Natural Doesn’t Always Mean Better –⁠ How to Deal with the Appeal to Nature in the Doctor’s Office

Instinct Versus Rationality

The popularity of the “natural” has deep roots. Nature evokes in us a sense of safety, purity, and a return to something original. However, this instinct often outweighs a rational assessment of effects and risks.

Also interesting is the phenomenon of true self bias, in which people perceive chemical interventions as a disruption of their authenticity, while viewing natural approaches as gentler. This perception can influence healthcare professionals as well —⁠ whether it concerns the choice of herbal products or the effort to avoid “artificial” solutions.

How Not to Fall for the Fallacy

In logic, the so-called is → ought fallacy is often mentioned. This means that from a mere description of reality (“something is natural”), one cannot automatically conclude that it is also right or healthy. Therefore, when someone assumes that a substance is safe just because it occurs in nature, they are succumbing to this fallacy.

Bioethicists point out that this is one of the most common fallacies, which can lead to poor decisions even in medicine. The lay belief that health means living “in harmony with nature” is tempting, but medicine must base its decisions mainly on evidence and data, not romantic notions.

The preference for “natural” can influence decision-making even where clear facts are available. A typical example is the rejection of effective methods, such as hormonal contraception or vaccination, in favor of “more natural” approaches with a higher risk of failure. Similarly, patients judge the same medicine differently depending on whether it is labeled as “natural” or “synthetic,” even when it has identical composition.

Sensations That May Not Always Help

Research shows that a preference for natural products is not the domain of patients inclined toward alternative medicine. It appears to be a widespread phenomenon across cultures and socioeconomic groups. For example, in psychiatry, gynecology, or chronic disease prevention, patients often request herbal supplements and natural methods.

Alongside traditionally known substances such as St. John’s wort (affects the metabolism of many drugs) or echinacea (popular for colds but with conflicting efficacy data), recent years have seen new “natural sensations” rise to patient prominence. These are often promoted on social media, in influencer marketing, or within wellness communities. Their effects are often overestimated or misunderstood. Here are a few examples:

• Ashwagandha –⁠ an adaptogen with claimed effects on stress and sleep, but may affect thyroid function, increase sedation, and interact with anxiolytics.
• Maca –⁠ a natural stimulant whose effect on the endocrine system is not well studied. Particularly unsuitable for women with hormonal imbalance.
• CBD (cannabidiol) –⁠ a cannabis-derived compound used for anxiety, pain, and sleep disorders, which may affect blood clotting (interaction with warfarin), cause CNS depression, or contain undesirable contaminants if quality is uncontrolled.
• Moringa oleifera –⁠ a plant used for antioxidant effects and “detoxification,” may lower blood glucose or blood pressure.

Also worth mentioning are some herbal blends of traditional Chinese medicine, which have repeatedly been found to be contaminated with heavy metals and pesticides, or to contain toxic plants without appropriate labeling. For many natural substances, the problem is not only the absence of high-quality studies, but also inconsistent dosing and inadequate control of purity and composition.

How to Talk With the Patient

It pays for doctors to engage in dialogue with patients without confrontation. It is advisable to acknowledge the patient’s trust in natural methods and explain that natural does not mean bad, but it is not always a guarantee of safety or effectiveness.

Concrete examples (such as that echinacea can have side effects, or that even poison is natural) can help put the issue into context. You can offer the patient a compromise —⁠ for example, high-quality dietary supplements or herbal medicines where it makes sense. Medicine achieves the best results when respect for the patient’s opinion is combined with scientific evidence.

Editorial Team, Medscope.pro

Sources:

1. Gal D., Li T. Natural remedies might not be better –⁠ so why do we still prefer them? The Guardian. 13 Nov 2023 [cited 22 Jul 2025]. Available at: www.theguardian.com/wellness/2023/nov/13/natural-remedies-medication-true-self

2. Natural Doesn’t Mean Better. NIH, updated 2024 [cited 22 Jul 2025]. Available at: www.nccih.nih.gov/health/know-science/natural-doesnt-mean-better

3. Herbs at a Glance. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. Updated 2024 [cited 22 Jul 2025]. Available at: www.nccih.nih.gov/health/herbsataglance

4. Li H., Cao Y. For the love of nature: People who prefer natural versus synthetic drugs are higher in nature connectedness. Journal of Environmental Psychology 2020, doi: 10.1016/j.jenvp.2020.101496.

5. Deleniv S., Ariely D., Peters K. Natural Is Better: How the Appeal To Nature Fallacy Derails Public Health. Behavioral Scientist 2021. Available at: www.behavioralscientist.org/natural-is-better-how-the-naturalistic-fallacy-derails-public-health