In short — You can run supplement ads on Facebook and Instagram. Meta bans a list of unsafe substances (including ephedra, anabolic steroids and DHEA), claims to cure listed diseases such as diabetes or cancer, and copy that attacks someone's body. Weight-loss supplements must target people 18 or older. Separately, US law requires evidence for your health claims, and a customer testimonial doesn't count. The video formats that fit best show the product, its ingredients and the routine: label close-ups, ingredient explainers and honest routine videos.
Disclosure: Klaivo is our product, an AI video ad generator. The policy summaries below come from Meta's and the FTC's own pages, read on 1 November 2026. This is not legal advice, and Meta's review can reject an ad that seems to follow the text. Check the pages linked here before you launch.
What Meta's policy says today
Meta's Health and Wellness policy and its Drugs and Pharmaceuticals policy are the two pages to read. Some guides that rank for this search are older and describe different rules, so go back to the source.
Not allowed:
- Unsafe substances. Meta names anabolic steroids, chitosan, comfrey, DHEA, ephedra and human growth hormones, "not limited to" that list.
- Curing listed diseases. No claim to cure, heal or eliminate diabetes, herpes, thyroid conditions, psoriasis, Ebola, cancer, autism, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, ALS or HIV, even from a health professional. Meta notes this does not cover claims about managing symptoms.
- Attacking appearance. Weight-loss and cosmetic ads can't use terms or questions that are negative about someone's appearance, body parts or hygiene.
- Pinched fat. No close-up on a body area with pinched fat in weight-loss ads.
- Clickbait. No sensational language or exaggerated claims, and no promise of a specific outcome within a set time without a disclaimer or qualifier.
Allowed, when you target people 18 or older:
- Dietary weight-loss and weight-gain supplements. Meta's text says the ad can show use of the product, the impact of use, or "a clear indication of the time it takes to achieve noticeable results."
- Before-and-after for cosmetic products. General cosmetic products can show before-and-after transformations.
That second list surprises people, because many guides still say before-and-after is banned outright. Be careful anyway: other rules still apply, a time frame still needs a qualifier, and the FTC side below still applies to what you show.
The legal side: what the FTC expects
Meta's approval says nothing about whether your claim is legal. In the US, the FTC's Health Products Compliance Guidance covers supplements directly:
- Health claims need competent and reliable scientific evidence, including claims you only imply.
- Testimonials are not evidence. A real, happy customer doesn't substantiate a health claim.
- "Traditional use" gets no exemption. It faces the same requirement.
Other countries have their own rules, and the EU limits health claims to an authorised list, so check where you sell.
Risky lines and safer versions
These rewrites follow Meta's text. Each safer version only works if the fact is true for your product and you can back it up.
| Risky line | Why | Safer version |
|---|---|---|
| "Tired of your belly fat?" | Negative about a body part | "A daily gummy for your morning routine" |
| "Lose 10 lb in 7 days" | Specific outcome in a set time, no qualifier | "Made with [ingredient], [dose] per serving" |
| "Cures your thyroid problems" | Listed disease | Remove the claim |
| "Clinically proven" with no study | No evidence behind it | Name the study, or drop the phrase |
| A customer saying "it fixed my joints" | Testimonial used as proof | A customer on taste, routine or why they reordered |
| Close-up of a pinched waist | Explicitly banned for weight loss | The product, in hand, in the morning routine |
6 video formats for supplement brands
Each of these relies on what you can show about the product. For word counts and hooks, our guide to video ad structure goes further, and our script templates give you a starting point.
1. The label close-up
Slow shots of the bottle, the supplement facts and the ingredient list, with a voice saying what's inside and why it's there. If your formula is the reason to buy, this format shows it directly.
2. The ingredient explainer
One ingredient per clip: what it is, where it comes from, how much is in a serving. Moving type carries the numbers well, so the viewer gets them with the sound off.
3. The morning routine
A person opens the bottle, takes the product, moves on with their day. It places the product in daily life without promising a result, and it's the most natural format for an influencer or a UGC-style ad.
4. The founder or formulator
Why this formula exists and what you left out, said by the person who decided. This only works with the real person. It builds trust without needing a claim about results.
5. The taste or texture test
For gummies, powders and drinks: the color, the pour, the first reaction to the taste. It's a claim you can make freely, because it isn't a health claim.
6. The offer
A subscription discount, a bundle or free shipping, with the product on screen. Use this on people who already know you, and only with an offer that's really on your page.
How to test without burning your account
- Launch several versions. With a mix of hooks and formats, one rejection doesn't stop your whole test. Our guide on how many ad creatives to test has numbers.
- Check the landing page too. The claims on your product page should match what the ad says.
- Rotate before fatigue sets in. Supplement audiences see the same formats all day. Our creative fatigue guide shows what to watch.
- Appeal when it's a mistake. Read the rejection reason, then use Meta's review request if the ad follows the policy.
Making these videos with AI
Filming a supplement ad is mostly showing the same bottle in new settings, which suits AI video. Two cautions apply. A label full of small text is the hardest thing for a video model to reproduce, so check every frame. And an AI script can invent a benefit, so read each line against your facts.
Klaivo writes from your product page and its agents are told not to add a figure, an ingredient or a promise that isn't in your page or brief. You read each line before paying for the video. That doesn't make a script compliant: the responsibility for the claims stays with you. Klaivo Motion also makes the moving-type format above, and your first 3 motion ads are free with no card.
FAQ
Can you run supplement ads on Facebook?
Yes. Meta allows supplement ads, apart from a list of unsafe substances that includes ephedra, anabolic steroids and DHEA. Ads can't claim to cure listed diseases or attack someone's appearance, and weight-loss supplements must target people 18 or older.
Why was my supplement ad rejected on Facebook?
The usual causes are a negative line about someone's body, a specific result promised in a set time with no qualifier, a claim to cure a listed disease, or an unsafe ingredient. Read the reason Meta gives, compare it with the Health and Wellness policy, and request a review if your ad follows it.
Can supplement ads show before and after photos?
Meta's text allows before-and-after for general cosmetic products when targeting people 18 or older, and lets weight-loss supplement ads show the impact of use. You still need evidence for what the image implies, so read the FTC guidance before you use one.
Are testimonials allowed in supplement ads?
Yes, but they don't count as evidence for a health claim, according to the FTC. A customer can talk about taste, routine or why they reorder. If a testimonial suggests a health result, you need scientific evidence for that claim, and a disclosure if it isn't typical.
What is the best video format for supplement ads?
There's no single winner, and it's worth testing several. Label close-ups, ingredient explainers and routine videos are the easiest to keep within the rules, because they show the product rather than promise a result. Founder videos build trust when the founder is real.
Can I use AI to make supplement video ads?
Yes, and it suits the category because you mostly need new settings for the same product. Check that labels render correctly and read every line of the script, since you remain responsible for the claims whatever tool wrote them.
Sources
Meta: Health and Wellness advertising policy · Meta: Drugs and Pharmaceuticals advertising policy · FTC: Health Products Compliance Guidance. All read on 1 November 2026.