Xand van Tulleken questions the evidence behind popular wellness products and services
Xand van Tulleken’s book examines popular wellness products and services, arguing that their health claims often outstrip the scientific evidence. It matters because blurred boundaries between wellness and healthcare can lead people to spend money on ineffective products and may affect their health, food habits and the environment.
Van Tulleken scrutinises supplements including vitamin D, collagen, turmeric and krill oil, as well as personalised nutrition, glucose monitors, wearable technology and private blood tests. He argues routine vitamin D supplements are not justified for most people, and describes collagen made from donkey hides as a product marked up by as much as 1,000%, with demand contributing to shortages and animal slaughter. For generally healthy people, he points instead to whole foods and activities that involve learning a rewarding skill.
- The book challenges evidence behind popular wellness claims.
- Collagen products can carry mark-ups of up to 1,000%.
- Van Tulleken recommends whole foods and rewarding hobbies.
New here? Start with this
Wellness covers products and services marketed to support health, from supplements and special diets to fitness trackers and private tests. Some sit alongside medical care, but their claims and the evidence behind them can vary.
Xand van Tulleken is a doctor and broadcaster who writes about health. His book looks at products such as vitamin D, collagen and turmeric, and services including personalised nutrition plans and blood tests, asking how well their claimed benefits are supported by research.
The debate matters because people may spend significant sums on products that offer little proven benefit, or make changes that affect their health and eating habits. Demand can also have wider effects, such as pressure on animals and the environment.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Van Tulleken’s case is that wellness claims should be matched to reliable evidence, especially when products are costly or may affect health. For generally healthy people, routine tests and supplements may offer little proven benefit, while marketing can encourage unnecessary spending and obscure the value of whole foods and enjoyable activity.
The case against
A thoughtful case for some wellness products is that people’s needs differ, and emerging tools or supplements may help particular individuals even when evidence for broad use is limited. Personal monitoring and private tests can offer useful information or a sense of agency, while products such as vitamin D may be appropriate for people with specific risks; careful, transparent use need not amount to rejecting conventional healthcare.
Americas Business Culture Entertainment Markets TV World
Read the full article at the source →
Originally published by The Guardian as “Make Me Well by Xand van Tulleken – an eye-opening takedown of wellness myths”.