#GutHealth TikTok is quietly recruiting women looking for help into MLM schemes

women gut health tiktok mlm schemes

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#GutHealth TikTok is quietly recruiting women looking for help into MLM schemes

By Fiona Ward

3 years ago

3 min read

What people are buying is never clear, but sometimes healing your gut can come at a cost.

Gut health is a particularly pervasive and wide-reaching topic on TikTok. At the time of writing, the term has racked up over 2.2 billion views on the platform. Each week seems to bring a new gut-based trend, whether that’s the viral chia seed ‘internal shower’ or gulping a daily shot of olive oil. These hacks are often accompanied by an enthusiastic assertion that they help to heal bloating, improve gut health and assuage digestive discomfort.

A growing trend, these TikTok videos show women before and after “healing their gut”, so to speak. Where before they were uncomfortable and often despondent looking, the after tends to show a new lease of life and happiness – and often a flat belly. Many have criticised the phenomenon of repackaging diet culture as wellness and, honestly, the prevalence of ‘ideal’ (read: slim) stomachs is hard to ignore.

Look a little closer at social media, and you’ll notice a lot of these attention-grabbing videos are being used as a way to sell the ‘secret’ to better gut health – often through the comment sections. 

One video, showing clips of a distended stomach transforming into a slimmer one, is captioned: “When you start to focus on your gut health and amazing things happen! Comment ‘bloat’ to find out more.” The video received over 900 responses from people asking for help.

Another video creator, responding to a follower asking for her secret to better gut health, hints at her journey to freedom from bloating and stomach pain before urging viewers to join her support group and 30-day plan to, once again, “find out more”.

Hundreds of commenters asked to sign up – but a few revealed that the programme being sold involved purchasing nutritional products for many hundreds of dollars. “$606!? For the products?” one writes. Another adds: “You shouldn’t be promoting gut health cures with super expensive MLM [multi-level marketing] products.” Again, what people are buying is never clear, but healing your gut in this way will come at a cost. 

[TikTok’s policy against fraud and scams and community guidelines state that it does not allow content that depicts or promotes Ponzi, multi-level marketing or pyramid schemes, or any content that includes medical misinformation.] 

What people are buying is never clear, just that healing your gut comes at a cost     

This proliferating interest in gut health isn’t surprising. A 2021 study that spanned 33 countries, including the UK, found that more than 40% of respondents reported a gastrointestinal disorder such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or constipation. In the UK, digestive conditions receive less than 2% of medical research funding each year according to gut, liver, intestinal and bowel research charity Guts UK.

Stylist spoke to Sophie*, who bought some nutritional products from a seller after being promised they would be beneficial to her energy levels and gut health. Before long, she had been added to an extensive WhatsApp group with hundreds of people in it, and was being encouraged to join the company and start selling herself.

“I was doing it really reluctantly, but I felt manipulated and like I had to do it, so I signed up as a consultant,” she says. “I was harassed with messages and Zoom calls. Because I have a bit of a following on social media, she would try to get me to post about the products when I didn’t want to. Luckily, I stopped it all pretty quickly when I realised what was happening.”

Sales tactics aside, the credentials of the people making these videos and touting the products can be controversial. Many who sell the supplements and diet plans describe themselves as ‘nutritional advisors’ or similar, with little information about qualifications. Worryingly, plenty of people reaching out to them for help reference health conditions such as IBS, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis and eating disorders – all of which require expert and professional help.


Often part of a multi-level marketing system (also referred to as network marketing), these ‘consultants’ are tasked with selling products and recruiting new team members (who themselves will be asked to recruit others), but not with providing official advice on digestive disorders or addressing gut health.

Incentivised via a system through which team members earn a cut of any revenue generated by the people they’ve recruited, there are countless stories of vulnerable people losing significant sums of money through the schemes – certainly not achieving the dizzying ‘business opportunities’ they are sold.     

Grace*, a former MLM cosmetics seller, tells Stylist: “To get involved and get selling, you would need to order all of the products yourself, including samples, catalogues and marketing materials. This was quite costly, with a sign-up fee on top.

