Cristiano Ronaldo’s recent endorsement of Herbalife’s Formula 1 meal replacement shake has drawn sharp criticism, with hepatologist Dr. Cyriac Abby Phillips, known as "The Liver Doc," highlighting potential health risks associated with the product. Dr. Phillips took to X (formerly Twitter), urging caution about products like Herbalife due to past controversies surrounding liver health concerns. His response gained significant traction, resonating with many followers concerned about Ronaldo’s influence on public health choices.

Ronaldo promoted the shake as a “healthy breakfast option” on his social media, presenting it as a balanced source of protein, fibre, vitamins, and minerals. His post, accompanied by hashtags like #Herbalife and #HealthyBreakfast, sparked a community fact-check and ignited a debate over the ethics and transparency of celebrity endorsements.

Users quickly pointed out Ronaldo’s failure to disclose the post as a paid advertisement, which violates social media endorsement regulations. The platform added a community note, alerting viewers that the footballer had not been transparent about his relationship with Herbalife.

Dr. Phillips criticised Ronaldo’s endorsement, warning that Herbalife products had raised liver health concerns. He stated, “A healthy breakfast is, of course, a great start to the day, but not with products that have raised concerns over liver health.” He also urged influencers to prioritise ethical advertising when endorsing products with potential health risks, linking sources supporting his claim.

 

This incident also revived debate over Ronaldo’s past stance against sugary drinks like Coca-Cola. During UEFA Euro 2020, Ronaldo famously removed Coca-Cola bottles from view at a press conference, suggesting people should drink water instead. This gesture, widely perceived as an endorsement of healthier choices, even impacted Coca-Cola’s market value.
Now, Ronaldo’s endorsement of Herbalife has led to accusations of inconsistency, with critics questioning his stance on health-related endorsements.

 

 

Several Indian athletes, including Virat Kohli, Smriti Mandhana, Mary Kom, and Lakshya Sen, also faced similar criticism for appearing in front-page ads as Herbalife ambassadors in Indian newspapers on 10 November 2024.

 

NDTV initially reported on the backlash with a post titled “Kerala Doctor Calls Out Cristiano Ronaldo For Endorsing Herbalife: "Deprived Of Ethics”, but reportedly took down the article shortly after publication, sparking further speculation. Social media users speculated that NDTV's decision might have been influenced by external pressures or commercial interests, as the platform provided no official explanation.

https://www.reddit.com/r/india/comments/1golm2d/comment/lwjkar0/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button

Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.



Dehradun (PTI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a roadshow in Dehradun on Tuesday, with a large crowd lining both sides of the road to greet him.

The prime minister is in the city to inaugurate the Delhi-Dehradun Expressway.

Before the roadshow, he stopped to pray at the Siddhpeeth Maa Datkali Temple near Dehradun on the border of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand.

He then embarked on a 12-kilometre road trip to the main event venue, Jaswant Ground, in Dehradun.

A large number of people, including school children, gathered to welcome the prime minister and showered flowers on his convoy.

A massive police force was deployed for security during the prime minister's movement.

Modi will inaugurate the Delhi-Dehradun economic corridor, which will cut the travel time between the two cities to less than half. He will also undertake a review of the wildlife passage on the elevated section of the high-speed expressway in Saharanpur.

The 213-kilometre six-lane access-controlled corridor has been built at a cost of over Rs 12,000 crore.

The corridor traverses through the states of Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, and Uttarakhand, and will reduce travel time between Delhi and Dehradun from over six hours at present to around two and a half hours, according to an official statement.