The field of epigenetics, which explores how environmental factors like diet, stress, and lifestyle influence gene activity without altering DNA itself, is rapidly gaining attention in medicine and public health.
However, leading scientists are now warning that this exciting area of research is increasingly being hijacked for commercial gain, often without scientific credibility.
“Epigenetics has become a business,” said Dr. Tomasz Wojdacz, a clinical epigenetics specialist and professor at the Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin. “The problem, however, is that most of these products and the claims behind them are not supported by scientific research. They are not based on evidence, have not been subject to clinical trials, and often it is not even known what they actually contain.”
The term epigenetics is now widely used by companies selling dietary supplements, cosmetics, lifestyle programs, and even biological age tests that claim to assess or reverse “epigenetic damage.” Many of these products are being marketed as tools to extend youth, improve health, or slow aging — often at a cost of hundreds of dollars.
“Companies are using this term as a banner for offers that are very rarely supported by scientific research,” Wojdacz said. “The American market, in particular — although this will likely reach our country soon — has been flooded with products that supposedly protect or measure epigenetic mechanisms. Simply submit a saliva or blood sample, and the company will send back a diet tailored to your ‘epigenetic age’.”
Wojdacz stressed that the scientific-sounding terminology gives a false sense of legitimacy. “Because the word itself sounds scientific, it inspires trust among many people. However, this trust is increasingly being exploited to make money.”
There are legitimate epigenetic clocks, which track chemical changes to DNA associated with aging. But their use is still confined to population-level studies, not individual diagnoses.
“These tools are indeed the subject of intensive research, but their precision does not allow for reliable conclusions at the individual level,” Wojdacz said. “Their significance relies on large-population analysis. Meanwhile, companies advertise them as a way to discover one’s ‘true biological age’ and sell products that claim to turn back the clock.”
Epigenetics has led to real breakthroughs, such as early cancer detection tools and testing for predispositions to diseases like breast cancer. But these applications are clinical and evidence-based, unlike the wellness products now exploiting the field’s reputation.
In response to the growing wave of pseudoscientific marketing, three international research organizations — the International Society for Molecular and Clinical Epigenetics (chaired by Wojdacz), the American Epigenetics Society, and the Australasian Epigenetics Alliance — have launched a joint educational campaign to combat misinformation.
In a published statement, they warn: “While epigenetics is an exciting field revolutionising modern medicine, its name is often misunderstood and misused in the media and marketing. The limited amount of reliable information available to the public has led to the spread of unscientific and potentially dangerous beliefs.”
Wojdacz says one goal is to get more accurate information into the media, to counterbalance misleading claims: “If epigenetics is discussed more and more, but in a scientific manner, with research and evidence, people will be less inclined to believe unethical actors.”
He added that corporations often fill the scientific knowledge gap with simplified slogans that appeal to existing beliefs. “Everyone has heard that a healthy lifestyle is beneficial, that smoking, lack of exercise, and a poor diet can lead to disease. Companies add a few scientific-sounding words to the mix — ‘broken epigenetic mechanisms’ — and they have their marketing ready.”
Wojdacz acknowledged that epigenetic changes are real and modifiable, and that reversing harmful changes may eventually be possible — but he stressed the science is not there yet.
“Although epigenetic changes in the body are indeed influenced by the environment, and they are reversible and therefore modifiable, this entire field of knowledge is currently at the research stage,” he said. “So, the market for services promising to reverse epigenetic changes is simply a scam — even though scientific research indicates that this may be possible in the near future.”
Katarzyna Czechowicz (PAP)
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