Make Me Well

by Xand van Tulleken

There has never been a more confusing time to try to be healthy. In the past decade, the healthcare sector has witnessed a remarkable surge in drug design, genomics and diagnostic technology have all changed almost beyond recognition.

Simultaneously, there has been a significant expansion in consumer health services, including the supplement industry, blood testing, consumer genomics and wearable technology, which claim to improve “wellness” (emphasising physical and mental performance and longevity) rather than curing or preventing specific disease states.

For a typical consumer this is both confusing, as the health and wellness industries are almost indistinguishable, and expensive, as consumer health emphasises personalised products, often sold on a subscription basis.

In Make Me Well, Xand van Tulleken investigates the new Wild West of the wellness industry, demystifying a landscape dominated by three supplements, blood testing, and wearable technology. In doing so, he shines a light on how people can take care of themselves better in this new and overwhelming world of wellness.

Genres: Nonfiction, Health, Audiobook, Science, Medicine

390 pages, Hardcover

About the author

Alexander Gerald van Hoogenhouck-Tulleken is a British doctor and TV presenter. He is known for jointly presenting with his identical twin brother Chris several television programmes, including the CBBC children's series Operation Ouch!, and the Channel 4 show How to Lose Weight Well.

Van Tulleken has also individually presented many documentaries, including an episode of Horizon discussing male suicide and a BBC programme on the European migrant crisis. He can often be seen offering up his own body for science experimentation in diet show How to Lose Weight Well, as well as in BBC Horizon episodes "Sugar vs Fat" and "Is Binge Drinking Really That Bad?" As of July 2023, he was appearing regularly on the BBC One weekday programme Morning Live, providing a variety of medical advice. Van Tulleken is also a member of the Made of Stronger Stuff podcast on BBC Sounds.

Reviews

[Tanja Berg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Several years ago I read a book by the other Dr. Van Tulleken, Chris, "Ultraprocessed People". That was brilliant: funny, informative and life-changing. Of course I pre-ordered "Make Me Well" by his brother Dr. Xand van Tulleken as soon as I saw that it was coming.

It was good, extremely informative and slightly shocking in places.

I've been skeptical of the supplement industry for some years now, since I learned that eating vitamin A as a supplement can cause osteoporosis. Despite this, after starting down a path of wellness myself, and being exposed to a litany of influencers, I do take one or two occasionally. One being creatine, and the other magnesium. Although the latter I usually slather on my calves if I've outdone my exercise. Now that my legs have caught up with the increased load, it's not needed. I took creatin for the same reason, but haven't really felt that it does anything for me. In earlier winters, I also took vitamin D. I live in the Nordics, it's dark for months on end. However, after a change of jobs, I usually manage a noon walk or run, and that half an hour of day light is evidently enough. At least I haven't felt the need for vitamin D the past couple of winters.

Thus, I'm quite well placed as an audience for this book. I've even tried eating to avoid sugar spikes, ha ha. I do still avoid refined sugars and I never drink sodas anymore, but avoiding normal food because of its high glycemic index seems a bit excessive. The author has a chapter where he looks into the glucose monitors and supplements to avoid glucose spikes. Spoiler: unless you're diabetic, it's not something you need to worry about.

I did find the author's analysis of the vitamin D studies to be rather shocking though. Despite being generally skeptical, I had totally bought into the vitamin D myth. Apparently that's all it is.

The author looks mainly at supplements and tech that seems legitimate, its history and the industry developed around it. It's incredibly thorough. Sometimes boring, occasionally shocking, but all in all pretty much as expected. It doesn't have any effect. Supplements will not make you the best version of yourself.

[Ellen Welch · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a GP, I found myself nodding along to Xand van Tulleken’s bewilderment at the world of wellness. Faced with questions about TikTok trends, supplements and private blood tests, I’ve also wondered whether I missed a memo somewhere. *Make Me Well* explores this confusing territory with curiosity and a welcome willingness to question the claims. An engaging read for anyone trying to work out what might actually help and what’s simply being sold to us. Full review https://drellenwelch.substack.com/p/t...

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow 😯 I don’t know quite what to say about this book except that I wish everyone would read it.

