Advertisements encompass just about every moment of modern-day life. Whether you are passing by a billboard as you drive down the highway or scrolling through your favorite website, it’s almost impossible to go a day without spotting an ad. While advertisements are often considered annoying, they aren’t typically thought of as dangerous.
However, with the rising prominence of social media, dialogue about celebrity-endorsed advertisements and their possible harmful effects has surfaced. A notable member of this discussion is Jameela Jamil, an actress who has criticized Kim Kardashian for endorsing FlatTummyCo’s appetite suppressant lollipops.
In a series of inflammatory tweets, Jamil wrote, “You terrible and toxic influence on young girls … maybe don’t take appetite suppressants and eat enough to fuel your brain.” She argued that celebrity endorsement of such products is a major factor in body-image and eating disorder issues in young, impressionable youth.
But what exactly is their effect on young people?
Sophomore Emily Kiefer believes such posts may cause one to develop a negative body-image.
“It might make [people], especially people who are very self-conscious … want to try these things because they think they would work,” Kiefer said. “But … I don’t think most of these things really work.”
Similarly, most doctors would not recommend these sorts of dietary supplements to their patients. For example, the main ingredient in Kim Kardashian’s appetite suppressant lollipops is satiereal, which is derived from saffron. According to a 2016 study published in the Journal of Integrative Medicine, subjects taking saffron supplements showed a reduction in “excessive snacking behavior”, but there is no conclusive evidence showing that the spice causes weight loss. Furthermore, the first two ingredients in the lollipops are cane sugar and brown rice syrup, so even if they are effective appetite suppressants, they would give no essential nutritional value; ironically, the sugar intake could lead to weight gain.
Like the satiereal in Kim Kardashian’s appetite suppressant lollipops, most ingredients used in dietary supplements have limited to no scientific evidence backing up their efficacy. Furthermore, some of these ingredients may actually have dangerous effects. For example, yohimbe, a popular ingredient used in weight loss pills and supplements, has been shown to cause hypertension, headaches, anxiety, cardiac failure and agitation in high doses.
While the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates dietary supplements, they are not classified as drugs. This means dietary supplements, unlike pharmaceutical drugs, do not require premarket review — the process of FDA research and regulation done before a product is approved and allowed to be sold. Instead, it is up to the supplement manufacturers to determine the safety and efficacy of their products. Dosage information on packaging has also been found to be extremely unreliable.
“I can see that they’re more looking towards how much money they can get and not actually trying to sell good products”
Nevertheless, the dietary supplement industry is booming, worth $133.1 billion globally.
For these reasons and more, freshman Amber Yeh does not trust dietary supplement, nor the celebrities who promote them.
“The celebrities are getting money from these endorsements, and [the supplements] may not be as good as they have said it is,” Yeh said. “Most of the time with sponsorships, I can see that they’re more looking towards how much money they can get and not actually trying to sell good products.”
However, endorsements serve as sources of income for many online influencers. Despite Jamil’s bashing of Kim Kardashian, she also complimented the Kardashian family on their business strategy.
“I admire their mother’s branding capabilities,” Jamil said. “She is an exploitative but innovative genius.”
Additionally, junior Anastasia Yang does not immediately reject the possible efficacy of dietary supplements.
“It depends on the celebrity,” Yang said. “Some celebrities might have better background in medical or health related subjects.”
Health teacher Justin Cottrell suggests teenagers be careful if considering dietary supplements, especially non-medical supplements like teas and gummies frequently promoted online.
“The first thing I would do is talk to a medical professional, like a doctor,” Cottrell said. “If you don’t have access right away, I would talk to somebody reliable … contact them through email or ask them directly, ‘Is this something that would be [the] right product for me?’”
Of course, it is impossible to completely avoid advertisements promoting dietary supplements; the average American sees 5,000 advertisements daily. But while people can’t control whether or not they see these ads, they chose not to let these ads control them.
