Yuvraj Singh's 32-ingredient supplement faces doctors' questions over health claims

Former India cricketer Yuvraj Singh’s entry into the health and wellness business has run into criticism from doctors, who have questioned the scientific evidence behind the sweeping health claims made for his new supplement, PROTOCOL32, as well as the safety of combining 32 ingredients in a single daily sachet.

Launched on October 30, the product, which Singh said was licensed by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), is an 8.5-gram sachet containing multiple ingredients. The company claims its formulation supports 10 pillars of health through 13 interconnected processes, which it describes as 'chains'.

The ace cricketer was diagnosed with a rare germ-cell cancer affecting the mediastinum after India's 2011 World Cup victory and subsequently underwent chemotherapy in the US and recovered.

His experience with cancer has also become an important part of his public advocacy around health and wellbeing.Through the latest launch, Yuvraj wrote on X, the idea is to offer a once-a-day nutritional supplement that addresses multiple aspects of health, from energy and brain function to immunity, digestion and liver health.

According to his post, the product and its formulation have been vetted by two senior doctors, Dr Anurag Agrawal, biologist and professor at Ashoka University, and Prayagraj-based surgical oncologist Dr Arpit Bansal.

But soon after the announcement, a number of doctors questioned whether the formulation can deliver what its marketing promises, particularly when the benefits of individual nutrients do not automatically translate into proven benefits from combining them in one product.

Dr C S Pramesh, director of India’s top cancer hospital, Tata Memorial Hospital (TMH), Mumbai, took to X to question the claims, reminding Singh of the responsibility that comes with his enormous public following.

"Sorry, Yuvi. Big fan, but you've got it wrong here ," he wrote (sic), adding that the claims were not evidence-based and asking Singh to share supporting evidence. He also cautioned him against allowing commercial interests to undermine the trust of his followers.

Obstetrician and gynaecologist Dr Rajesh Parikh was more blunt, warning: "You will be dragged to court sooner (rather) than later. Drop the ad."

Meanwhile, the company co-led by the ex-cricketer later clarified that the product is “not a medicine and not for anyone with cancer.”

“It is even mentioned on the website: if you are on any prescribed medication, talk to your doctor before,” it said.

The company, after sharp criticism by doctors on social media, said it will sell the product only after data from its clinical trial is published – adding they will be put out publicly, "whatever they show."

WHAT DOES IT PROMISE?

According to the company's claims, PROTOCOL32 is designed to support 10 areas of health: energy, brain function, stress and sleep, skin, digestion, immunity, joints, eyes, heart and blood vessels, and liver health.

Its 32 ingredients include creatine monohydrate, glycine, N-acetyl cysteine (NAC), trimethylglycine (TMG), choline bitartrate, algal DHA, magnesium carbonate, CoQ10, vitamin C, vitamin E, zinc citrate, copper gluconate, vitamins D3, B6, B2 and B12, and folic acid.

The formulation also contains herbal extracts such as ashwagandha, curcumin, Boswellia, milk thistle, American ginseng, bacopa, ginger and saffron. Other ingredients include acacia fibre, sunflower lecithin, L-theanine, lutein, zeaxanthin, digestive enzymes, Bacillus coagulans and astaxanthin.

The company says these ingredients have been selected to address nutritional gaps, particularly those associated with Indian diets, and are intended for healthy adults. It also says it publishes ingredient quantities and supporting research, and that batches undergo independent testing.

At present, however, PROTOCOL32 is not available through regular retail channels. It is being introduced through an invitation-only subscription model, with the initial rollout restricted to a few hundred people, including athletes, doctors, dietitians, fitness creators and entrepreneurs.

The website lists the price at Rs 4,999 for 60 sachets, a two-month supply.

But the company later clarified, following criticism by doctors, that since the launch, its website only takes waitlist, as it plans to start selling only after its clinical trial results are published.

WHERE SCIENCE IS QUESTIONED

The sharpest criticism has come from hepatologist Dr Cyriac Abby Philips, popularly known as LiverDoc, who told India Today that both the marketing promises and the chemical composition raise concerns.

