6 Supplements RFK Jr. Loves, But Science Says Are Mostly Useless

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has greatly reshaped the country’s public health infrastructure since taking over as U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary during the renewed Trump administration—and not for the better.

Still, from RFK Jr.’s pledge^[1] to take on fictional chemtrails to his recent fearmongering about circumcisions and autism, it might be hard for the average person to keep track of Kennedy’s many inane beliefs related to health and wellness. So here’s a handy guide to the supplements and alternative treatments that RFK Jr. has either advocated for or may personally be taking right this moment, and why they’re probably not worth the hype.

1. Methylene blue

Earlier this February, a viral video showed^[2] RFK Jr. dropping doses of a blue liquid into a glass of water during a flight. Though the exact nature of this concoction remains unconfirmed, internet sleuths concluded that he was likely taking methylene blue, a synthetic dye that’s become a popular remedy among the alternative medicine community.

Methylene blue is commonly used as a diagnostic dye for some medical tests. It’s also the primary treatment for methemoglobinemia, a rare blood disorder caused by the overproduction of methemoglobin, a form of hemoglobin. Online, however, the dye has taken on a second life^[3] as an advertised cure-all for everything under the Sun, from cancer to Alzheimer’s disease.

Methylene blue has a long history in medicine, and it’s certainly possible that scientists will find new uses for the versatile substance. But the most boisterous claims made by its adherents are often based on preliminary studies that still need more follow-up. The cancer studies on methylene blue, for instance, have largely involved^[4] animal or lab experiments. Some research has also suggested^[5] that methylene blue’s anti-cancer effects would likely work best in combination with light therapy, not taken alone. And some studies have failed to support^[6] the supposed brain-boosting abilities of the dye.

All of which is to say: it’s probably not time yet for all of us to start dosing our morning coffee with methylene blue.

2. Testosterone

The well-built Kennedy has admitted^[7] numerous times to taking testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) as a part of an anti-aging regimen prescribed by his doctors. He’s also taken pains to deny that he uses steroids—a distinction without much difference (testosterone is a steroid, and many people use synthetic versions of it to build up muscle).

Men typically experience a gradual decline of testosterone as they age. And doctors commonly do prescribe TRT to men with lower than usual levels of testosterone, a condition that can be caused by various factors but is more common in men over 60. For these patients, TRT is generally safe and can provide numerous health benefits^[8], including restored sex drive and improved mental health and energy. But many men continue to have normal testosterone levels long into their later years, and it’s not at all clear whether TRT should be used^[9] to prolong healthy aging for the average man.

In the past, the Food and Drug Administration has warned^[10] the public about taking TRT solely to address “low testosterone levels due to aging,” noting that the benefits and safety of this use are not firmly established. Though research has suggested that typical TRT doesn’t raise the risk of conditions like prostate cancer or heart attacks, it may be more dangerous for people who have normal levels of testosterone to begin with.

3. Vitamins galore

During a 2023 interview^[11] with podcaster Lex Fridman, RFK Jr. stated that he was on an extensive regimen of vitamin supplements—adding that he couldn’t even remember the entire list of them because he took so many.

Vitamin and mineral supplements can absolutely benefit people who are deficient in specific nutrients. Certain supplements are also an important preventative treatment at times, such as the recommended use of prenatal folic acid among pregnant women to prevent birth defects.

Today, people typically get these needed nutrients from food. By and large, studies haven’t backed the idea that supplements are a cure-all for a wide range of health problems, as many in Kennedy’s corner tend to profess.^[12] A 2018 review failed^[13] to find evidence that nutritional supplements generally improve heart health, for instance, as did a 2019 review^[14] the following year. Another review in 2021 found^[15] that supplements provide little help for losing weight.

These products aren’t just worthless for most—they carry their own unique health risks. Compared to FDA-approved drugs, the supplement industry is much less regulated. These products can often contain toxic contaminants^[16] like fungi and bacteria, or even actual hidden drugs^[17]. And the supplements themselves can cause serious harm^[18] if taken in large or chronic enough doses.

4. Chelation therapy

In an interview on Gary Brecka’s Ultimate Human Podcast earlier this June, RFK Jr. made clear his intentions to open up the floodgates of alternative medicine^[19]. He announced that he would expand people’s access to experimental and off-label treatments, specifically referencing two treatments in particular: stem cell therapy and chelation.

Chelation drugs bind to heavy metals in the body, which then allows them to be excreted out through urine. Doctors routinely use chelation to treat certain kinds of acute poisoning or other toxic exposures. But in the alt med/MAHA world, chelation^[20] is instead used to “cleanse” people of supposed toxins blamed for a bevy of chronic illnesses, including autism. People have gotten seriously hurt or even died^[21] after taking improper chelation, and the FDA has warned the public to stay away from chelation therapy for autism^[22].

These dangers might be an acceptable risk for RFK Jr. During the same interview, Kennedy admitted that expanded access to these treatments would likely come with a cost. “And of course you’re going to get a lot of charlatans, and you’re going to get people who have bad results,” he said. “And ultimately, you can’t prevent that either way. Leaving the whole thing in the hands of pharma is not working for us.”

5. Cod liver oil for measles

Kennedy is perhaps most well known for his fervent opposition to vaccination, complete with a long track record of misrepresenting the safety and effectiveness of many vaccines, including the combined measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine.

During the height of a large-scale measles outbreak in Texas earlier this year—the largest seen in the state in three decades—RFK Jr. begrudgingly endorsed the use of the MMR vaccine. But he also tried to prop up^[23] several alternative treatments, namely cod liver oil, a supplement known for having high levels of vitamin A.

People deficient in vitamin A are at greater risk for a severe measles infection, and the World Health Organization does recommend^[24] that doctors provide vitamin A to measles-infected children living in areas where deficiency is common. But that doesn’t describe the U.S. at all, since only around 0.3%^[25] of the general population may have a vitamin A deficiency. What’s more, Kennedy’s advice likely actually endangered children. At least one hospital in the state reported^[26] treating several children who had both measles and vitamin A toxicity.

6. Raw milk

RFK Jr. is an avid fan of unpasteurized, raw milk. He’s said^[27] that he drinks it regularly, and earlier this May, he celebrated the release of his “Make America Healthy Again” report by doing raw milk shooters^[28] as part of a podcast interview with wellness influencer Paul Saladino.

Advocates commonly claim that raw milk tastes better than milk that’s gone through pasteurization. Some will take it a step further and argue that raw milk has numerous added health benefits, from better nutrition to even helping prevent lactose intolerance.

The taste difference might come from raw milk having slightly more fat than your typical store-brand carton, experts have said^[29]. But the process of pasteurization, which simply heats and then cools milk to kill off dangerous germs and extend shelf life, doesn’t dramatically change milk at all. You get the same important nutrients from pasteurized milk as you do from raw milk, and raw milk contains the same kind of lactose, so your tummy will hurt just the same if you’re already intolerant to lactose in general.

Raw milk is significantly more likely^[30] to carry dangerous, or at least misery-inducing, foodborne germs like Salmonella, Listeria, and Campylobacter. The ongoing threat of bird flu and its recent spread to dairy cows has also made raw milk a potential vector^[31] for these infections as well. Unfortunately, many right-wingers and RFK Jr. supporters appear to have only become more enamored^[32] with raw milk as of late.