Doctors point out the trick of 'exaggerated' advertising of functional foods that still sell well

Many sellers advertise functional foods as a convenient, safe solution to supplement nutrients without having to eat vegetables or meat; they are used regularly by busy Japanese and Korean people.

According to Dr. Nguyen Huy Hoang, Vietnam - Russia High Pressure Oxygen Center (Ministry of Defense, Hanoi), being "lazy" to chew and abusing fiber and protein pills is "more harmful than beneficial".

Supplements such as whey protein, fiber tablets, vitamin pills... can be helpful in some cases, but cannot replace natural foods.

Functional foods with easy absorption and convenient use can be useful for busy people or people with poor absorption, the elderly, athletes... However, when abused, it can cause many consequences such as:

- Lack of important micronutrients: Green vegetables, meat and fish not only provide protein or fiber but also many essential micronutrients such as vitamins and minerals.

- Bad effects on the digestive system: Dietary fiber helps the digestive system work better than synthetic fiber. Natural foods are always more beneficial because they provide diverse, natural and balanced nutrients.

According to Dr. Pham Viet Hoang - former Deputy Director of Tue Tinh Hospital (Hanoi), social networks with outstanding advantages, reaching consumers quickly and effectively, are the priority choice of many businesses. Therefore, advertising on this space accounts for a very large proportion.

A few years ago, people were attracted by advertisements "my family has been around for three generations..." but now they "run" after KOLs and KOCs and believe that the products are good. Celebrities can easily sell products if they are trusted by the community.

On the other hand, people have the mentality that supplements “if not horizontal, then vertical”, “supplements should be good, not dangerous”. Therefore, many people are willing to buy a lot without knowing that functional foods are also harmful to health if overdosed or used incorrectly.

Doctor Nguyen Huy Hoang stated that in reality, people easily believe in advertisements due to many psychological and social factors. Everyone wants good health through quick and simple methods. Promises such as “get healthy in 7 days”, “immediate pain relief” appeal to that psychology.

Many establishments hire celebrities or pretend to be experts or doctors to gain trust. Some people think that if celebrities use the product, it must be safe and effective. They do not have enough knowledge to distinguish between scientific information and tricks to attract customers. They easily believe in “experts” and “testimonials” in advertisements without verifying the source of information.

In addition, according to Dr. Nguyen Huy Hoang, "exaggerated" advertisements also stand firm thanks to the crowd effect. When we see a large number of people using a product (through advertising, fake reviews), we tend to believe it. The mentality of "everyone uses it, it must be good" reduces doubts about the product.

Some sophisticated advertisements appeal to emotions when the seller not only offers the product but also tells a story, creating a sense of urgency, urging consumers to buy the product immediately so as not to miss the opportunity to buy a good product at a cheap price.