"Health maxxing" trends often promote extreme approaches to diet, exercise, sleep, and supplements.
Ohio State experts say many of these practices lack strong scientific evidence and may carry unexpected health risks.
Focusing on proven healthy habits instead of chasing online trends can help support long-term wellness.
If you've spent any time on social media lately, you've probably come across videos promising to help you "maximize" your health.
Known as "health maxxing," the trend encourages people to optimize nearly every aspect of their lives, from following rigid diets and taking large numbers of supplements to tracking sleep, workouts, and other health metrics in minute detail.
While the idea of improving your health is certainly appealing, experts at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center say these online trends can sometimes push people toward unnecessary — or even harmful — extremes.
“Often, there’s not enough evidence to know whether these health practices are actually beneficial,” Alison MacKinlay, MD, family and lifestyle medicine physician and clinical associate professor in the Department of Family and Community Medicine, said in a news release.
“Depending on the trend, you may not realize you could be causing harm down the road.”
What experts looked at
The Ohio State Wexner Medical Center team released a recent report that focused on several of the most common "maxxing" trends circulating online rather than on a single research study. These include highly restrictive diets, excessive exercise routines, aggressive sleep optimization, and taking numerous vitamins or supplements in hopes of improving health.
Physicians explain that while some healthy behaviors have solid scientific backing, social media trends often take those same ideas to extremes without sufficient evidence.
“Extreme elimination diets can increase the risk of nutrient deficiencies or cause anxiety around food,” Dr. MacKinlay said. “Taking excessive amounts of certain supplements can reach toxic levels so it’s important to have lab work done to monitor levels.”
“If you’re spending money on these trends and not having the benefit that you desire or it’s causing you physical harm or stress, stop. Instead put your time and money into something that actually helps the health concern.”
What it means for consumers
Instead of chasing the latest wellness trend, Ohio State experts recommend sticking with habits that have consistently been shown to support good health. That includes eating a balanced diet, getting regular physical activity, prioritizing quality sleep, managing stress, and maintaining meaningful social connections.
The takeaway isn't that every new health trend is automatically bad. Rather, consumers should be cautious about advice that promises dramatic results or encourages extreme behaviors without strong scientific evidence. Before making significant changes to diet, exercise, or supplement routines, it's worth discussing those plans with a healthcare provider who can help determine what's appropriate for your individual needs.
In the end, experts say lasting health is less about optimizing every detail and more about building sustainable habits that can be maintained over time.