New Delhi: Indian actress Samantha Ruth Prabhu has come under fire once again. This time, for endorsing a health supplement brand co-founded by her. The criticism was levelled by Dr Cyriac Abby Philips, popularly known as The Liver Doc on social media, who accused the Citadel: Honey Bunny actress of promoting “fraud” products based on unverified scientific claims.
The controversy was reignited after Samantha, in an Instagram post, shared details about a supplement containing NMN (Nicotinamide Mononucleotide).
According to her, “NAD+ declines with age, leading to lower energy, slower recovery, and reduced focus.” She further claimed that NMN can reverse these signs of ageing. In a bold move, she also announced her new role as co-founder of Gataca, the brand offering the product.
“The results spoke for themselves. So I did not just keep taking it. I joined the mission. I became Co-Founder of Gataca because I believe in what we are creating,” she had posted. Emphasising credibility, she added, “Every product is: Third party tested Heavy metal tested Microbial tested.”
However, the medical professional wasn’t convinced. In a strongly worded post, The Liver Doc referred to Samantha as “science illiterate” and accused her of misleading millions of followers. “How science illiterate movie celebrities defraud their millions of followers by selling supplements that do not work at all,” he wrote.
He went on to underline that NMN has not passed Phase 2 clinical trials, saying, “BOTTOM LINE? If you want to age better, focus on the boring things that actually work – diet, exercise, sleep, avoidance of alcohol and tobacco, vaccination. Not on a molecule that can’t even clear Phase 2 -quality evidence.”
In the caption of his post, he issued a public warning: “Beware of snake oil salesmen, or snake oil saleswomen. They come in various sizes and forms. Be a well-informed consumer. Progress with science and evidence. Listen to real doctors.”
Notably, this is not the first time the actress has been criticised by the doctor. In the past, she was called a “fraud” by him for promoting hydrogen peroxide nebulisation, which is another health trend dismissed by the medical community.
As of now, Samantha has not responded to the fresh wave of backlash.
