CAPE TOWN - The first day of a two-day Health Professions Council South Africa (HPCSA) hearing into the professional conduct of sports science expert Tim Noakes is under way in Cape Town.

The hearing looks into a complaint about Noakes allegedly giving dietary advice on social media.

The Association for Dietetics in SA laid the complaint with the health council.

It's accusing Noakes of unprofessional conduct after he suggested a mother wean her baby with a low carb, high fat diet, via Twitter.

@PippaLeenstra @SalCreed Baby doesn't eat the dairy and cauliflower. Just very healthy high fat breast milk. Key is to ween baby onto LCHF

— Tim Noakes (@ProfTimNoakes) February 5, 2014

If found guilty, the medical doctor and  UCT professor faces losing his right to practise.

Thanks Jan. We've trained hard and are ready! Privilege to work with team of legal experts who understand importance https://t.co/iBwcUepnc5

— Tim Noakes (@ProfTimNoakes) June 3, 2015

eNCA