Why is the coronavirus so scary? One of the biggest reasons is that it’s new and we just don’t know enough about it. Since we’ve never been exposed to it, no one has immunity. There is no vaccine yet. There is no treatment if you get it. While most people who get it will recover, it does seem to have a higher rate of death than the flu and it may be even more contagious. This makes the environment ripe for scam products promising protection from the virus.
Last week, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) sent warning letters to these 7 companies for selling fraudulent products to treat or prevent coronavirus:
1. Vital Silver
2. Quinessence Aromatherapy
3. N-ergetics
4. GuruNanda
5. Vivify Holistic Clinic
6. Herbal Amy
7. The Jim Bakker Show
What exactly are these other companies selling? Several, including The Jim Bakker Show, are selling colloidal silver products. This isn’t the first time these agencies have warned companies about colloidal silver. Many claim that it is an antiviral and an antibiotic – but no evidence supports these claims. Colloidal silver supplements can be dangerous. Chronic use can cause argyria – a permanent bluing of the skin and the whites of the eyes. It may also cause bone marrow damage and cancer of the blood and bone marrow. Other products are teas, essential oils, and herbal extracts.
In addition to these federal agencies coming down on bogus products, the New York State attorney general issued a “cease and desist” order to radio host Alex Jones for promoting his “Superblue” toothpaste as preventing the virus.
What do you need to know? There are no known natural or pharmaceutical products that will prevent or treat the coronavirus. There are no foods or diets that will treat or prevent the virus. You may also be seeing other nutrients like zinc, vitamin D, and vitamin C being pushed on social media. None of these will fight a virus. What works? You’ve heard it over and over: wash your hands, don’t touch your face, and social distancing.
I'll be posting a lot over the coming weeks on how to maximize your health with nutrition, how to grocery shop, and how to minimize food waste. You can follow me:
On Facebook: UAB Nutrition Trends
On YouTube: Beth Kitchin PhD RDN
Where should you go for accurate information about this fast-moving story?
Best Websites for Information on the Coronavirus:
UAB Coronavirus: www.uab.edu/news/coronavirus/about
The Centers for Disease Control: www.cdc.gov/coronavirus
Beth Kitchin PhD RDN
Assistant Professor & Director of Media & Community Engagement
UAB Nutrition Sciences
