An acclaimed physician and BBC broadcaster embarks upon a rollicking, globe-spanning journey to investigate the wellness industrial complex, sorting the science from the sales pitch.

“A much-needed injection of hard science into the booming global wellness industry.” —Amol Rajan, author of Rethink: How We Can Make a Better World

There has never been a more confusing time to try to take care of ourselves. From supplements and blood testing to wearable technology and consumer genomics, the modern wellness industry promises optimized energy, performance and longevity. But how do we distinguish between groundbreaking science and sheer marketing?

With an open mind but a healthy dose of skepticism, Dr. Xand van Tulleken dives deep into the world of wellness to answer the question: do these products really work?

In an investigation that combines history, science, and first-person reporting, Xand takes us on a global journey to understand the evolution of a new kind of “snake oil.” From Utah, the U.S. hub of supplement production, to China, the ground zero of collagen industrialization, to Spain at the world’s largest gathering of Nutraceutical manufacturers, he brings his distinctive and personable voice along with a genuine sense of inquiry to examine how the “wellness” industry positioned itself to rival conventional medicine—and whether it is winning, at the expense of our health.

Both compelling reportage and a practical guide for twenty-first-century living, Make Me Well empowers readers to separate evidence from illusion and offers simple, humane rules for true wellness from a doctor who needed to sort out the confusion for himself too.

“A deeply researched tour of a multibillion-dollar industry that's more nutritious than any supplement you've ever seen advertised on a podcast. And he's made it funny, too.” —Helen Lewis, author of The Genius Myth: A Curious History of a Dangerous Idea