Weight Loss Glossary P
A standard term used in most research meaning to factor out or control for the effect on the subject of the act of giving treatment. 
If a researcher wanted to study the effect of a drug on a psychological disorder, the researcher would give both the drug and a dummy dose of something containing no pharmacological properties, that tasted and looked the same and was given in the same way, so that the subject could not tell whether or not they were given the real drug or the dummy drug. Researchers use placebos so that real effect of what they are testing can be seen without contamination from bias from the research subjects. Source:Youngson, R. (2001) The Royal Society of Medicine Health Encyclopedia Bloomsbury Publishing, P. 331 Youngson, R. (2001) The Royal Society of Medicine Health Encyclopedia Bloomsbury Publishing, P. 331 A chemical that when altered through the metabolization process of the body or through food processing becomes carcinogenic.
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