Red Flags in Supplement Marketing
One skillset that is becoming increasingly relevant to our work is discernment about supplement marketing. People who are suffering and/or afraid are vulnerable to predatory wellness marketing. Yes, we could all stand to learn more about accessible, holistic health, but we also need to learn the techniques and tools of exploitative marketing — not to use them ourselves, but so that we can recognize them when we see them, not fall prey, and better advise our communities. We have been making a list of what we consider to be red flags in supplement marketing. Below you will find some of what we have gathered so far.
Red flags
If you notice any of these on a sales page or social media post promoting a supplement, beware.
Miraculous claims. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
One pill to cure them all. Does the seller claim that the supplement can heal a wide range of health challenges? Health, and our bodies, are infinitely more complex than this. Just because it "worked" for one person doesn't mean everyone needs it.
Universal cure. If one supplement (or health regimen, diet, subscription service, etc.) is marketed as the answer for everyone, it's a scam. No single diet is right for everyone, and while there are some vitamin and mineral deficiencies many of us share due to our broken food system, we do not all need the same supplemental nutrients. Holistic care demands individual remedies and protocols.
Specific cures for broad conditions. "If you suffer from fatigue, let me tell you about…" Fatigue can be caused by dozens of factors! Every person's fatigue is different, as is chronic pain, low mood, insomnia and so on. Again, many modern health challenges emerge from complex patterns. There is no single remedy that can ease these conditions for everyone.
Quizzes as diagnostic tools. Many supplement companies offer quizzes to help you find out which of their products is best for you. While these quizzes appear to offer individualized support, they are just sales funnels cleverly designed to win you over. Whatever your answers, you will end up being offered one of their products.
Pathologization of natural processes. "Aging is a form of inflammation." "You think it's your menopause, but it's your cortisol!" We see these claims on social media daily. Aging, menopause, and even cortisol are natural parts of life. While we can use herbs and practices to ease the harder parts of these processes, they are not disease states.
Fatphobia. This is a topic that has been well covered by many critics of the wellness industry, but suffice it to say, if you see thinness equated with health, or products that include the claim "helps you lose weight," there is a problem.
Lack of transparency. A product should not only say what's in it, but also in what quantities. We recently saw an ad for Colloidal Magnesium that said it delivered 310mg of magnesium per "one dropper or teaspoon." Which is it? For "number of servings" it said "6 weeks." Irregularities like these when presenting basic information (how many capsules per dose, how much of X is in each dose) are a giant red flag, and also a safety issue.
Does your practitioner get a cut? We often hear about doctors getting kickbacks from pharmaceutical companies. We are less likely to hear about naturopaths or nutritionists making money off of their supplement recommendations. If your prescriber makes money from each and every supplement that you buy, their incentive is for you to take a large number of supplements and to stay on them indefinitely.
Is the influencer an affiliate? People who get a cut of product sales for recommending a product are more likely to overstate the value of those products.
Do the promotional materials use a conspiratorial tone? "They don't want you to know that…" "Learn the one product the doctors won't tell you about." "Why won't doctors embrace this ancient remedy?" If a product is as effective as they say it is, they would not need to appeal to fear or distrust to sell it.
Maybe you can think of some other red flags that should be on this list. If you know of any, let us hear about it. This is a work in progress.
