Facebook has ads for dangerous supplements: Consumer Reports

When you're on social media you're often inundated with various ads for everything from clothing, to food to booking a holiday.

You'll also see many ads for health supplements that make incredible claims, such as losing weight, improving memory, and curing diseases.

An investigation by Consumer Reports found many supplements advertised on Facebook could actually be harmful to you.

“We found ads and posts that promoted the use of some supplements that are dangerous or even illegal. For example, we found a series of posts from a verified Facebook page that promoted the use of comfrey, which is a dangerous supplement,” said Kaveh Waddell, an investigative reporter at Consumer Reports.

Waddell also found a disturbing trend that some of the supplement ads targeted specific groups of people.

“We found some ads that targeted people who Facebook thought were interested in diabetes awareness and Facebook was allowing marketers to put ads in front of those people that marketed things like a reverse diabetes kit. Now medical experts say that supplements, in general, can’t cure or reverse diabetes,” said Waddell.

New Life USA took down that product listing, and its CEO told Consumer Reports he thinks people with diabetes should continue to work with their doctors. But he also said they should “wean” themselves off medication.

Waddell also found dangerous supplements being sold on Facebook Marketplace, where users can buy and sell new and used items. One listing Waddell found includes “kratom,” which the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration lists as a “drug of concern.”

Facebook said the kratom listing violated the platform’s rules, and soon after, most of the kratom listings disappeared. But, even if these ads for dangerous supplements are taken down, they may pop up elsewhere and you should be cautious before trying them.

"Consumers want to be very careful around these types of supplements," said Waddell. “These supplements might end up on the shelves, they might not be going through a (proper medical assessment) filter beforehand.”

The bottom line? You should check with your doctor before trying any new supplements and do your own research before believing ads you see on social media.