"The at-home DIY health industry is booming. The global wellness product market was valued at $5.6 trillion in 2022 and is expected to grow to over $7 trillion by 2025. This includes dietary supplements, nutrition products, fitness equipment, health and wellness apps, and even unapproved consumer health tests.
"This market has exploded because of many factors, such as increased attention on overall health and well-being, lack of regulation on wellness products, aggressive marketing efforts by companies including paid promotion by celebrities and online influencers, and a coordinated effort to erode trust in evidence-based medicine.
"The immune system is a frequent target; everywhere you turn, there is a product advertising to “boost” your immune system, support immune health, diagnose foods you’re “sensitive” to, and more. Many legitimate scientific terms are co-opted by influencers in the wellness world to sell people on medical issues and products that are not based in reality, which only adds to the confusion among the public. Of course, the appeal is obvious: the immune system is the most complex organ system in the body and is involved in nearly every physiological process from infectious diseases, cancer, autoimmunity, allergies, and even things such as obesity and menstrual cycles. If you could control your immune system, you could truly hack your health.
"If only it were that simple. The reality is there is no evidence that these products are doing what they promise to do. Aside from the fact that these products are a waste of money, many can be seriously harmful. Supplements can be adulterated and contaminated, health tests can cause people to make serious changes to their lifestyle and habits, leading to malnutrition, disordered eating, and worse.
"There has also been an increased demand for at-home allergy testing. Before we get into it, I want to say unequivocally that at-home allergy tests should never be used for diagnosis. They are not FDA-approved or validated for use. Their methods and results are not accurate and trusting them can lead to harmful consequences."
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