If you’ve ever bought a supplement to help you with something, it’s likely you’re buying hope rather than anything that will be of real help to you.

A deep dive into the murky world of the supplements industry - many supplement brands begin by creating a market or jumping on a trend rather than a product that will actually be helpful. The supplements industry in the UK isn’t heavily regulated, I could contact a factory in China and start my own supplement tomorrow. It could be ready in as little as 48 hours, they have pills ready to ship and labels don’t have to match what’s in the ingredients. I could pay a company to make up some research about it and have it published. We live in a society driven by capitalism, so it kind of makes sense why we are all going mad for collagen right now, as an example: extracting value from a carcass that would otherwise go to waste by creating demand for a powder that promises us youthfulness. There’s no real evidence that collagen does anything at all for us.

It’s certainly made me think hard about what I personally ingest, and why. The gap between what is spent of menopause supplements in the UK, and what is spent on menopause research is stark, and shows how the wellness industry manipulates us for cash.

A useful insight into which supplements actually work, and which are either a waste of money or potentially dangerous because they contain ingredients that can damage our livers.

Well worth a read to inform yourself.

Given 4 stars rather than 5 as it didn’t go into as much details as I would have liked although there is a huge bibliography to work through. The menopause chapter is disappointingly short, and it’s clear the author is uncomfortable discussing it.

[Beccy Blackwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book. Accessible and non judgemental.

[Dominique · Rating 3.5 out of 5]

Well-written, entertaining and eye-opening, but perhaps not as revolutionary how brother’s book I read a few years ago (genuinely life-changing).

TLDR; almost all supplements do not work and the whole supplement industry is premised on this fact — otherwise they would have to be marketed as drugs and would need to undergo pharmaceutical testing. And also, brands wouldn’t get as much profit this way, with most of them being adulterated with materials far from what is on the label. The collagen industry has literally grown out of systemic animal cruelty and a more scientifically proven method to improve health and wellbeing is find a hobby and engage with the arts!

[Lily Gregory · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a lot more political than I expected it to be. Genuinely was a really good book, filled with humour, facts, and interesting details.

[Coral Roberts · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everyone should read this!

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dr. Xand van Tulleken’s Make Me Well is an absolute eye-opener that pulls back the curtain on the multi-billion-pound wellness industry. If you have ever felt overwhelmed by the sheer volume of health hacks, daily vitamins, and tech gadgets clogging up your feed, this book provides the perfect antidote.

What makes Make Me Well so brilliant is that it exposes the wellness industry for what it truly is: a massive marketing juggernaut engineered to manufacture anxiety and sell solutions we don't actually need. Van Tulleken doesn’t just lecture readers; he investigates from the ground up, utilizing rigorous research and hilarious, revealing undercover experiments. By exposing how companies distort data, manipulate consumers, and recycle waste into high-priced "must-haves," this book arms readers with the skepticism they need to cut through the noise. It completely shifts how you view personal health, transforming you from a vulnerable consumer into an empowered, highly informed decision-maker.

• The Supplement Myth: Dietary vitamins do nothing for healthy people, and independent clinical trials show zero benefit.
• "Waste into Gold": The massive collagen market is pure marketing, recycling cheap animal carcasses from the meat industry into premium beauty pills.
• The Menopause Market: Brands exploit a natural life stage by framing menopause as a medical crisis to sell high-profit, unproven custom blends.
• Social Media & Anxiety: Aggressive algorithms and influencers substitute actual expertise with targeted ads that manufacture body and health anxiety.
• Marketing Over Efficacy: Wellness investors openly prioritize distribution networks and high profit margins over whether a product actually works.
• Flawed Data Collection: Personalized nutrition apps and private tests yield wildly inconsistent data, often generating different results from the exact same sample.

Make Me Well doesn't ask you to give up on being healthy; it asks you to stop wasting your money on pseudo-science. It is an essential, liberating guide that changes how you look at the back of a supplement bottle forever.

[Becky Blackwell · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

My mind is blown. Also I feel a bit stupid, cos I feel like I should have known some of this stuff like the products not actually needing to work to sell. I am targeted by so many supplements by the social media algorithms as many people are. This book will make me question so much about the health and wellness trends that we are bombarded with.

