Particularly on social media and online portals, products are sometimes offered as food supplements even though their ingredients are not suitable for human consumption. These are claimed to alleviate potential nutrient deficiencies or health problems. One product currently being heavily promoted is so-called Lugol’s solution – an elemental iodine-potassium iodide solution that has historically been used to disinfect external wounds and is still applied as a laboratory chemical for starch detection. Lugol’s solution is not intended for human consumption and does not meet the requirements set in the EU and in Germany for foods, including food supplements. Ingesting this solution can lead to iodine poisoning and associated serious adverse effects on thyroid function.