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Joe Rogan's popular podcast has reportedly played a significant role in the surge of searches for one controversial measles remedy, as he has been accused of advocating Vitamin A treatments despite medical advice suggesting otherwise.
There's a measles problem in the United States right now, with health experts indicating that the nation is experiencing its biggest outbreak since it was eliminated back in 2000.
While there are verified vaccination treatments that offer a prophylactic against the highly contagious disease, an uptick in anti-vax sentiment following the COVID-19 pandemic alongside the advocacy of alternative treatments by popular figures on social media has caused measles to return.
Some scientists have placed Joe Rogan at the heart of this rise, claiming that comments he has made regarding alternative remedies like Vitamin A have spiked searches and driven people away from vaccination, as reported by Nine.
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It's not the first time he has advocated for non-traditional medical solutions, as Rogan received significant backlash for his promotion of anti-parasitic medication Ivermectin as a treatment for COVID-19, yet he was named specifically by a recent study published in JAMA Network.
Outlining the dramatic rise in searches for Vitamin A and cod liver oil (which is high in Vitamin A) treatments for measles, the report outlined: "While our analysis focused on government statements, several nongovernmental figures, such as Joe Rogan and Suzanne Humphries, also issued statements."
It references a specific episode of the Joe Rogan Experience back in March 2025, where Humphries was a guest on the show, as the pair discussed claims that both measles infections and the vaccination itself leave you depleted of Vitamin A.
Addressing claims that vitamin supplements can be used to 'cure' or prevent measles, the scientific study illustrates:
"Vitamin A may be administered under medical supervision to support measles recovery, but it does not prevent measles and can be toxic if dosed incorrectectly. The same applies to cod liver oil, which contains high levels of Vitamin A."
It notes that America's Poison Centers "reported a 38.7% increase in Vitamin A exposures" between January and March 2025, with people likely suffering from severe headaches, nausea, blurred vision, hair loss, dry skin, and muscular incoordination.
While the study warns against the specific use of Vitamin A to treat measles, it also more broadly indicates that you should be more careful when taking advice regarding alternative treatments outside of specific medical contexts.
"Our findings underscore media's influence on health-seeking behavior during public health emergencies like the measles outbreak," the report indicates, "which is particularly concerning when guidance from trusted sources is unclear and may encourage detrimental behaviors at the expense of essential public health measures."
