From Paresh Rawal's urine therapy to Tamannaah's skincare myths: Top 5 viral health claims in 2025

In 2025, several health-related claims made by celebrities on social media went viral, triggering intense online discussions and renewed concern among medical experts about misinformation and its influence.

Paresh Rawal’s urine therapy remark draws sharp reactions

Veteran actor Paresh Rawal found himself at the centre of controversy after claiming that he drank his urine to recover from a knee injury. While Rawal framed it as a personal experience, health experts were quick to reiterate that consuming urine has no scientific basis and may expose the body to toxins and bacteria filtered out by the kidneys.

Tamannaah Bhatia’s ‘morning spit’ skincare claim sparks hygiene concerns

Actor Tamannaah Bhatia also drew backlash after a comment about using spit, or to be more precise, "morning spit" as her skincare remedy resurfaced online. Some experts dismissed the claim, warning that spit can cause infection and worsen the inflammation.

Samantha Ruth Prabhu’s supplement endorsement faces scientific scrutiny

Similarly, actor Samantha Ruth Prabhu’s claims on a supplement brand were called out on Instagram by  Dr Cyriac Abby Philips, better known as The Liver Doc, who called her a ‘science illiterate movie celebrity’ and the company a ‘fraud’. Samantha's post promoting the supplement stated that ‘NAD+ declines with age, leading to lower energy, slower recovery, and reduced focus’. She added that NMN helps reverse that, and the supplement she promoted has NMN (Nicotinamide Mononucleotide), which is “over 99 per cent pure.”

Sonali Bendre’s autophagy post divides experts and audiences

Actor Sonali Bendre, a cancer survivor, sparked a row after crediting autophagy as part of her healing process on social media. "Back in 2018, when I was diagnosed with cancer, my naturopath introduced me to a study called Autophagy. It played a huge role in my recovery.

So I read, learned, experimented… and slowly built it into my routine. And I’ve continued to follow it ever since," her social media post stated.

As per the Cleveland Clinic, autophagy is a process that allows the body to break down and reuse old cell parts so that the cells can operate more efficiently.

The claim went viral, with some experts bashing the statement made by the actress. "While this process is important for normal cellular health, naturopaths and fasting promoters dangerously misrepresent it by claiming that fasting 'activates autophagy' to prevent or cure cancer, despite no credible human evidence supporting this," The Liver Doc responded to her post.

Deepinder Goyal’s brain-ageing theory fuels online debate

Zomato founder Deepinder Goyal entered the conversation through public discussions on how gravity reduces blood flow to the brain, which is a reason that leads to brain ageing. This, he says, as per science, our brain sits above our heart. So, as we spend most of our lives upright, gravity pulls blood away from the brain. This reduced blood flow to the brain, when compounded over decades, leads to brain ageing. The post went viral on social media, triggering many to share their views on the thought.

With millions reading and reacting to their favourite celebrities' updates, even casual remarks can shape behaviour. As preventive healthcare awareness grows, doctors urge audiences to distinguish between personal anecdotes and medically verified advice.