Entrepreneur and content creator Ankur Warikoo on Tuesday shared how he lost 8kg in 16 weeks thanks to a change in lifestyle and a list of supplements. But, when he shared the list on Twitter, a doctor pointed out that some of Warikoo's suggested supplements can cause severe liver and kidney damage. Liver specialist Dr Abby Philips also urged people not to blindly accept health advise from people with limited knowledge of medical science.
It all began when Warikoo, who has close to six lakh followers on Twitter, said that a high-protein diet, intermittent fasting, and supplements suggested by his trainer helped him in his fitness journey.
Aug 2013 - I dropped from 88kgs to 69kgs on my way to 6 pack abs.I am celebrating its 10th anniversary by attempting to become my fittest ever!
In the last 16 weeks, I have dropped 8kgs, 4 inches off my waist, cheek fat, while building muscle mass.By changing just 2 things.. pic.twitter.com/dfvyofbryF
— Ankur Warikoo (@warikoo) June 5, 2023
Ankur Warikoo then shared his list of supplements with affiliate links to Amazon which meant that if any purchase is made using those links, he earns a commission which is spent on the education of poor children.
These are Amazon affiliate links. If you purchase by clicking these links I earn an affiliate income. 100% of that income goes towards sponsoring the education of kids who can’t afford it.In 2022, 123 kids were helped with a contribution of 54L.
— Ankur Warikoo (@warikoo) June 5, 2023
At this, Dr Abby Philips offered a breakdown of how each of the supplements suggested by Warikoo could be detrimental to health if consumed without a doctor's approval.
This is some real epic sh*t from Ankur Warikoo. So epic, that its worthy of immediate flushing.Whey protein for special populations - atheletes, sportspersons, bodybuilders, chronic liver and kidney disease
Omega 3 supplements is only useful in people with high… pic.twitter.com/93r4RWxprU
— TheLiverDoc (@theliverdr) June 6, 2023
To clear the air, Warikoo then reached out to Dr Philips and said that he was merely sharing the list of what he consumes and not endorsing or glorifying the use of these supplements. To which the doctor replied, "I did not see a disclaimer, but instead it was direct advice based on anecdotal matters that you felt helped you. You could have merely mentioned your lifestyle changes instead of providing links to purchase supplements. That is not how medical science works." Dr Philips added that some of the supplements (Ashwagandha and Curcumin) are highly liver-toxic in at-risk groups and causes "non-dose dependent liver injury" even in healthy people.
Dear Ankur,1. These were not my recommendations instead a list of all that I consume. I am pretty sure my thread was in no way endorsing or glorifying the use of these supplements.
Response: I did not see a disclaimer, but instead it was a direct advise based on anecdotal…— TheLiverDoc (@theliverdr) June 6, 2023
Following this exchange, Warikoo put up another post asking people to not consume the sumpplement without consulting a health professional. "These supplements have been suggested by my trainer Sagar, who is a verified experience professional. Please do not consume them without consultation. I trust him. You needn’t," he wrote.
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