He questioned the assumption that nutrients which can help correct clinical deficiencies will necessarily enhance the health of people who are already adequately nourished.

The product makes sweeping promises across 10 bodily systems, but, according to Dr Philips, there is no evidence that this combination can deliver such benefits in healthy adults. He also pointed out that none of the ingredients have been demonstrated to extend human longevity or prevent cancer.

Another concern is the gap between evidence for individual ingredients and evidence for the finished formulation. A study showing that creatine can improve certain measures of cognitive performance, for instance, does not establish that a sachet containing creatine alongside 31 other ingredients will produce the same outcome.

Dr Philips also questioned the evidence supporting the ingredient list. He said eight of the 32 ingredients lack randomised controlled trial support, including two carriers, acacia fibre and sunflower lecithin, and six others supported by weaker human studies, mechanistic explanations or safety considerations.

Copper gluconate is one example.

The company's own description says it is included partly to balance the effects of zinc supplementation and prevent copper deficiency. Yet the ingredient is also associated with multiple health claims in the formulation.

Dosage is another issue. Dr Philips argued that several ingredients are present in quantities substantially below those used in human trials. He cited creatine at 1,500 mg, glycine at 700 mg, NAC at 400 mg, American ginseng at 200 mg, ginger at 100 mg, digestive enzymes at 25 mg and saffron at 15 mg.

A lower dose is not automatically ineffective or unsafe. The larger question, however, is whether the particular quantities used in this formulation have demonstrated the benefits being advertised.

SAFETY AND INTERACTIONS

Doctors are also raising concerns about putting numerous active compounds together, particularly botanical extracts such as ashwagandha and curcumin, which have been associated with cases of herb-induced liver injury.

Dr Philips flagged potential risks from combining minerals, antioxidants and other compounds without adequately establishing their interactions in the finished product. Among his concerns were zinc and copper quantities, the conversion of choline and TMG by gut bacteria into trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO), and possible interactions with prescription medicines.

He warned that some ingredients could affect blood-thinning medication, liver drug metabolism and the absorption of medicines such as certain antibiotics and thyroid drugs. He also questioned the use of antioxidants and folic acid in a formulation marketed around long-term health, citing research suggesting that certain nutrients may have unintended effects in people with existing cancers.

India Today has reached out to the cricketer’s team for comments. This copy will be updated if and when a reply is received.

Meanwhile, when contacted, Dr Agarwal said the criticism could probably be stemming from the fact that “.. people misunderstood that it was for cancer."

DON'T THROW THE BABY WITH BATHWATER

Dr Agarwal, who has previously headed the Centre for Scientific and Industrial Research - Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (CSIR-IGIB), said India is a nutritionally deficient country with the vast majority lacking multiple key nutrients.

“In the formulation, 32 ingredients known for their health benefits have been put together, and the idea is to follow the users over time and track biomarkers to generate evidence though an observational study,” he told India Today.

Dr Agarwal also said that if India has to make a mark in the field of longevity and health spans, it cannot afford to fully dump traditional medicine, rather combine it with modern medicine.

According to the veteran pulmonologist- scientist, many existing safe supplements have many things together.

"There is no magic number. By itself, that is not a concern. A single Ayurvedic Mukti-herbal preparation may contain even more ingredients. This way allows greater transparency and ability for people to comment as is happening,” he said.

Dr Agarwal also insisted that curcumin and Ashwagsndha are not associated with any serious risk of liver injury and are both commonly used while metal or fungus contamination is product specific and cannot be generalised.

"We should not assume all Ayurvedic products to be at high risk of metals or fungus," said Dr Agarwal.

He also stressed that practitioners of modern medicine should not be completely averse to the idea that there are ingredients in Ayurveda that are efficacious and beneficial for health.

“This is not blind faith. Logic must exist for what is included and not included. Further evidence can be generated in the real world. This is much better than extreme scepticism that throws out the baby with the bathwater, or extreme belief that leads people to try many herbs at the same time without any thought about dosage,” Dr Agarwal said.

The company's statement, too, reiterated that it will publish the results, whatever they show. "We would rather be measured than believed," it said.