Have you tried double-blinding yourself, Gwern-style? (I. e., prepare a box with glucose capsules and a box with some placebo (empty capsules + close your eyes when taking them out of the box?); at the start of the day, pick the box to take capsules from at random; at the end of the day, try to guess whether it was the placebo box; then check; repeat for several days.)
Agreed that this would clarify a lot. On the other hand, if you’re very confident that taking the capsule helps, then at worst you’ve stumbled on the cheapest and least harmful placebo known to humankind (a sugar pill!!). Maybe you should just run with it (acknowledging that it helps while releasing or holding lightly to the proposed mechanism).
Have you tried double-blinding yourself, Gwern-style? (I. e., prepare a box with glucose capsules and a box with some placebo (empty capsules + close your eyes when taking them out of the box?); at the start of the day, pick the box to take capsules from at random; at the end of the day, try to guess whether it was the placebo box; then check; repeat for several days.)
No, but great idea! I’ll likely run one. I already ordered some microcristaline cellulose and designed an experimental protocol.
Agreed that this would clarify a lot. On the other hand, if you’re very confident that taking the capsule helps, then at worst you’ve stumbled on the cheapest and least harmful placebo known to humankind (a sugar pill!!). Maybe you should just run with it (acknowledging that it helps while releasing or holding lightly to the proposed mechanism).