[Paul Snelling · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this - just the right amount of science and narrative. No more fish oil for me.

[Mariella · Rating 3 out of 5]

I listened to this on audiobook and it was well narrated by the author. It's well written and clearly well researched. I found it interesting to hear Xand's take about people/companies in the wellness industry who I am already familiar with such as the Glucose Goddess (Jessie Inchauspe) and Zoe (Tim Spector and co).

However the main theme of the book was a take down of supplements. After hours of this I was starting to tire. I was expecting to hear more about other parts of wellness such as the boom in saunas, and critique of the extreme like Bryan Johnson-esque longevity treatments.

Overall it had a very 'BBC' tone and I felt that Xand was trying to be the last word on certain topics after he had spoken to one expert. Maybe this is harsh but I felt like he was just another voice muddying the water. However he has convinced me never to waste my money on supplements again.

[Duncan · Rating 3.75 out of 5]

Make Me Well: A Quest to Understand the Confusing World of Wellness is an engaging and timely examination of the modern health and wellness industry by Dr Xand van Tulleken, the doctor and television presenter known for making medical science accessible to a general audience.

The book explores a question that has become increasingly relevant in contemporary society: how do we distinguish genuine medical advances from clever marketing designed to persuade us to spend money on our health?

Van Tulleken investigates the booming market for vitamins and supplements, personalised blood testing, wearable fitness technology and genetic testing. These products promise everything from increased energy and improved performance to longer lives and healthier ageing. However, the author challenges readers to look beyond the advertising and examine the scientific evidence supporting such claims.

One of the book’s central arguments is that the boundary between legitimate healthcare and commercial wellness products has become increasingly blurred. Consumers are bombarded with advice from influencers, companies and self-appointed health experts, making it difficult to determine which recommendations are genuinely beneficial. Van Tulleken encourages a more sceptical approach, highlighting the importance of independent research, reliable evidence and an understanding of the financial interests behind many health claims.

A particular strength of the book is the author’s ability to combine scientific knowledge with an accessible and often humorous writing style. Rather than overwhelming readers with technical terminology, he explains complicated subjects in a way that encourages informed discussion. His experience as a practising doctor lends authority to his arguments, while his broadcasting background helps make the material engaging.

The book also raises important questions about the commercialisation of health. In an age when people are increasingly concerned about longevity and personal wellbeing, there is an enormous market for products promising to optimise the human body. Van Tulleken challenges the assumption that purchasing more supplements, undergoing more tests or monitoring every aspect of our physical performance will necessarily make us healthier.

Ultimately, Make Me Well encourages readers to concentrate on reliable evidence rather than fashionable health trends. Its message is not that all wellness products are worthless, but that consumers should demand convincing proof before accepting extravagant promises or spending considerable sums of money.

Conclusion

Make Me Well is a thought-provoking and informative contribution to the debate about modern medicine, consumerism and personal wellbeing. Xand van Tulleken combines scientific expertise with wit and clarity to challenge an industry that frequently profits from uncertainty and anxiety about our health.

The book is particularly valuable for readers who want to make sensible decisions about their wellbeing without falling victim to exaggerated claims or unnecessary expenditure. Its underlying message is both practical and reassuring: looking after ourselves need not involve buying every new product marketed as the next breakthrough in health.

Overall, this is a highly relevant work of popular science that encourages critical thinking and reminds us that good health depends on sound evidence rather than expensive promise

[Emma · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fairly interesting but I already knew a lot of wellness trends, supplements, smart watches etc. only care about their profit and not your actual health and wellbeing

[Sissi Pen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting science and well written, but nothing new re capitalist logic. The book could’ve been an essay.

[Philip · Rating 4 out of 5]

This falls into the category of a book that needed to be written and needs to be read. It seems very well researched and debunks any vestiges of the myth that you can buy yourself a shortcut to better health and a little more longevity. So, in that regard, it will save me a lot of money since I was starting to fall into that zone of hope as age caught up with me. So much is to be half-expected from this modern world although it's still a message which causes regret.

