Promoting Supplements Through Misleading Claims About “Micronutrient Depletion” and Birth Control
Summary
This video, produced by a supplement company, leverages concerns about “micronutrient depletion” related to birth control to market an unregulated supplement that claims to bring teens “back to balance.” The influencer promotes several inaccurate assertions about B vitamins, magnesium levels, and gut health, and encourages any young woman who is considering birth control, currently using it, or has previously used it to purchase the supplement, which costs $44 per month. While framing the product as “birth control’s best friend,” this marketing strategy reinforces the misconception that birth control broadly depletes micronutrients and reflects a wider trend of using fear-based messaging to promote unproven health products.