But at the same time, I understand the allure. Health trends are often pushed by influencers with some kind of health care, biology or nutrition background. They can make something dubious seem logical by walking you through data and concepts that appear rooted in science, sprinkling in buzzwords like “microbiome” or “inflammation” and referencing medical studies.
It can be difficult to know if these claims are legit — it takes most physicians years to learn how to assess whether the journal, the methods and the foundational physiology quoted in a study are rigorous.
When you come across a claim, ask yourself the following:
- Does the marketing data feel too good to be true?
- Are major health-care institutions offering or recommending it?
- Is there any information about it on websites run by the National Institutes of Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or other trusted agencies or medical organizations?
If the claim doesn’t pass these tests, talk to a health-care provider before trying it, just to be safe.
Want to know which trends to look out for? Here are a few of the fads you may find on social media this year — and what to try instead.
Unnecessary supplements
I’ve seen supplements drain a patient’s limited income or cause dangerous interactions with their medications — mixing St. John’s Wort, an herbal supplement, and warfarin can increase the risk of stroke, for example. Some supplements are harmless placebos, but my advice remains: Save your money and mental effort wherever you can in life, and discuss with a physician before starting any supplement, even ones marketed as “natural.”
If you’re still considering starting a supplement, here’s what the research says about some fashionable ones:
- Vitamin D: Taking vitamin D in low-to-moderate doses of around 1,000-2,000 international units (IU) per day has been shown to be safe. People with certain health conditions should take the supplement, such as those with celiac disease. However, a lot of the research into its benefits in the general population hasn’t panned out — for example, it doesn’t reduce the risk of bone fractures compared to a placebo.
- Vitamin B12: Supplementing with vitamin B12 does show a benefit in people with a deficiency that causes anemia — but it’s not a cure-all. For those with normal blood levels, the supplement has no proven benefits.
- Magnesium: Most of the data regarding magnesium come from studies that involve magnesium-rich diets (which are mingled with lots of other beneficial qualities) rather than magnesium pills. Unless your doctor specifically recommends it, such as for migraines, I recommend eating magnesium-rich foods, such as leafy greens, seeds and nuts, fatty fish and dark chocolate, instead.
- Turmeric: Much of the data about its anti-inflammatory properties isn’t actually from human studies but rather from cell cultures and mouse models. There are plenty of delicious recipes that use the spice. It’ll be cheaper and get you cooking healthy meals.
