He has more than a million followers on Instagram alone, dispensing authoritative-sounding advice on miscarriages, breastfeeding, male behaviour and women’s health.
Charging £370 for 40 minutes of his time, while branding himself a ‘nutritional scientist’, this 30-something social media ‘guru’ known online as ‘nourishherbody’ speaks with the confidence of a consultant who has seen it all before. His videos, often framed as hard scientific truth, rack up tens of thousands, sometimes millions, of views.
The influencer, real name Adrian Preuss, has built his vast audience through well-edited videos and provocative claims about modern parenting, femininity and fertility. ‘Research confirms…’ is his favourite opener.
But try to pin down exactly who Adrian Preuss really is, and his profile starts to unravel. Because for someone with such opinionated takes on health, there is remarkably little evidence of his credentials.
Scroll through his content and you will find videos about emotional development, infertility, breastfeeding, masculinity and family structures, nearly all delivered without visible sourcing, context or nuance.
His recent output focuses heavily on female biology, particularly menstruation and contraception.
One post claims: ‘Less healthy women get pregnant quicker.’ Another declares: ‘Most miscarriages are men’s fault.’
Preuss also suggests that ultrasounds are unsafe during the first trimester and claims that ‘the prettiest women have the worst stomach problems’.
Preuss makes some scientifically questionable claims on his socal media channels
Yet I can reveal that ‘nourishherbody’ is not registered as a nutritionist in the UK, despite presenting himself as one – and experts are raising serious concerns about the content, branding it ‘damaging’ and ‘dangerous’.
Preuss also appears to operate under an alias: ‘Rubio Fuerte’. This week, I approached the UK Voluntary Register of Nutritionists. In a statement that will stun women who have handed over money in return for his advice, they told me: ‘We can confirm that we do not have a registrant on the UK Voluntary Register of Nutritionists by the name Adrian Preuss.’
Preuss’s alias itself is revealing. ‘Rubio Fuerte’ loosely translates from Spanish as ‘Strong Blonde’. According to a source familiar with his online history, Adrian Preuss previously created bodybuilding content before abruptly pivoting to women’s health concerns around 2021.
Preuss’s website boasts that he is a nutritional scientist from Hamburg who graduated from the University of Vienna in 2018. But when I contacted the university they failed to confirm that he is one of their graduates.
This has prompted much chatter among my social media sources, with one telling me: ‘He goes viral and gets millions of views.
‘He has been de-platformed [had his account closed by moderators] several times. Every single post contains misinformation. It’s rage bait, the language he uses is all for views. There is concern that he might be something of a grifter. Something just isn’t right here.’
Even the experts are queuing up to share their concerns about Preuss.
Dr Bassel Wattar, a London-based obstetrician and fertility expert, says: ‘Where to start? An ultrasound is 100 per cent safe.
Investigations suggest Preuss is not qualified to advise on the subjects he claims to be an expert in
‘Eighty per cent of miscarriages are due to abnormal genetics in the pregnancy, not linked to men or women. Infertility is unexplained in 30 per cent of couples.’
Neil Chapman, who has more than 30 years’ experience in pregnancy research and teaching, added: ‘The UK Chief Medical Officer’s report from 2014 made it absolutely clear that being unhealthy is not a way to start trying to become pregnant. And ultrasounds are safe.
‘For an individual who claims on their web page to be a university-qualified nutritionist, I would expect to see original scientific evidence to support the statements made, and for the public to be able to access those sources.’
Professor Asma Khalil, Professor of Obstetrics and Maternal Fetal Medicine at City St George’s, University of London, warned that such content can have real-world consequences.
‘Several of the claims highlighted are concerning because they oversimplify complex medical issues and may discourage women from seeking appropriate evidence-based care,’ she told me.
‘Fertility, pregnancy and miscarriage are emotionally sensitive areas, and misinformation can increase anxiety, delay appropriate medical assessment or undermine trust in established care.’
Meanwhile, his social media infrastructure appears unusually resilient. Three separate accounts, in English, Spanish and German, circulate near-identical content to different audiences.
This multi-language approach may help preserve his reach if one account is banned or restricted.
