Why you should be wary of ‘health-maxxing’ and similar wellness trends that push extremes

Healthcare providers often say one of their top priorities is helping their patients reach their “optimum health.” And who isn’t interested in getting to their best individual health?

Influencers and brands also know we all want to live our lives to the fullest and maximize our health – and they can take advantage of this via social media algorithms. Enter “maxxing.”

What’s health-maxxing?

Looks-maxxing, wellness-maxxing, strength-maxxing, protein-maxxing, fiber-maxxing…

They’re all examples of health-maxxing, in which optimizer culture co-opts health and wellness to go all-in on extreme practices that may not be evidence-based or even safe. They often promise quick results, and they can sometimes just be a way for social media influencers to slim down the wallets of their followers.

What’s the big deal with health-maxxing?

“Often, there’s not enough evidence to know whether these health practices are actually beneficial,” says Alison MacKinlay, MD, a family and lifestyle medicine physician at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. “Depending on the trend, you may not realize you could be causing harm down the road.”

Take restrictive diets, for example, when they’re not adopted to treat a specific health condition with the help of a healthcare provider.

“Extreme elimination diets can increase the risk of nutrient deficiencies or cause anxiety around food,” says Dr. MacKinlay, who’s also an associate professor in the Department of Family and Community Medicine at The Ohio State University College of Medicine.

While elimination diets can be helpful in identifying which foods might be causing physical symptoms, they should include a planned reintroduction of foods to determine whether and how much those foods are contributing to symptoms, says Razan Hallak, MS, RD, LD, a registered dietitian at the Ohio State Wexner Medical Center. In general, variety in the diet is actually beneficial.

And obsessing over eating in a healthy way can itself become unhealthy, when it interferes with other aspects of your life, says Stacy Cleveland, RD, LD, an Ohio State registered dietitian. While not an official diagnosis, “orthorexia” is recognized by many specialists as an eating disorder that requires treatment, similar to anorexia.

Too many vitamins or other supplements, too, can be more dangerous than some people realize.

“Taking excessive amounts of certain supplements can reach toxic levels, so it’s important to have lab work done to monitor levels,” Dr. MacKinlay says.

How to recognize which health trends are worth trying

Seek out research-based strategies for improving health, Dr. MacKinlay recommends. And know that what’s healthy for one person isn’t always healthy for everyone.

When evaluating claims yourself, this can look like visiting reputable health information databases like the National Library of Medicine, MedlinePlus, the Cochrane Consumer Network and patient education resources from academic medical centers such as Ohio State, says Jacqueline Hoying, PhD, RN, an associate professor in The Ohio State University College of Nursing and a researcher in mental well-being and cognitive-behavioral skills.

Even when a wellness practice doesn’t cause direct harm, Dr. Hoying says, research shows that accessing less-reliable health information online can lead to a delay in medical care that does help, and it can increase tensions among family members.

Primary care can help you optimize health through lifestyle practices

Ready to put a new wellness approach into action for your own health? That’s great, Dr. MacKinlay says, but it’s best to start with a conversation with your doctor or other healthcare provider.

“It’s good to bring these up during medical visits,” she says. “It means you want to understand and take an effort toward better managing your health. My role as a healthcare provider is to listen for red flags, educate and share decision-making to help you choose the best path.”

Dr. MacKinlay’s practice at Ohio State Lifestyle Medicine focuses especially on six lifestyle areas that directly influence long-term health:

• Nutrition
• Physical activity
• Sleep
• Stress reduction
• Substance avoidance
• Social connection

The approach still follows conventional, evidence-based medicine, but it enhances traditional medicine through proven lifestyle strategies that help patients better manage their health, and especially symptoms of chronic conditions.

Increased wellness often starts with small changes over time

You don’t have to go to extremes to turn your health around, Dr. MacKinlay says.

“Starting with small goals and scheduling things in the same way we brush our teeth every morning helps form habits, and we build from there to achieve health and wellness goals,” she says. “Everyone is different. There is no easy, one-size-fits-all like we see on social media.”