Longevity content on social media contains high levels of misinformation

A study conducted by the Spanish Society of Anti-Aging and Longevity Medicine (SEMAL) and the Salud sin Bulos Institute has found that approximately 31% of social media content regarding longevity and aging on platforms such as YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok lacks sufficient scientific evidence. These contents often involve exaggerated claims or oversimplified complex biological processes.

Dr. Manuel J. Castillo, president of SEMAL’s scientific committee, noted that many individuals posing as experts make unsubstantiated claims, such as the possibility of reversing aging, which no intervention has yet demonstrated. The research highlights that older populations, who are often most concerned with health, are particularly vulnerable to such misinformation.

According to Carlos Mateos, coordinator of the Salud sin Bulos Institute, much of this disinformation stems from distorting real facts for economic gain. One major category identified includes claims that promise to halt or reverse aging, with 45% of the analyzed insufficient content making such promises.