The claim: Grounding, or earthing
Does grounding work, or is it pseudoscience?
Emerging and contested. Evidence grade: Emerging.
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The book tests this claim twice, in a table and in the chapter that owns the subject. Both verdicts are below, each with its own evidence and sources.
Chapter 2's table of nine claims: "Grounding, or earthing"
Emerging and contested
The evidence
Skin contact with the earth is said to transfer electrons and reduce inflammation. The idea rests on reviews written by its advocates, with no large independent trials (Chapter 10).20
The "What you've heard" box in Chapter 10: "Walking barefoot on the earth, or sleeping on a grounding mat, lets electrons flow into your body and reduces inflammation"
Unsupported
The evidence
The case for grounding rests on narrative reviews written by the practice's advocates, some of whom disclose contractor roles and small shareholdings in a grounding company. A key study of muscle soreness grounded four people. A later trial relied on the self-reports of sixteen massage therapists. No adequately sized, independent trial with a sham device has been published. Grass underfoot is pleasant, and a walk in a park has real evidence behind it, but none of that evidence runs through electrons.15
Where the book tests it
What the book recommends instead
Settle the dairy question with a two-week trial, not a DNA kit
ProbableEvidence grade: Probable. Good observational evidence with a plausible mechanism, or small or few trials.How: if milk reliably brings bloating, gas or cramps, switch to lactose-free dairy, or take a lactase enzyme with dairy, for two weeks. Then drink ordinary milk again on purpose and see what happens. Fermented dairy such as yogurt is often fine when milk is not. Why: losing lactase after childhood is the normal state for most adults on earth. Persistent gut symptoms still deserve a doctor, since celiac disease and inflammatory bowel disease can imitate lactose trouble.
Related claims
- Does forest bathing work through tree chemicals?Enjoy the forest as relaxation, plausible though the size is uncertain; the tree-chemical immune story is unproven.Evidence grade: Emerging. Early, small, animal-only, or actively contested.
- Is adrenal fatigue real?False.Evidence grade: Probable. Good observational evidence with a plausible mechanism, or small or few trials.
- The physiological sigh: what the evidence showsA reasonable quick reset with thin evidence; "fastest" and "proven" are overstated.Evidence grade: Emerging. Early, small, animal-only, or actively contested.
- Can breathwork fix anxiety?Helps a little; not a substitute for therapy or medication.Evidence grade: Probable. Good observational evidence with a plausible mechanism, or small or few trials.
Sources
Chapter 2's table of nine claims
- 20.Chevalier, G., Sinatra, S.T., Oschman, J.L., Sokal, K., et al. (2012). "Earthing: health implications of reconnecting the human body to the earth's surface electrons." Journal of Environmental and Public Health, 2012, 291541. https://doi.org/10.1155/2012/291541 ; Oschman, J.L., Chevalier, G., and Brown, R. (2015). "The effects of grounding (earthing) on inflammation, the immune response, wound healing, and prevention and treatment of chronic inflammatory and autoimmune diseases." Journal of Inflammation Research, 8, 83-96. https://doi.org/10.2147/JIR.S69656 (narrative reviews by authors who advocate the practice)
Note numbers are those of Chapter 2, What Your Body Expects, and How to Trust This Book.
The "What you've heard" box in Chapter 10
- 15.Chevalier, G., Sinatra, S.T., Oschman, J.L., Sokal, K., and Sokal, P. (2012). "Earthing: health implications of reconnecting the human body to the earth's surface electrons." Journal of Environmental and Public Health, 2012, 291541. https://doi.org/10.1155/2012/291541 ; Oschman, J.L., Chevalier, G., and Brown, R. (2015). "The effects of grounding (earthing) on inflammation, the immune response, wound healing, and prevention and treatment of chronic inflammatory and autoimmune diseases." Journal of Inflammation Research, 8, 83-96. https://doi.org/10.2147/JIR.S69656 ; Brown, D., Chevalier, G., and Hill, M. (2010). "Pilot study on the effect of grounding on delayed-onset muscle soreness." Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 16(3), 265-273. https://doi.org/10.1089/acm.2009.0399 ; Chevalier, G., Patel, S., Weiss, L., Chopra, D., et al. (2019). "The effects of grounding (earthing) on bodyworkers' pain and overall quality of life: a randomized controlled trial." Explore, 15(3), 181-190. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.explore.2018.10.001
Note numbers are those of Chapter 10, Green and Quiet.
This verdict is one of nine in the table Chapter 2 uses to show how the book judges a claim: find the primary study, and grade the claim by what it measured. The grade rates the evidence behind the verdict, by the book's stated method.
Educational content, not medical advice. Disclaimer.