightning strikes… heart disease to bear attacks.

They expect us to believe failing to stand on one leg for 10 seconds can lead to ALL of that???

Sorry, not buying it.

Dig a little deeper, and you spot something else going on: The OLDER the patient… the LOWER the odds of completing the test.

Past the age of 75, just 30% of patients could pass the 10-second standing test. And from 81 to 85, just a little over 8% could complete the test.

Care to guess what else happens past the age of 75 and especially 80?

Yeah… death from all causes!

So, congratulations to these researchers. They confirmed that life expectancy DROPS as you get older.

What a surprise!

A standing test is not TOTALLY without merit. It’s just not some crystal ball for everything from cancer to lighting strikes.

What it CAN do is suggest frailty… poor balance… and fall risk…

Or even something neurological going on.

So, if you can’t stand on one leg, DON’T freak out about impending death… but it wouldn’t hurt to get checked out to see if there’s something going on that needs attention.

And if you want to BEAT the odds and live past 80… forget this daffy stuff and focus on diet and nutrition.

AVOID junk… RESTRICT carbs… and, if you’re older, consider the nutrients that’ll protect you from the leading cause of death…

Heart disease.

I’d start with: CoQ10 (perhaps combined with selenium)

L-carnitine

magnesium

vitamin E as mixed tocopherols

 

A naturopathic physician can work with you on a more specific plan customized to your risks and needs.