Social media is where millions of people learn about dietary supplements like vitamins and minerals, but much of the information shared is misleading or false—and often designed to make money without being honest about it. This research examines what we know about supplement misinformation online and explains both the dangers and opportunities. While scientists have studied how social media affects our health choices in general, there’s been little focus specifically on supplements. This article reviews available evidence and suggests practical ways to protect people from harmful false claims while using social media’s power to teach people the real facts about supplements.

The Quick Take

  • What they studied: How often false or misleading information about dietary supplements appears on social media, what kinds of false claims are most common, and how this misinformation affects people’s health decisions
  • Who participated: This is a review article that examined existing research rather than conducting a new study with participants. It looked at what scientists already know about supplement information on platforms like Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube
  • Key finding: Social media is filled with supplement claims that are usually motivated by money rather than truth, and there’s very little transparency about who’s being paid to promote these products. However, social media could also be an excellent tool for teaching people accurate information about supplements if used properly
  • What it means for you: Be skeptical of supplement claims you see on social media, especially from influencers or accounts that seem to be selling products. Look for information from trusted health sources instead. This research suggests that platforms and health authorities should do more to stop false supplement claims and promote accurate information

The Research Details

This is a review article, which means the researchers didn’t conduct their own experiment. Instead, they gathered and analyzed all the scientific information already published about dietary supplements and misinformation on social media. They looked at what’s known about false claims, who spreads them, why people believe them, and what effects they have on health decisions. The researchers then used this collected information to identify specific problems and suggest solutions for protecting consumers while taking advantage of social media’s educational potential.

The researchers focused specifically on dietary supplements because while scientists have studied how social media misinformation affects health in general, there hasn’t been much research focused specifically on vitamins, minerals, and other supplements. This gap in knowledge made it important to review what we do know and identify what we still need to learn.

This type of review is valuable because it brings together scattered information from many different studies into one place. It helps identify patterns and gaps in what we know. For dietary supplements specifically, this is important because millions of people use social media to learn about supplements, but we don’t have a clear picture of how much misinformation exists or how much harm it causes. By reviewing existing research, the authors can make practical recommendations for social media platforms, health authorities, and manufacturers to work together to reduce false claims while promoting accurate information.

As a review article published in a peer-reviewed health journal, this work has been checked by other experts. However, readers should know that the strength of the conclusions depends on the quality of the research being reviewed. The authors note that there’s actually very little specific research on supplement misinformation on social media, which means some of their conclusions are based on general social media health misinformation research rather than supplement-specific studies. The recommendations are thoughtful but would benefit from more targeted research on supplements specifically.

What the Results Show

The research reveals that social media contains substantial amounts of false and misleading information about dietary supplements, and much of this content is driven by financial incentives that aren’t clearly disclosed to users. People scrolling through social media often can’t tell whether someone is genuinely recommending a supplement or being paid to promote it. This lack of transparency is a major consumer protection problem.

The review found that while social media’s role in spreading health misinformation has been studied broadly, there’s surprisingly little specific research focused on supplements. This means we don’t have complete data on how widespread supplement misinformation is, which false claims are most common, or exactly how much harm they cause. However, the general research on social media and health suggests that false supplement claims likely influence people’s purchasing and use decisions in harmful ways.

Importantly, the research also highlights that social media isn’t inherently bad for supplement information. Platforms could be powerful tools for teaching people accurate facts about supplements if they were better regulated and if trusted health sources used them more actively. The key is finding ways to reduce false claims while promoting evidence-based information.

The review identifies several secondary but important issues: First, reputable supplement manufacturers struggle to compete with false claims because they’re bound by regulations that require honesty, while bad actors face few consequences. Second, the economic motivation behind most supplement content on social media is usually hidden from viewers, making it hard for people to judge whether information is trustworthy. Third, there’s a need for better coordination between social media platforms, health authorities, and legitimate manufacturers to create structures that protect consumers. Finally, the research suggests that education about how to spot false supplement claims could be an important tool for protecting people.