“The recruitment side was built into it; if you got someone to join then you take a cut of their sales too. You were then acting as their ‘mentor’ and it was your responsibility to coach them.

“In order to progress, you would need a certain number of points based on your orders, but that would restart each month. People would ‘qualify’ one month and then just miss it the next month. I felt the pressure to place my own order if I didn’t need anything, just to qualify for the next level. I stopped because I found I was having to buy a lot. I just couldn’t see how I’d be able to make money from it for a very long time.”

In the UK, the average annual income of an independent consultant working in one well-known system amounts to just £101 – a figure that doesn’t take into account business expenses.

Stylist reached out to several independent consultants on TikTok to find out more. The support offered with these programmes varies from just accessing the products to one-to-one ‘coaching’ alongside, which can cost anywhere between £190 and £445. When asked about their qualifications, most didn’t reply, though one assured me that they were a nutritional advisor, having qualified with a diploma that says as much. A quick internet search confirms that anyone can achieve this certification online – the seller did not divulge where exactly they studied.

Rhiannon Lambert, a registered nutritionist and author of The Science Of Nutrition, warns against these quick social-media-centric fixes: “We have seen an increase in the number of clients in my clinic who turn to us for help because of the enormity of misinformation and pseudoscience found online, particularly relating to gut health.”

As for nutritional supplements – like those promoted on TikTok – though there’s plenty of research to suggest that some can be beneficial, they’re not a recommended starting point when it comes to ‘healing’ the gut.

“Supplementation can have its place in gut health and there is some interesting research available; however, this should never be your first line option. You may end up spending a lot of money without addressing the problem,” says Rebecca Traylen, head of nutrition at supplement distribution company Forever Young International.

What’s more, it can be tricky to find out what’s inside some of these products, since the ingredients lists are discreetly hidden away online – one site lists its ingredients via a discreet PDF link in a drop-down list underneath the product, rather than under the usual ingredients panel.

As Lambert says: “Our bodies are all unique, particularly when it comes to our gut and gut microbiome. Often, for gut-related disorders, individualised and bespoke support is needed.”

Such candid conversations around gut health can be seen as a positive thing. Once, topics about digestive disorders or distress would have been considered taboo. However, fact-checking is essential when it comes to consuming content about complex health conditions.

One of the most well-known nutritional programmes sold on TikTok includes a probiotic powder, a protein powder, a caffeine-alternative energy drink and a herbal tea. These products may be beneficial in some instances (some more than others), but for those suffering from painful gut issues, they can exacerbate the problem.

The British Dietetic Association advises caution with probiotic use, especially if you have digestive issues, and suggests you consult a dietitian about which strain and bacteria will best help your symptoms. As for protein powders, Traylen tells Stylist that too much protein and not enough fibre could cause further gut issues.

“Always look at who is sharing the information,” says Lambert. “Do they share credible evidence-based research and advice? Do they have the right qualifications?

“Those who follow evidence-based practices are often happy to share their resources and qualifications and will only offer bespoke advice on a one-to-one basis when the practitioner can understand more about their history.”

Look out for nutritionists who are registered with the government-approved Association for Nutrition and undergo rigorous criteria and testing.

“If you experience gut-related symptoms, or would like further nutritional support in general, it’s always best to seek support from a healthcare professional such as a specialist dietitian, nutritionist or your GP, as they will be able to offer evidence-based advice on how to help manage your symptoms,” says Lambert.

TikTok can be a great learning space for sharing and exploring, but when it comes to medical advice, it’s best to stick to expert guidance. Gut health is a complex issue, and if someone’s selling you an expensive nutritional programme as a solution, chances are that’s not what it is.


*Names have been changed.

A note: Bloating, something of a buzzword in the #GutHealth world on TikTok, is a common concern for people online and off. Though bloating is often normal, particularly after a big meal, if it’s painful or happening regularly, your first priority should be to book an appointment with your GP. This will help to rule out conditions such as IBS or SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth).

Main image: Getty

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