Manipulating People’s Foolishness In Online Supplement Marketing

Have you noticed it lately? Influencers on tiktok, or company ads on the streets, that offer supplements with promising results. I’m talking about fat burners, energy boosters, stress relievers, etc. It is a big industry, we can’t ignore that, but how is it possible that they can fool many people into buying these supplements with empty promises, or isn’t it empty promises? Let’s take a closer look at a few of these supplements and the reason why not to believe everything online, especially when it sounds ‘too good to be true’. 

Fat Burners: A perfect example of a ‘Too good to be true’ supplement

It’s really frustrating that these supplements are being sold by big drugstores like Kruidvat and Etos (Netherlands). They promise rapid weight loss by increasing (fat)metabolism. These products are often marketed with misleading before-and-after images on social media, or with health claims that are still under evaluation in stores or webshops. However, the results are often questionable, if not ineffective or irrelevant.

Common issues

• Unproven ingredients: Some ingredients, like caffeine, only offer minimal metabolic boost. Far from what is advertised. Interestingly, Capsicum extract, primarily from chili peppers, may increase metabolism and promote fat oxidation^[1]. However, without implemented in some sot of weight loss program, it has only modest effects in reducing body weight^[2].
• Unproven promises: Sometimes claims are made that suggest active fat burning by only taking ‘fat burner’ pills, while this is still under evaluation of scientific research. And sometimes, even worse actually, little to none information is given about the effects, while the product clearly states ‘Fat Burners’. Please see the examples below.

 

Creatine: Another perfect example of a ‘Too good to be true’ supplement, but positive

Creatine is a great supplement for athletes and occasional gym-goers by improving strength, increase lean muscle, enhance recovery etc. The primary reason for these great effects is its ability to regenerate ATP*, by effectively acting as an ATP donor during intense exercises. For the non gym-goers, it also has shown potential for cognitive performance, improving mental fatigue and cognitive processing, particularly under stress or sleep deprivation. In contrast to Fat Burners, these claims are scientifically proven; in fact, creatine is the most researched supplement on the market. ^[3][4]   

The Pros of creatine

• Scientific evidence: The benefits of creatine supplement, like enhancing muscle strength or improving cognitive performance, is proven by multiple scientific researches. 
• Properly advertised: Creatine is often marketed as a supplement as part of a routine, in many cases a fitness routine, instead of a standalone solution, like fat burners. This makes clear that a person will see the benefits of creatine if it’s used in some sort of routine. Besides that, the benefits are supported with scientific research. 
• Fun informative video: Here you can watch a fun video of two doctors explaining what creatine is and what it does.

Conclusion

Social media, like Instagram or TikTok, serve many uses, including the promotion of supplements. From a small analysis of two supplements, Fat Burners and Creatine, we can understand that the information and health claims shared by individuals, and sometimes companies, on these platforms should be taken with caution. Some supplements, like Fat Burners, can claim to have promising benefits, while having minimal or no effects. These are often marketing gimmicks used by individuals or companies to sell useless and cheap products, with cheap ingredients, at premium prices. On the other hand, some of the promoted supplements actually do meet the promised results advertised on social media, for example creatine. 

It is important for people to remain skeptical when something is promoted as ‘too good to be true’, unless reliable and verified information is found regarding the promised results of supplements.  

Reference

1. Alonso-Villegas, R., González-Amaro, R. M., Figueroa-Hernández, C. Y., & Rodríguez-Buenfil, I. M. (2023). The genus capsicum: a review of bioactive properties of its polyphenolic and capsaicinoid composition. Molecules, 28(10), 4239.
2. Zhang, W., Zhang, Q., Wang, L., Zhou, Q., Wang, P., Qing, Y., & Sun, C. (2023). The effects of capsaicin intake on weight loss among overweight and obese subjects: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. British Journal of Nutrition, 130(9), 1645-1656.
3. Kreider, R. B., & Stout, J. R. (2021). Creatine in health and disease. Nutrients, 13(2), 447.
4. Rawson, E. S., & Venezia, A. C. (2011). Use of creatine in the elderly and evidence for effects on cognitive function in young and old. Amino acids, 40, 1349-1362.