This research builds on a larger body of work showing that social media spreads health misinformation broadly. Previous studies have documented false claims about vaccines, weight loss, disease treatments, and general nutrition. This review extends that understanding by focusing specifically on dietary supplements, an area that had received less attention from researchers. The findings align with what we know about social media misinformation in general—that it’s widespread, often financially motivated, and can influence health decisions—but highlights that supplements may have unique characteristics that need specific attention.

The main limitation is that this is a review of existing research rather than a new study, so the conclusions are only as strong as the available evidence. The authors note that there’s actually very little specific research on supplement misinformation on social media, which means they had to rely partly on general social media health misinformation research. The review doesn’t provide exact numbers on how common false supplement claims are or measure their actual health impact. Additionally, the research was published in a German journal and focuses on the German-speaking context, so findings may not apply equally to all countries or social media platforms. Finally, social media platforms and supplement marketing change rapidly, so some information may become outdated quickly.

The Bottom Line

Based on this research, here are evidence-based recommendations: (1) Be cautious about supplement claims on social media, especially from influencers or accounts promoting products—look for independent verification from health authorities instead (High confidence). (2) Social media platforms should implement stronger fact-checking for supplement claims and require clear disclosure when content is sponsored or paid for (High confidence). (3) Health authorities and legitimate supplement manufacturers should use social media more actively to share accurate information about supplements (Moderate confidence, as this is a suggested opportunity rather than proven solution). (4) Consumers should seek supplement information from regulated health sources like doctors, pharmacists, or official health agency websites rather than relying primarily on social media (High confidence).

Everyone who uses social media and considers taking dietary supplements should care about this research. This includes people looking to improve their health through supplements, parents making decisions about children’s supplements, and older adults who often use multiple supplements. Social media platforms, health authorities, and legitimate supplement manufacturers should also prioritize this issue. People with chronic health conditions or those taking medications should be especially cautious, as false supplement claims could lead to harmful interactions. However, this research doesn’t suggest that all supplements are bad or that social media is useless for health information—rather, it emphasizes the need for critical thinking and verification.

There’s no specific timeline for seeing benefits because this research is about protecting yourself from misinformation rather than recommending a supplement to take. However, if you apply these recommendations immediately—by being more skeptical of supplement claims on social media and seeking information from trusted sources instead—you could reduce your risk of being misled right away. Broader changes, like social media platforms implementing better fact-checking or health authorities creating more educational content, would take months to years to implement and show effects.

Want to Apply This Research?

  • Track your supplement information sources for one week: note how many times you encounter supplement claims on social media versus from official health sources (doctor, pharmacist, health agency websites). Count the number of supplement claims you see that include clear scientific evidence versus those that don’t. This creates awareness of where your information comes from and helps you identify patterns in misinformation exposure.
  • When you see a supplement claim on social media, before considering buying or using it, use the app to: (1) Search for the claim on your health authority’s official website or ask your pharmacist, (2) Note whether the social media post disclosed if it was sponsored or paid for, (3) Check if the claim seems too good to be true (like ‘cures disease’ or ‘works for everyone’). Create a simple rule: never buy a supplement based solely on a social media recommendation without verifying it through an official health source first.
  • Set up a monthly check-in to review which supplement sources you’ve used. Track whether you’re relying more on social media or on verified health sources. If you take supplements, note any health changes and discuss them with your doctor rather than attributing them to social media claims. Over time, this builds a habit of critical thinking about supplement information and reduces your vulnerability to misinformation.

This research is a review of existing studies about supplement misinformation on social media and does not provide medical advice. Dietary supplements are not regulated the same way as medications, and claims about supplements may not be proven safe or effective. Before starting any new supplement, consult with your doctor or pharmacist, especially if you take medications, have health conditions, or are pregnant or breastfeeding. Do not use this information to replace professional medical advice. Be skeptical of supplement claims on social media and verify information through official health sources. If you experience adverse effects from a supplement, stop using it and contact a healthcare provider.