The $100B Wellness Industry: Science, Pseudoscience, and What Actually Works

The global wellness market exceeds $100B, encompassing supplements ($50B+), fitness ($90B+), mental health ($280B), and alternative medicine. The problem: most wellness products lack scientific evidence. Supplements: most are ineffective for healthy individuals (multivitamins show no benefit in large studies). What works: exercise, sleep, social connection, Mediterranean diet, and stress management. The wellness industry exploits the 'health halo effect' — consumers assume 'natural' means 'safe' and 'wellness' means 'evidence-based.' The shift: evidence-based wellness companies (Hims, Calm, Noom) growing faster than traditional supplements.