Buzz
TikTok is filled with weight loss 'hacks,' most of which are misleading, exaggerated, false, or recycled misinformation. The latest one involves ice, claiming it helped the narrator’s mother lose 72 pounds. More info is supposedly in the comments, but it isn’t. Act fast before 'they' remove the video!
Here’s a typical scenario: A brief clip of an overweight person (unrelated to the rest of the video), followed by a POV clip where someone adds salt to ice water, claiming their mother lost 63 pounds (though the person shown isn't the one in the first clip). They promise to show you the video where the mother learned how to do it. The hack was featured on the news but has been removed because it's 'exposing the lies of the weight loss industry.'
This raises several questions: If the mother tried it after the narrator, why is it framed as the video that helped her, not the narrator? Why don't we see the narrator’s results? Why is the mother shown only in a photo and not helping her son make this video? Why does the video start with '2 tablespoons a day' without explaining what it’s 2 tablespoons of? If he wants to share the hack, why is it a 'secret ingredient'? Why not just tell us?
It’s just a silly marketing trick to sell something. The video has no real relevance to the product, much like how those odd mini-headlines at the bottom of online articles use strange images that don’t connect to anything—it's all designed to catch your eye and get you to click.
What exactly are the ice hack videos trying to promote?
The promised video is usually not actually available in the comments. In some cases, there’s not even a video. In one TikTok post, users who commented 'yes' as instructed were told to check out 'Modere Europe,' which appears to be a company selling skincare products.
In another case, clicking the link in the bio leads to a sales pitch for a product called 'Mediterranean Ritual,' which turns out to be a $69 bottle of pills. When asked what’s inside the product (called Liv Pure), the FAQ mentions vague claims like 'liver purification complex' and 'liver fat-burning complex' without listing any actual ingredients.
In yet another video, a woman dances in front of the camera, claiming she lost '20 pounds in 2 weeks' by drinking a certain beverage for every meal. She’s seen blending ice cubes with water, and the caption says 'check the link in bio.' That link leads to a supplement website selling a product called Alpilean ($59). The sales page suggests that people who are overweight have low internal body temperature, but it doesn’t explain how drinking ice water might help with that. In fact, the Alpilean site doesn’t even mention drinking ice water. (If you replaced all meals with ice water, sure, you'd lose weight, but that’s hardly a realistic suggestion.)
You get the idea. Often, the bio links lead to sketchy products related to various health issues—gum problems, hearing loss, prostate concerns. Click any link, and a supplement will be waiting to sell you. How about a $59 bottle of LeanBiome probiotics? Sure, why not. (Just kidding. Do not purchase this.)
So there you have it: the so-called ice hack for weight loss doesn't actually involve ice, any hacks, or even weight loss. Thanks, TikTok.
