These False Remedies That Can Kill You
Title: These False Remedies That Can Kill You
Content: TikTok, WhatsApp, Facebook: The Factory of Medical Misinformation
Extreme fasting, miracle cures, "natural" products, makeshift diagnoses on Google… In Mauritius, medical misinformation is on the rise. In light of World Health Day, observed on April 7, we take a look at a phenomenon that, behind its promises of easy healing, can cost lives.
It only takes a voice message on WhatsApp, a TikTok video, or a Facebook post for a medical advice—true or false—to spread within hours. In Mauritius, as in many countries, the line between serious health information and dangerous misinformation has become blurred by the continuous flow of online content that is no longer properly filtered.
"Like in many countries, social media has made medical information more accessible. But unfortunately, there is no control over the content being shared," notes Dr. Mehjabeen Beebeejaun, an endocrinologist, diabetologist, and internal medicine specialist whose 21 years of experience have allowed her to observe a profound transformation in patient behavior over the years.
She identifies the most affected areas by misinformation without hesitation: diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, and cancer management. In fact, it is not the rare or unknown conditions that attract the most false information, but rather the most common diseases that draw the highest number of viral pseudo-treatments, precisely because they affect millions of people, including in Mauritius where type 2 diabetes is one of the major public health issues.
The remedies that circulate the most often? Herbal products or Ayurvedic preparations claimed to be able to "cure" diabetes. Dr. Beebeejaun does not dismiss these approaches outright: "Some may have scientific foundations, but others lack solid evidence. These products should always be used with caution and under the advice of a qualified healthcare professional."
She adds a concrete warning, often ignored: "Some products marketed as natural remedies may contain harmful substances for the liver."
Among the most concerning trends is the practice of extended water fasting—sometimes up to a month—promoted on social media as a way to "reverse" diabetes. While she acknowledges that intermittent fasting can have certain benefits, she is unequivocal about the extreme versions: "Long-term water fasts are not sustainable. They can cause electrolyte imbalances and nutritional deficiencies."
Therapies on the Edge of Rationality
Some trends observed in Mauritius go beyond traditional remedies and veer into outright quackery. Dr. Beebeejaun expresses incredulity over a form of "astrological medicine" where a metal rod held in the palm is supposed to diagnose all of a patient's ailments. Or the use of "micro-poisons" marketed as homeopathic treatments.
Even more concerning are unregulated stem cell therapies offered with the promise of definitively curing type 1 diabetes. "There is currently no cure for type 1 diabetes," she firmly reminds. "Stopping insulin without a specialist's advice can be life-threatening." A message that may seem obvious, but the hope for a miraculous cure sometimes makes it inaudible.
To these deviations is added a now commonplace phenomenon in medical offices: patients entering consultations with a pre-established diagnosis based on their Google searches, social media, or, increasingly often, through an artificial intelligence program.
"Many patients arrive with a very fixed idea of what they think they have," observes Dr. Mehjabeen Beebeejaun. She does not entirely condemn this approach—being informed is legitimate— but reminds that online information varies in reliability and can lead to errors.
On the question of artificial intelligence, her position is nuanced and pragmatic. She sees it as a potentially useful tool, capable of quickly directing a patient to the right specialist. "A person with poorly controlled blood sugar could be directed to a diabetologist instead of a cardiologist, while a patient showing symptoms of thyroid disorders could be referred to an endocrinologist instead of an ENT."
But this usefulness has its limits: "AI can be an excellent tool, but it must be used cautiously."
Sometimes Fatal Consequences
The real danger lies not in being informed, but in the decisions that follow: stopping medical treatment based on a video, delaying a consultation in hopes that a natural remedy will suffice, or substituting a medical prescription with an over-the-counter supplement. The consequences can range from delays in diagnosing serious illnesses to severe complications: heart attacks, kidney failure, blindness, severe weight loss, muscle wasting, or dangerous interactions between dietary supplements and medications.
Dr. Mehjabeen Beebeejaun paints a grim clinical picture of situations she has personally witnessed. "I have seen patients stop their diabetes medications after trying miracle remedies. Some had extremely high blood sugar levels, some went into a coma, and some even died. I have also followed individuals who adopted such extreme diets that they developed nutritional deficiencies and irreversible neurological damage."
Other cases have particularly struck her: patients who stopped their thyroid treatment to replace it with seaweed, ending up with heart failure. People who consumed excessive doses of over-the-counter supplements, requiring liver transplants. "I have seen patients suffer strokes after trying to treat their hypertension solely with lemon or apple cider vinegar," she says, adding gravely: "All these situations could have been avoided."
The question needs to be asked frankly: how do untrained individuals manage to establish a health credibility that sometimes rivals that of qualified professionals? Dr. Beebeejaun offers a straightforward explanation: they speak simply, share their personal stories, and create a sense of familiarity that the traditional medical relationship rarely offers. "A personal experience is not the same as scientific evidence. Medicine is based on large-scale data, not individual anecdotes."
She identifies several warning signs that every internet user should learn to recognize: check if the person providing advice is truly a qualified health professional; beware of promises of quick or guaranteed cures; be cautious of testimonials lacking scientific basis and products that are systematically marketed alongside advice.
Profiles that vaguely present themselves as "experts" without clear qualifications deserve the same scrutiny. Just like these well-rehearsed rhetorical phrases: "Doctors don't want you to know this."
Dr. Mehjabeen Beebeejaun does not outright reject all complementary approaches. She acknowledges that some traditional remedies or wellness practices may have their place, particularly to enhance daily comfort or support a good lifestyle. However, they must never replace medical treatment and should always be discussed with a healthcare professional.
"The best approach remains integrative and holistic medicine, but always based on safety and scientific evidence," she concludes.
In a country where chronic diseases weigh heavily on public health, and where social media has firmly planted itself in daily life, this equation—freedom to inform on one side, medical rigor on the other—will continue to pose challenges.