In the name of wellness, we are willing to try, and spend, almost anything. That might explain why the wellness industry is now valued at over $3.72 trillion, according to the Global Wellness Institute. But in an industry that thrives on the idea of purity and health, it can be just as toxic and sick as botulism.
Last year, the non-profit group Truth in Advertising documented 51 examples of Gwyneth Paltrow’s Goop platform falsely claiming that the products they sell or promote “can treat, cure, prevent, alleviate the symptoms of, or reduce the risk of developing a number of ailments, ranging from depression, anxiety, and insomnia, to infertility, uterine prolapse, and arthritis, just to name a few.”
And while Goop might be one of the biggest offenders when it comes to peddling misleading wellness products, they are by no means the only ones out there. Navigating the wellness world is complicated, and it can be hard to sort out the legitimate evidence-based products from the snake oil.
So, to prevent you from falling prey to some of the health BS out there, here’s a list of 13 over-hyped products that definitely aren’t backed by science…