Ignore Facebook posts advertising a cure for stroke, arthritis, hypertension and other illnesses
IN SHORT: Several Facebook posts claim that these “anti-stroke herbal capsules” can cure stroke and other illnesses. However, a medical practitioner advises patients to use only trusted and tested drugs.
“Reclaim your wellness with our 100% Natural Herbal Remedy, designed to help you overcome: Stroke (Full or Partial), High Blood Pressure, High Cholesterol, Arthritis, Migraine and Hypertension,” reads part of a post on Facebook.
The 8 January 2025 post features a video and a link where interested Nigerians can supposedly order the product.
A man in the video says:
I suffered from a stroke for many years. I went to different hospitals and took many medications and even the one they said they bought from Israel and nothing happened. I then encountered these anti-stroke herbal capsules … All of a sudden, the leg and hand that I could not move, began to move.
The video has been viewed over 21,000 times and has 59 likes.
Other posts advertising the capsules can be found here, here and here. (Note: See more instances listed at the end of this report.)
But can this product be trusted? We checked.
The illnesses
A stroke occurs when the blood supply to the brain is interrupted, causing brain cells to die. The interruption can be caused by blocked blood vessels or bleeding in your brain.
High cholesterol, also known as hyperlipidemia, is when you have too many lipids, or fats, in your blood. This blocks blood flow, causing damage to organs that don’t get enough blood.
Arthritis is a condition that causes swelling and tenderness in the joints. According to Mayo Clinic, a US-based nonprofit medical centre, “the main symptoms of arthritis are joint pain and stiffness, which typically worsen with age”.
Often accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and extreme sensitivity to light and sound, migraine is a headache that causes severe pain that may last for hours to days.
According to the World Health Organization, hypertension is when the pressure in the blood vessels is too high. It is also known as high blood pressure.
Red flags
We clicked on the link attached to the post, which led us to a website promoting the same product. The site included testimonials from people who claimed they started seeing improvements after two weeks of taking the capsules.
The website did not mention whether these capsules had been clinically tested or approved by Nigeria’s National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, which should raise suspicion.
We also found it strange that one product could cure so many illnesses. For example, there is no cure for arthritis, but some medication, lifestyle changes and surgery can help slow it down.
The website asked interested customers to fill out a form with their name, phone number, address, and the type of package they would like to order. Giving out this information to strangers online could lead to identity theft.
‘Advertising a single drug for different illnesses is wrong’
Odunola Olabintan, a general health practitioner focused on preventive health and the founder of Health City, told Africa Check that the illnesses mentioned in the Facebook post had different causes.
“Although the main cause of high blood pressure is unknown, the pathway is recognized and the different risk factors are also recognized. There are also different kinds of arthritis. So, advertising a single drug for different illnesses is very wrong.
“Posts like this, in most cases, cause patients to leave trusted treatments and opt for herbal mixtures that are not proven. Sellers of herbal mixtures never list their ingredients and expect you to trust them.”
Olabintan also said that most herbal mixture companies could be accredited if their products were not “harmful”, but she was unsure if the mixtures worked.
“Until these companies start operating like pharmacies, showing research and ingredients, I do not trust them. I advise patients to use tested, tried, and proven drugs.”
More posts promoting the capsules can be found here, here, here, here, here and here.
