Medical Experts Warn Against Social Media Nutrition Misinformation

Social media influencers promoting extreme diets like the carnivore diet—which encourages unlimited consumption of beef, butter, and bacon—are spreading dangerous dietary misinformation, according to medical professionals.

Dr. Gary McGowan, a physician at Cork University Hospital with a master’s degree in preventative cardiology, has raised serious concerns about this trend. With 55,000 Instagram followers, Dr. McGowan actively works to counter misleading nutritional claims circulating on social media platforms.

“It’s all part of the manosphere political movement and Make America Healthy Again that sees red meat as masculine,” said Dr. McGowan. “This carnivore diet can dramatically increase LDL cholesterol to three to five times the normal range for a healthy adult. It goes against over 50 years of research on the links between saturated fat and heart disease.”

The medical expert also highlighted concerns about the marketing of electrolyte drinks to the general population. These products, which can contain three times the recommended daily intake of salt, are being promoted for everyday consumption despite being designed for specific groups.

“It’s about convincing people they need more salt, but more salt will lead to an increase in high blood pressure in a population which already has high rates,” Dr. McGowan explained. “Electrolyte drinks are marketed at people to stay hydrated and boost their cognition, but they are only for certain groups such as endurance athletes or those working outdoors in hot countries.”

At a Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) event in Dublin last Thursday, Dr. McGowan discussed strategies to counter nutritional misinformation. He emphasized the importance of clarifying a person’s viewpoint using their own words and responding clearly to one point at a time.

“Debate is not just about knowledge, it’s about how you approach the argument,” he noted. Dr. McGowan added that the public can easily be misled by social media influencers giving nutritional advice because “the untrained eye doesn’t know how to interpret nutritional evidence.”

This problem is compounded by artificial intelligence, as Dr. McGowan pointed out. “If you ask AI to give you a summary of why saturated fat does not increase the risk of heart disease or why saturated fat does increase the risk of heart disease, you won’t be able to tell which is correct.”

Greg Dempsey, CEO of the FSAI, acknowledged the challenges faced by health authorities in the digital age. “Digital media shapes opinion long before the experts can reach them,” he said. “We are challenged by other actors who don’t have the same rigour, transparency and objective to protect public health.”

The consequences of this misinformation are significant, according to Dempsey, leading to “unnecessary fear and confusion, unsafe food practices, viral food consumption challenges and the promotion of restrictive diets.”

The problem extends beyond nutrition into the broader information landscape. Journalist and entrepreneur Mark Little, who also spoke at the event, noted that approximately 50 percent of internet content is now generated by artificial intelligence, further complicating the fight against misinformation.

“Misinformation makes [some] people feel powerful. It is this secret knowledge that we have undervalued,” Little said. He suggested that “pre-bunking”—proactively seeding accurate information into social media channels—is one of the most effective strategies for countering disinformation.

The growing influence of social media “fit-fluencers” and dietary gurus represents a significant public health challenge, as they often lack medical credentials but command large audiences seeking health advice. Health authorities continue to grapple with effective strategies to ensure evidence-based nutritional information reaches the public amid the noise of viral content and influencer marketing.