Of particular interest is the psychology of how we have reached this point in the first place. The strong societal nudges and winks from influencers with no qualifications. The lack of any serious journalism. The lack of moral fibre from elements of the medical profession when it comes to paid endorsements. The lack of balanced approaches which skews the data and research from the genuine scientific community. The lack of any scientific integrity from many dubious countries which still nevertheless infests the global internet and obfuscates the debates. The lack of proper medical research for women's conditions forcing a desperate need for hope from other quasi-medical sources. The adverse effects of pushing a supplement regime to its nth degree on the basis that more is better.....And all that is even before the usual contrivances and wording of companies' marketing on a par with alchemist's rather than pharmacist's. Whilst most of this is generally predicable, it is still interesting to read in the context of this particular industry.

Then you get to the environmental cost and the cruelty to other animals. Once you have read about the fates of thousands of African donkeys, you may not look at collagen in the same way ever again.

Also, the so-called "wisdom of ancient Chinese medicine" often quoted in marketing... Well, it may be ancient and it might be Chinese but it is certainly not wise nor medical in any sense of the term - except in the loosest of senses as a hyper-expensive placebo.

The book is well researched and engagingly written like a conversation although by the end, everything's becoming a bit repetitive which suggests that it might have easily lost 20% of its text without losing the detail or theme. (To be fair, that might have much to do with the fact that each topic's supplements (be in menopausal or multi-vitamins) ends up with a similar conclusion.)

It also suffers from the now-cliched and irritating journalistic style of mixing the everyday with the expertise (interviews with experts are often pre-empted by some mundane and irrelevant bit of travel information and a reference to coffee-drinking as they begin to discuss the weighty topics etc.)

So, any good news? It all boils down to the simple message of good food, good exercise, good company...and a particular form of activity which encourages self-efficacy (as distinct from self-esteem). So, my long term attempts to make myself a better guitarist have not been in vain even if only the cat appreciates it!

[Chloe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Giving this 5 stars because I read Dr Xand‘s book wanting to know who to trust and what not to buy, for myself but more importantly for my teen who is alarmingly and depressingly bombarded whether she likes it or not by make up, skin care and wellness content online.

And it delivers: Xand is meticulously fair and open-minded, but the result is categorical. They.do.not.work. Ok the make up maybe but that’s not his topic here. It is all marketing, designed to make money. The science is made up, if there is any science is it secondary to profit. And this is especially a shame for women’s health and ageing research, particularly menopause research, because if a fraction of the profit of the useless products we are sold were used to understand these human processes we could really work wonders.

In the process, Xand explains a lot of phenomena that wind up parents observing and potentially paying for the obsessions: why do all those promoting products have the same annoying American accent and say pretty much the same thing regardless of product and then sound so surprised about it, except they really can’t act so even the surprise is fake? It’s made-to-order: companies pay pin money and exploit these women, then use the content to exploit you. Even worse, the content farms pay less with worse working conditions. And those clips will no longer need humans as AI has been inducted into the genre. Sounds paranoid, sadly very believable. Unlike their claims.

[Victoria Burley · Rating 3.5 out of 5]

This was an audiobook narrated by the author. The bottom line is that the vast majority of wellness supplements and tech have unproven functionality. The supplement industry appears to be full of individuals playing fast and loose and is just out to part us from our cash. Even Zoe and its founders come under harsh criticism, some justified, some not in my opinion. So, overall a pretty negative book about the Wellness industry. I won’t be buying any more supplements (not that I often did). If you are looking for positive advice about keeping well/preventing ill health this is mainly about what to avoid rather than what to do, although the pointer to the role of art and culture was a new one to me and worth exploring further. Sections of the book felt rather repetitive but overall it was worth persevering.

[Tara Avila · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is very easy for a non-medical person to understand, well researched, open minded and most importantly (for me) evidence based.
I was slightly skeptical of the fast growing "wellness" culture but this book explains the reality that it is a wellness industry and therefore lead by commerical drivers ie: profit. I was genuinely shocked at the lack of quality for the research/evidence that manufacturers & companies use to back up their products and the legality of this.
I'm wiser and soon to be richer as I will no longer be a customer of vitamins & collagen!
Everyone should read or listen to this book. I listened to the audiobook as it is quite technical so it was an easier medium than reading.

