Two thirds of social media posts in which health and wellness influencers mention supplements or non-prescription medicines carry a commercial appeal, according to a Pew Research Center analysis published on 7 October 2026. Pew examined the audio, video and captions of 535,512 Instagram, TikTok and YouTube posts from 6,334 influencers, published between 1 February and 30 April 2026. Across the whole sample, Pew found that "Some 38% of the posts we looked at contain a brand sponsorship or other appeal to use a product or service". Promotion was concentrated in particular subjects, and the report lists "Non-prescription medications and supplements (66%)" among the topics where those appeals are most common. Pew also reported that 11% of posts warn about a direct health harm, and that 9% refer to an outside source while making a health claim.
Who is posting, and what they cite
A companion Pew analysis published the same day broke the sample down by the background influencers claim in their own bios. Researchers cited an outside source in 30% of posts, the highest rate of any group. Conventional medical professionals warned of a specific health harm in 20% of posts, and complementary and alternative health practitioners in 22%, while influencers with no listed credentials, coaches and athletes did so in 7% of posts or fewer. Pew noted that 16% of the influencers in the sample describe no particular background or expertise at all. The analysis covers three months of posts, and Pew cautions that posts can cover several topics at once, so the shares overlap. Pew is a US research centre and its earlier audience research covered Americans; this report does not state where the influencers themselves are based.
What this means for your supplement routine
The same Instagram, TikTok and YouTube feeds reach UK users, and Pew's figures say nothing about how UK influencers behave. The CAP Code does apply here. A post that promotes a product in space the advertiser or a paid partner controls falls under it, and the code requires under rule 2.1 that marketing communications “must be obviously identifiable as such”, and under section 12 that objective claims be backed by evidence. Separately, only the nutrition and health claims authorised on the GB Nutrition and Health Claims Register may be used about a nutrient, in the authorised wording and at the register's conditions of use. That register applies in Great Britain; Northern Ireland follows the EU register, so permitted wording can differ.
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This article reports published news and research and is for information only. Food supplements are not a substitute for a varied diet or medical care, and no product mentioned is intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Speak to your GP or pharmacist before changing what you take, especially if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or taking prescribed medicines.
Sources
- Pew Research Center: What do health and wellness influencers post about? (7 October 2026)
- Pew Research Center: Which health and wellness influencers talk about medical topics? Mostly healthcare professionals (7 October 2026)
- CAP Code Section 2: Recognition of marketing communications (rule 2.1)
- CAP Code Section 12: Medicines, medical devices, health-related products and beauty products