It started as a feel-good video under the Italian sun — a smiling father walking down a street with his young son, celebrating what he believed was progress.
Former Team GB boxer and Olympian Anthony Fowler, now an entrepreneur behind a CBD brand, proudly shared the clip on social media, suggesting his son’s autism had improved after a controversial treatment.
But behind the glossy image of hope, medical professionals warn there’s a troubling side to the story.
The treatment Fowler praised, known as “chelation”, isn’t a miracle — it’s an unproven and dangerous process that health experts have repeatedly condemned.
The Viral Video That Claimed a Breakthrough
In the video, Fowler is shirtless, grinning, and walking beside his son, Luca.
He tells his 189,000 Instagram followers that “chelation” helped the boy stay calm and walk peacefully with him — something he says didn’t happen before.
The implication was clear: this treatment worked wonders.
Yet what Fowler didn’t mention is that chelation therapy, which removes metals from the body, is based on a false claim — that autism is caused by hidden metal toxicity, particularly mercury.
Medical authorities say this theory has been completely debunked.
Studies show chelation can cause kidney and liver failure, heart problems, and even death.
In fact, a five-year-old British boy tragically died from the procedure in 2005 after undergoing it in Pennsylvania.
The Dangerous Side of Chelation Therapy
The NHS and the National Autistic Society are crystal clear: chelation is fake, harmful, and should never be used on anyone with autism.
Despite that, Fowler’s online posts present him as an emerging “autism expert,” claiming he’s spoken to “the best of the best” doctors across Europe.
His posts list multiple pseudoscientific theories, none supported by medical research.
Fowler’s timing was also unfortunate — he shared these claims the same week Donald Trump falsely suggested that pregnant women taking paracetamol could increase autism risk, alarming scientists worldwide.
A Backlash from Parents and the Autism Community
Fowler’s posts quickly drew criticism. Many parents and autism advocates called out the danger of giving false hope to families desperate for answers.
In response, the former Commonwealth Games gold medalist insisted he wasn’t claiming to “cure” autism — only that he wanted to help his son communicate better.
He said he was exploring multiple approaches, including the legitimate therapy Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA), alongside his unproven treatments.
Undercover Investigation Raises More Questions
When Daily Mail Sport contacted Fowler undercover — posing as relatives of an autistic child — he didn’t bring up chelation again.
Instead, he shifted focus to his own business, Supreme CBD, recommending his branded gummies as a calming aid for children.
He even offered a discount: “I’ll sort you the 3200mg gummies for £25 all in, they’d be £50 on the website,” he said, giving payment details for his company, Anthony Fowler Limited.
However, the packaging warned to “keep away from children.”
And that’s no surprise — the UK’s Medicines and Healthcare products agency (MHRA), along with the NHS and Food Standards Agency, all advise against giving CBD to anyone under 18.
The Regulatory Red Flags
Though selling CBD for children isn’t illegal, the products are unregulated supplements, not medicines.
That means there’s no guaranteed safety or effectiveness, and studies show that CBD content in such products can differ from what’s advertised.
Experts, including Professor Ian Hamilton from the University of York, expressed alarm that these products are being pushed toward parents. “It’s offering false hope,” he said.
“People assume CBD is safe because it’s linked to medicine, but as a supplement, it’s not subject to proper quality checks.”
The Influence of Celebrity Marketing
Fowler’s brand has drawn in several high-profile names — from Ricky Hatton and Matt Le Tissier to Paul Merson and Katie Price — all promoting Supreme CBD.
Yet some of these endorsements have breached advertising rules, particularly when influencers failed to disclose they were being paid or made claims about curing illnesses.
While some ambassadors have since stepped back, others continue to promote the brand online, often using discount codes that make the operation look more like a cult following than a business.
Fowler himself frequently posts shirtless videos from his luxury Spanish villa, mixing motivational messages with product promotions.
A Persona Built on Defiance and Self-Belief
Through social media, Fowler paints himself as a self-made man who overcame hardship — from a tough childhood to the grind of boxing — and found financial success through CBD.
But critics argue he’s leveraging that story to sell unregulated supplements while rejecting medical science.
Recently, he posted, “I hate the media. Don’t message me for my thoughts. F*** the media, you’re all horrible.”
The outburst came after growing scrutiny of his autism claims and business practices.
Experts Push Back Against False Promises
Researchers working in autism say messages like Fowler’s are deeply harmful. Dr Rachel Moseley of Bournemouth University explained that autism isn’t caused by toxins or medication — it’s a neurological difference people are born with.
She said, “Parents often misinterpret when symptoms become noticeable, thinking something caused it.
But their child has always been autistic — it just becomes visible later.”
Silence from Fowler as Questions Mount
Despite multiple attempts by journalists to contact him for comment, Fowler hasn’t responded.
Staff at his business confirmed he was informed of the media’s request, but as of Thursday evening, there’s been no reply.
For now, he continues to promote his CBD products online, blending wellness talk with business branding — while doctors and autism advocates warn that hope, when misdirected, can do more harm than good.