And the reach he has is significant. Because the real issue is not who Adrian Preuss is, it is who his audience believes he is.
People searching for answers about fertility, pregnancy or parenting are being presented with confident, simplified explanations to deeply complex issues.
The real tragedy is that those desperately looking for help may instead find harmful misinformation.
All eyes on the US: Should regulator’s make-up concerns be a worry?
Beauty fans scrolling through the latest colourful launches from P. Louise may have noticed a curious warning printed on some of the brand’s eyeshadow palettes: ‘Some colours contain pigments which according to US law may not be suitable on the eye area.’
It certainly sounds alarming: where else are you meant to apply eyeshadow?
Industry insiders insist the disclaimer is simply down to differing cosmetic regulations between the US and the UK and Europe – and centres around certain bold pigments, particularly bright reds, pinks and purples, which the FDA has not approved for use around the eyes in America.
Still, it does raise questions. If regulators across the Atlantic are cautious about certain ingredients near such a sensitive area, should we be worried?
The new A-listers? Baftas red carpet shows appeal of the influencers
Move over A-listers – influencers have taken over the red carpet! The TV Baftas were once the playground for television royalty, but not any more. This year, a noticeable wave of fashion and lifestyle influencers were among those posing for photos beside the industry’s biggest stars.
Among them was former EastEnders actress turned parenting influencer Melissa Suffield, better known online as The Confident Mama, as well as creators Hannah Briggs, Laura Farr, Stefanie Wright, who posts as Steffis Style, and Jenny Mogey.
Melissa revealed she rushed home after the show to be home in time to see her kids before bed. Even more refreshingly, she also said she refuses to wear Spanx shapewear, designed to make you look slimmer, or even foundation to cover up her skin.
From left, Hannah Briggs, Laura Farr, Stefanie Wright, Jenny Mogey and Melissa Suffield
While it may seem strange to see influencers entering this arena, their presence feels like a shift in the industry.
Red carpets are now becoming just as much about online reach as on-screen credits, with influencers making up what feels like half the guest list.
UP
Love Island winner Samie Elishi is firmly my star of the week after quietly pulling off one of the smartest post-show rebrands in recent memory.
While some may have labelled her villa stint a flop after her winning romance with co-star Ciaran Davies only lasted two weeks, she’s proven longevity matters far more than airtime.
This week, Samie launches her own collection with River Island, a major fashion milestone that places her in the same lane as reality TV success stories like Olivia Attwood.
Samie Elishi has launched her own collection with River Island
DOWN
James Charles has apologised for his rant
James Charles, who is worth £22million, has finally apologised for a deleted ‘out of touch’ rant in which he took aim at a woman who asked him for money.
The 26-year-old make-up guru took to social media when he was sent a link to a GoFundMe fundraiser by the woman after her company filed for bankruptcy and sacked her.
‘You’re a lazy piece of s*** and you’re entitled,’ he said. ‘People lose their jobs every day. Welcome to the real world.’ Not very classy, James.
I spotted running influencer Brett Chody hosting a ‘wellness dinner’ for ChatGPT at Soho House Malibu this week and the irony wasn’t lost on me.
The event, filled with influencers, candlelit tables and conversations about mindfulness and balance, is yet another sign that AI brands are now taking full advantage of the influencer space.
But there’s something slightly troubling about a AI platform that many blame for increasing screen time – and destroying the environment through its vast energy consumption – suddenly entering ‘wellness’ culture.
My recommendation of the week goes to Townhouse, a nail salon chain that has mastered influencer marketing. Founder Juanita Huber-Millet, who is now an influencer herself, built the company through clever partnerships with online creators long before most other beauty businesses caught on.
The strategy worked. You can find a Townhouse on most desirable high streets in Britain as well as in influencer and celebrity hotspots like LA and Dubai. They have also launched a savvy collaboration with Champneys which will see the spa chain offering premium manicures.
Despite reportedly being overlooked by male-led investors for years, the brand is now booming with industry insiders predicting a ‘Starbucks-style‘ expansion.
Drop me an email or DM if you have any tips, information or think there is something worth looking into.
Email me – molly.clayton@dailymail.co.uk
Instagram – @mollyroseclayton
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