A Westminster Biomedical Science student on TikTok wellness culture, the “fertility juice” myth, and why real endocrinology cannot fit inside a viral video
Afsana Riya, BSc Biomedical Science, University of Westminster
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Open TikTok right now, and you will find millions of young women diagnosing their own endocrine systems based entirely on viral video algorithms. From blending “fertility juices” to obsessing over the “luteal uglies,” hormone optimisation has transitioned from a complex medical science into a performative internet trend. But as a Westminster Biomedical Science student, I know that your biochemistry cannot be fixed by a thirty-second video, and that trusting influencer hype over real laboratory data is putting women’s health at serious risk.
The danger of the algorithmic diagnosis
The latest obsession dominating our feeds is the commercialisation of the menstrual cycle. Influencers have coined terms like the “luteal uglies” to describe the entirely natural, normal biological dip in oestrogen and progesterone right before a period. Instead of treating these shifts as standard human physiology, the algorithm repackages them as medical flaws that need to be “cured,” with expensive supplements, powdered greens, and specific lifestyle rules.
When wellness creators tell young women to completely abandon hormonal contraceptives, or to skip routine doctor visits in favour of “natural cycle-syncing,” they cross a dangerous line. They are replacing evidence-based clinical science with aesthetic marketing.
Deconstructing the “fertility juice” myth
Let us look at the actual science. One of the most viral trends involves recipes for “hormone-balancing juices,” usually a mix of raw carrots, grapefruits, and expensive wellness drops, claimed to instantly cure conditions like Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) or endometriosis.
From a biochemical perspective, this is pure fiction. The human endocrine system is a highly intricate, tightly regulated feedback loop involving the hypothalamus, the pituitary gland, and the ovaries. A severe hormonal imbalance or a reproductive condition is rooted in genetics, insulin resistance, or cellular inflammation. While a healthy diet supports overall physical well-being, a blended juice cannot alter your underlying genetic expression or magically reset your cellular hormone receptors. Promoting these juices as a medical alternative trivialises complex biological disorders.
Trust the lab over the feed
As students studying science at the Cavendish Campus, we are taught to look for empirical evidence, peer-reviewed data, and rigorous laboratory controls. Yet outside the classroom, it is incredibly easy to fall prey to beautifully produced videos that promise quick fixes for our bloating, fatigue, or stress.
The future of women’s health should not be dictated by unqualified influencers selling unverified wellness products. It belongs to a new generation of scientifically literate women who know how to deconstruct medical myths and who can demand real, evidence-based healthcare. It is time we step away from the TikTok algorithm, put down the fertility juices, and start trusting real biological science.
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Afsana Riya is a BSc Biomedical Science student at the University of Westminster. She writes for Inside Westminster on science communication, women’s health, and the boundary between clinical evidence and online wellness culture.
