Wellness Influencers: The Rise of Health Misinformation in Social Media

The struggle to find reliable health information has never been more challenging. At age 18, I graduated from my lifelong pediatrician and entered the bewildering world of adult health care. Since then, finding a consistent primary care doctor has been nearly impossible – dealing with insurance limitations, endless phone calls, and the frustrating game of musical chairs with new physicians each year.

This fragmented medical experience stands in stark contrast to the seamless world of wellness influencers who populate our social media feeds. With polished videos promising longevity, glowing skin, and peak fitness through simple supplements or lifestyle changes, they offer what the traditional healthcare system often can’t: immediate answers and seemingly easy solutions.

It’s no surprise many Americans turn to these alternatives. According to a 2023 study by the National Association of Community Health Centers and American Academy of Family Physicians, over 100 million Americans – about one-third of the population – face significant barriers to accessing primary care. This number has nearly doubled since 2014.

Dr. Mike Varshavski, known to his 29 million social media followers as “Doctor Mike,” points to several factors contributing to this crisis: family medicine practices closing or being bought out, reduced insurance reimbursement rates, overwhelming administrative burdens, and the reality that family medicine remains one of the lowest-paying medical specialties.

The access problem is even more severe for women and communities of color, particularly Black women, who experience higher rates of medical gaslighting – making them understandably hesitant to trust medical professionals.

“Survey data indicates that trust in institutionalized expertise has been in decline in the US since the 1950s,” explains Stephanie Alice Baker, associate professor of sociology at City St George’s, University of London. “Throughout the late 20th century, a series of scandals involving the pharmaceutical and food industries has sown distrust about the financial and political motives of scientific and medical institutions.”

The COVID-19 pandemic further damaged this relationship. According to the Pew Research Center, confidence in scientists acting in the public’s best interests dropped by 14% between April 2020 and fall 2023.

Into this vacuum of trust and access have stepped wellness influencers – millions of them across platforms like TikTok, YouTube, Facebook and Instagram. They promote every aspect of wellness, a multi-trillion-dollar industry encompassing mental health, nutrition, fitness, alternative medicine, beauty and more.

However, these influencers represent a wide spectrum of expertise and motivations. Some are legitimate medical professionals with corporate sponsorships, while others have little or no medical training yet accept gifts or run advertisements for companies whose products they promote. Some may prioritize selling their own products over providing evidence-based wellness information.

“What wellness influencers do very well is make it seem like if you do X, you will be healthier,” says Jessica B. Steier, who holds a doctorate in public health and hosts the Unbiased Science podcast. “It makes people feel like they have a ton of control over their health, and that’s empowering.”

When misinformation spreads like a virus, the consequences can be severe. While overcoming obstacles to accessing a primary care doctor is frustrating, having a trusted medical expert is essential to avoid relying on uncredentialed influencers who may put your health at risk.

Brian Southwell, a distinguished fellow at RTI International and an adjunct professor at Duke University, defines misinformation as “information that asserts or implies claims that are inconsistent with the weight of accepted scientific evidence at the time.”

Several notorious cases illustrate the dangers. Belle Gibson, an Australian influencer whose story inspired a Netflix series, falsely claimed to have cured her terminal brain cancer through diet rather than conventional treatment. She earned half a million dollars in less than two years before her deception was exposed.

Similarly, fitness influencer Brian Johnson, known as “Liver King,” promoted raw organ consumption and ancestral living as the path to physical perfection – while secretly using performance-enhancing drugs. His supplement brand reportedly generated $100 million annually.

In more tragic cases, misinformation has led to preventable deaths. Twenty-three-year-old Paloma Shemirani died from a heart attack caused by an untreated tumor after rejecting chemotherapy in favor of alternative treatments promoted by her mother, an anti-vaccine influencer.

The wellness misinformation landscape has become even more complicated with Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s appointment as U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services. Despite having no medical background, RFK Jr. surrounds himself with wellness influencers promoting his “Make America Healthy Again” agenda.

Why do people trust these influencers? According to the 2023 Edelman Trust Barometer, people consider someone a legitimate health expert not only based on academic credentials but also personal experience with health issues. Among those who see a clinician regularly, 53% feel their doctor is “slightly or not qualified” to address all their health problems, including physical, mental, social and environmental concerns.

Wellness influencers also employ specific tactics to build trust. “The three A’s – the impression of authenticity, accessibility and autonomy – are central to how influencers establish trust and intimacy with their followers,” explains Baker. Unlike the traditional doctor-patient dynamic, influencers create parasocial relationships where followers feel personally connected despite never meeting.

“To create misinformation takes minutes. To debunk misinformation sometimes takes weeks,” says Andrew Pattison, team lead of digital channels at the WHO Department of Digital Health and Innovation. “To create good health content takes time, effort, knowledge and research.”

In response to these challenges, medical professionals are fighting back. The World Health Organization launched Fides, a network of over 1,200 healthcare professionals committed to combating misinformation with evidence-based content. Named after the Roman goddess of trust, the initiative provides members with health information, content resources, and technical training on using social media effectively.

Individual doctors are also joining the battle. Dr. Varshavski realized his patients were turning online for answers and decided to meet them there. “What was captivating was all the people trying to sell miracle products, snake oil-type products,” he says. “I realized that they’re great speakers, that they understood the platforms well. Titling, thumbnailing and being comedic, self-deprecating and entertaining needed to come first for the medical information to land.”

Social media companies have a responsibility too. YouTube Health, led by Dr. Garth Graham, verifies and labels content from licensed medical professionals. TikTok and Meta have policies against misleading content, though enforcement remains inconsistent.

The fight against health misinformation continues. The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine have established principles for identifying credible health sources on social media, and initiatives like the Scientist Network for Advancing Policy are mobilizing to connect scientists with communities.

As we navigate this complex landscape, critical thinking remains our best defense. Check credentials, look for sponsorship disclosures, consult multiple sources, and whenever possible, speak with a healthcare provider. Despite the challenges, the search for reliable health information is ultimately about our most basic human desires: a sense of control, the fear of mortality, and the universal will to live well.