Under the Influence

As children, many of us heard the same advice: Choose your friends wisely. The people we spend time with shape how we think, what we believe, and the choices we make. Parents also paid attention to the books we read, the shows we watched, and warned us about the influence of alcohol, drugs, and peer pressure.

Growing up doesn’t make us immune to influence. It simply changes who — or what — is doing the influencing.

Today, advertisers, algorithms, celebrities, and social media all compete for our attention. Increasingly, people turn to TikTok, YouTube, podcasts, and Instagram — not their physician — for health advice.

Some influencers provide thoughtful, evidence-based information. Others promote theories, treatments, and products with little scientific support. The challenge isn’t avoiding influencers — it’s knowing who to trust.

Promises, Promises
The latest wellness trend is peptides — short chains of amino acids touted as breakthroughs for everything from muscle recovery and weight loss to anti-aging and brain health.

Peptides received a significant boost this week after an FDA advisory panel recommended easing restrictions on several controversial compounds, including BPC-157, TB-500, and MOTS-c. Long sold online “for research use only,” these compounds have occupied a regulatory gray area while being widely promoted for personal use.

To biohacking enthusiasts, the decision marked a victory for personalized medicine. To many scientists, it echoed a familiar pattern: promising compounds generate excitement, influencers amplify the hype, and public enthusiasm outpaces the science.

That doesn’t mean these therapies won’t ultimately prove beneficial. It simply means they deserve the same rigorous scientific evaluation as any other medical treatment.

Viral Claims, Real Consequences
The impact of influencers becomes even more serious when influencers shape decisions about proven medical interventions — not just the latest wellness trend.

This week, the United States reached a troubling milestone — the highest number of measles cases in 35 years. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 2,300 confirmed cases have already been reported in 2026, surpassing last year’s total in just seven months. Even more alarming, the nation has recorded more measles cases over the past 18 months than during the previous 25 years combined.

Public health experts point to declining vaccination rates as a major reason. Access to healthcare and vaccine availability certainly matter, but so does misinformation.

A single viral video questioning vaccine safety can reach millions before public health officials have a chance to respond. Repeat a misleading message often enough, and it begins to feel like accepted truth.

The result is more than confusion — it has real-world consequences for individuals, families, and entire communities.

It’s a Matter of Trust
Doctors and influencers both build trust — but in very different ways.

Physicians earn credibility through years of education, clinical experience, peer-reviewed research, and scientific consensus. Their recommendations evolve as new evidence emerges.

Influencers often rely on compelling personal stories, confident delivery, and scientific-sounding language that can make unproven claims seem credible. Add affiliate links, discount codes, and product endorsements, and the line between education and marketing quickly blurs.

Perhaps their greatest advantage is familiarity. Millions spend hours listening to the same podcasters or watching the same social media personalities, creating what psychologists call a parasocial relationship — a one-sided bond that makes influencers feel like trusted friends, even though they’ve never met.

Choose Wisely
Every generation has had its influencers. They once lived next door, wrote bestselling books, or appeared on television. Today they livestream, podcast, and post videos that reach millions. The technology has changed. Human nature hasn’t.

There’s nothing wrong with exploring new health ideas — but promising claims deserve careful scrutiny. Before embracing the next “miracle” treatment, ask: Who is making the claim? What evidence supports it? Has it been tested in well-designed clinical trials? Is someone profiting from the recommendation?

When it comes to your health, don’t confuse followers with facts. Influencers shape opinions. Science shapes evidence. Knowing the difference may be one of the healthiest decisions you can make.

Happy reading,
Suzanne Daniels, Ph.D.