TikTok health trends are doing more harm than good

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — On the TikTok social media platform, you can find just about anything. When it comes to your health, there are more and more so-called “nutrition trends” than ever before.

The thing is, according to experts, if not backed by a real doctor, you could be putting your health at risk.

Whether it’s putting garlic clove after garlic clove up your nose, drinking cup after cup of chlorophyll, or dipping cucumber in sugar; all three are now trending on TikTok.

The creators of the videos are most likely medically trained, but that doesn’t stop countless people from trying it out firsthand to see if it works.

“Hahaha. I’ve never heard that one that sounds ridiculous,” Corpus Christi’s Kristen Henricks told us when we showed her some of the videos.

Hendricks, her husband and their young daughter were out on the Bayfront getting some fresh air and exercising without any mobile device in hand.

Nearby, we met Batriz Trevino, a Miller High School student who uses TikTok.

When we asked her if she would participate in any of these trends, she replied, “I’ve heard of garlic and I like cucumber, so probably cucumber.”

After that, we showed some of the videos to Chantel Togarepi, a student at Texas A&M – Corpus Christi.

“Actually, yes,” Chantel said when we asked her if she would put garlic in her nose. We followed up by asking her if she would because it’s on Tiktok. “No,” Chantel continued, “because it’s getting all the bacteria that’s in her nose (area.)”

Where is it?

“If you see these videos as information rather than entertainment, it can really harm your health,” Jonathan Bailor told us. .

Bailor has also just released a documentary, Better, working hand in hand with top doctors at Harvard Medical School.

“15-second videos on TikTok aren’t the key to really anything in life,” Bailor told us.

“It’s very simple,” he says. “TikTok is not a reliable source of information.”

“It (the documentary Better) really explores a new way of eating, thinking and living that allows you to live better and be better in the long run rather than sticking garlic cloves up your nose,” said Bailor said. “The reason it seems so confusing is that Dr. Tiktok and Dr. Facebook are presenting the entertainment as if it’s medical information and it’s not.”

Bailor also pointed out that nutrition and biology are science, and that’s why he says you should turn to the experts, and chances are they aren’t on TikTok.

So what can you do instead of following videos on TikTok?

“If you’re literally trying to eat a little more veg this week than last week or a little more veg for your kids this week than last week out of 52 weeks,” Bailor says, “if you keep doing just week after week by January 2023, you will be amazed at how much better you feel and how much better you look.

We broke it for Chantel Togarepi who then changed her mind. We asked him what his message would be to others.

“Don’t listen to TikTok, but watch what they do on medical websites,” Togarepi said.

As for Hendricks and his family, his advice is, “one, use common sense. Two, do some research. Third, ask your doctor if you’re really unsure.”

It’s your doctor, not Dr. TikTok.

When it comes to your health, medical experts remind you that if you want to lose weight, clear your sinuses, have more energy, or even boost your immune system, see your doctor.

If you are interested in Bailor’s documentary, just go to Bettermovie.com

PA

FILE – In this February 25, 2020 photo, the TikTok icon is taken in New York. (AP Photo)

Maria J. Book