“When you stop menstruating, your brain disconnects from your ovaries and says, ‘It’s over — I’m no longer sending this woman energy, bone density or anything else because her function is finished’,” Michael Mosley says sagely.
The Instagram video continues for a minute or two, as Mosley gesticulates emphatically to a crowd at a panel talk. “One of the best ways to feel better during menopause is to take a bit of ashwagandha,” he eventually advises, adding: “If the link is still in my profile, that means there are a few units left, don’t wait, this is the one thing I always tell women to act on now.”
However, Mosley died last year on a family holiday in Greece. And before his death he did not claim to be an expert on menopause, nor did he sell supplements or vitamins through his social media page.
An AI version of Gabor Mate, making claims about beetroot gummies
Rather than a message from beyond the grave, this video is instead an example of countless deepfake videos of well-known health experts, all selling supplements and vitamins on social media.
Alongside Mosley, The Times has also found hundreds of faked videos, including some impersonating figures such as Tim Spector, the founder of health brand Zoe; Gabor Mate, the Hungarian physician; and Deepak Chopra, an advocate of alternative medicine.
Many of the videos are initially taken from well-known podcasts such as On Purpose with Jay Shetty, or Diary of a CEO with Steven Bartlett, many with slightly warped podcast logos still visible.
Combined, more than 1.5 million people follow the accounts found by The Times, and each account posted hundreds of AI-generated videos.
‘More difficult to determine what is real’
The government has predicted that eight million faked videos will be shared on social media this year alone.
“AI slop”, as it has come to be known, is everywhere because it is exceptionally easy to create — with some simple videos taking minutes to create.
For those studying it, the speed of advancement is dizzying. Sam Stockwell, a researcher at the Turing Institute, said: “We are now measuring advancements in generative AI and deepfakes within the space of 12 or 18 days, whereas previously it used to be 12 or 18 months … It’s a few weeks rather than months or years where new models come out.
“Unfortunately, the trends are only showing that it’s probably just becoming even quicker and more difficult to determine what’s real and what’s fake.”
Tim Spector, the founder of Zoe, has also been used to create a deepfake video
These advancements are so rapid that, according to Stockwell, it will soon get “to the point where it’s almost impossible to tell on your feed whether content is AI-generated or not”.
According to research conducted by Ofcom, it is already prolific. Four in ten adults said that they had encountered misinformation or deepfake content in 2024 in the previous four weeks.
“Under the UK’s Online Safety Act, tech firms must now take action when they become aware of illegal content or activity on their platform — including fraud,” an Ofcom spokesman said.
“Ofcom’s job is to make sure sites and apps have appropriate systems and processes in place to comply with this duty, rather than tell providers which posts or accounts to take down. We’re closely scrutinising companies’ compliance with their duties, and have already launched investigations into several platforms.”
A government spokesman said: “Deceptive online ads promising quick-fix health benefits are tricking people into spending money on products that don’t work or may not even exist. Social media companies must take greater responsibility for stopping these bogus products from being promoted or sold on their platforms, and people should always use trusted sources like the NHS website or speak to their GP for reliable health advice.
“Under the Online Safety Act, social media platforms must proactively tackle illegal fraudulent content, including fraud by false representation and scam ads, which is shared or generated by users on social media — or face enforcement action.”
A Meta spokesman said: “Our community standards apply to all content posted on our platforms regardless of whether it is AI generated or not. We will review the content shared with us by The Times and take action against any that break these rules.”
The content also often targets specific demographics, using highly radicalised or misogynistic language to lure in social media users. One, selling moringa powder, advises that “you deserve to be cheated on for not taking moringa every day” and another recommends that a dose of a herbal supplement can “improve smell down there”.
This, according to Stockwell, is a common trope of misinformation. “An organisation called Sensity AI found in 2019 that 96 per cent of deepfakes were non-consensual, sexual in nature and targeted women … I wouldn’t be surprised if similar misogynistic patterns show up in the healthcare space.”
Why supplements?
More than a million people follow these accounts, despite the clear warning signs that the content might be faked. Deepfakes are often political or sexual in nature. There are clear motivations behind the posts — but why do these wellness-related videos have such wide appeal?
“We live in a world where every ill should have a pill,” Aisling Pigott, a registered dietitian and British Dietetic Association spokesperson, said. “People want a quick fix — and unfortunately, when it comes to health, it’s much more nuanced than that.
“The messages we get from mainstream sources are pretty boring — eat fruit and vegetables every day, move your body, get enough protein. It’s dull compared to ‘take this magic supplement and you’ll look five years younger.’”
The wellness industry is also fertile ground for those wanting to make quick money. Supplements, in Britain, can be regulated both in the same category as food, and by the Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Agency (MHRA) if they make medical claims. Where fraud is suspected, the police could also step in — but the varying legislation and rules often mean that those selling supplements can slip through the cracks.
More than ever, there are vast sums of money to be made in the wellness space. Since the pandemic, the industry has boomed — the wider nutritional supplements industry is now projected to reach $414 billion by 2033, according to Grand View Research.
The wellness industry is often the target for deepfake videos. Deepak Chopra’s image has been used here
Many of the companies found have been accused of being “scams” on TrustPilot, by consumers who have bought their products.
For one company selling moringa, a popular supplement termed as a “superfood”, multiple reviews cited concerns that the company was a “scam”. One customer had to cancel a credit card to prevent payments from being taken.
A customer wrote: “I have tried many times to get this company to cancel a subscription I placed after watching a doctor recommend their moringa product.
“[The company] used AI to modify the doctor’s presentation to recommend their moringa. When asked about it later, the doctor said she had never heard of moringa.”
• I fooled my mother with an AI deepfake video selling superfood
Lynda Scammell, the head of borderline products at MHRA, said: “In the UK, most food supplements are regulated under food law. If a product offered as a food supplement contains medicinal ingredients or makes medicinal claims to treat or prevent disease, it will be considered a medicine and regulated under medicines law.
“Products considered to be medicines must hold the relevant MHRA authorisations to be sold to the UK public. We are concerned about some of the claims being made by supplements highlighted to us by the Times and will investigate.”
What kind of claims are the deepfakes making?
Among the videos analysed, some of the claims included were:
• Beetroot gummies reduce inflammation by 60 per cent more than turmeric and ginger combined, strengthen the heart, lower the risk of heart disease and can prevent brain aneurysms
• Moringa can balance cortisol and boost “fat metabolism”. It also strengthens the immune system, protects against illness and inflammation and “supports a healthy heart”. One dose of moringa contains 30 times more nutrients than daily fruit or vegetable intake
• Ashwagandha, a herb, can help women alleviate symptoms during menopause
• Dandelion tea, described as “nature’s Ozempic”, can be used as a weight-loss supplement
In cases where a supplement is indeed sent out, as promised, it is unlikely that it will be able to achieve all of these effects.
Pigott explained: “There is some research on beetroot and cardiovascular health — daily consumption can lower blood pressure and reduce cardiovascular risk — but there’s no direct link to aneurysms. Claims like that are misleading.
“It’s hard to tell if there’s enough active ingredient in these products to make any difference. Eating beetroot with your lunch every day would probably be more effective than taking a gummy.”