[Mrs Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting read although at times a bit over the top with claims. I also think it's a very male perspective. The science, research and evidence is not there for women, and especially menopausal women. So yes, the evidence, which is research based, may say X, Y ,Z doesn't have an impact. Practised based evidence, that is, evidence from my own and other women's lives, tell me that some supplements do have an impact and no I'm not making it up. A scientist often only looks at one form of evidence. Therefore, the perspective and evidence from this book is likely valid, but is only one view. It does not expired explore lived experience which, when the research is scant, is important.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting and pertinent in today’s world of Instagram and supplement-obsessed world. Initially wanted to learn more about the wellness industry but now am definitely turned off of buying the supplements I had on my shopping list. I’m surprised the industry isn’t as regulated as I thought it would be and the whole “vitamin D” trials are incredible, to say the least.

Interesting how all of these “wellness companies” have now pivoted to subscription based revenue. There is truly a blurred line between health and wellness products now. I think I’ll just stick to fresh produce.

[Sandra]

This was a good book for me to read, I think. It is a good book for being reminded that overly confident health claims are very probably overly simplified and hence not quite true. It's a good book that leads you to the realization that the known marginally beneficial thing is less exciting than the uncertain possibly miraculously good one. Not sure why I put it in spoiler tags. Anyway, I'm a little disappointed that I'm already forgetting some of the factual things I learned from this book, so maybe I have to give it a second listen.

[Tanya Weaver · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can’t tell you how much I enjoyed listening to this (especially read by the author). He completely skewers the supplement/wellness/wearable tech industries. Reading it has given me a very healthy dose of cynicism for what is a money making, vastly unregulated industry.

My fav quote (one of many): You can make collagen yourself by eating protein. The idea that through eating collagen supplements you can improve your skin, cartilage or any other body part containing collagen is like saying eating brains will make you more intelligent.

[Rory · Rating 2.5 out of 5]

I love Xand. I really do. And I love his work.
But this book was not for me.
I found it slow and dull and too much science.
The interesting stuff about Zoe was good. I had suspected as much myself when I was on the programme.
But I don't feel we reached any real conclusions other than don't use wearables and we hardly need any supplements.
He is probably right - these companies make a lot of money out of us and they seem to run our lives rather than us thinking how we feel. But I didn't really feel the book told me much I didn't know.

[MS T M Cook · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing

I have never read a book such as this. It is so thought provoking. It gives you a whole picture about health and wellbeing and allows you to freely make your own opinions which matter to you without being selfish or indeed self righteous. I highly recommend reading this book. Thank you Xand van Tulleken you
have given me such a wealth of information to be the person that I am working to be.

[Jedd Raidan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely recommend this for everyone, regardless of any interest you may or may not have in the supplement/wellness world - supplements and wearables in particular are so prevalent in our day to day society now that I’d say it’s relevant to every single person.

Very informative but not crammed with jargon, all the studies are well explained and easy to understand regardless of whether you have a scientific/medical background or not.

[Alison Lockley · Rating 2 out of 5]

This could have been good, if jt had been edited to about half its length. I wanted facts rather than Xand’s thoughts on everything. Of course, there are very few verifiable facts around the issue of supplements, which is of course why so many of us are susceptible. However, I’m almost as sceptical of Xand’s claims, as of course he is seeking to make money in the same way as the wellness industry, which preys on us all.

[Darren Garrod · Rating 5 out of 5]

Obviously writing talent runs in the family. Like his brothers book. l, this is eminently readable, simple enough to understand but well researched enough to be supported by science. You won’t look at supplements in the same way. This was such an easy read and so useful in a world of confusion around health.

[Sarah Asbury · Rating 5 out of 5]

Refreshingly helpful to understand the supplement industry as it ramps up with the assistance of influencers on social media. Xand unpicks a lot of the bafflement and helps you to restructure how to support your own health in an unmeasured and stress free way.

[B J · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent in content and an exposure of the shocking manipulation of people. I heard the author on the radio and was intrigued to read more.

However I found it a bit tedious to read as a book. And anyone with sensitivity regarding animals, avoid the collagen chapter.

[Mrs J · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everyone should read

Everyone should read this book,thank goodness someone has waded through the evidence and got to the Bottom of the wellness industry - and shown it is largely a massive scam.