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The Ultimate Guide to Buying Supplements: What You Need to Know

9 August, 2025

From collagen powders to immune-boosting gummies, supplements are everywhere – on social media, supermarket shelves, and overflowing bathroom cabinets. Promising better sleep, glowing skin, sharper focus, or even longer life, they’re marketed as quick fixes for modern health concerns.

But are supplements worth the money? The expert answer is: it depends on several factors. As a savvy consumer, you shouldn’t believe all the hype.

While some supplements play a crucial role in specific circumstances, they are often misunderstood and frequently over-hyped. However, many people are unaware of the risks, limitations, and marketing tricks behind the labels. Here’s what consumers need to know before buying dietary supplements:

What to Know Before Buying Dietary Supplements

Start with food, not supplements
You might not realize you’re overdosing
Don’t trust social media influencers
The supplement industry prioritizes sales over science
Some supplements are unsafe for everyone

Start with Food, Not Supplements

If you can get your nutrients from your diet, that’s almost always the better choice. The UK Food Standards Agency defines supplements as products “intended to supplement the diet and are sources of nutrients and other substances with a nutritional or physiological effect.”

In other words, supplements support your diet, not replace real food. Whole foods offer more than just individual nutrients. For example, fatty fish like salmon provides omega-3 fats and also delivers protein, vitamin D, selenium, and other beneficial compounds. These substances interact in ways we don’t fully understand, and their combined effects are challenging, if not impossible, to replicate in a supplement.

Scientists have tried to isolate the “active ingredients” in fruits and vegetables to replicate their benefits in pill form, but with little success. These benefits seem to come from the whole food, not a single compound.

However, there are cases where supplementation is necessary. For example, folic acid is recommended before and during pregnancy to reduce the risk of neural tube defects in the fetus. Vitamin D is advised during winter months when sunlight is limited. Vegans may need vitamin B12, as it’s predominantly found in animal products.

You Might Not Realize You’re Overdosing

It’s much easier to overdose on supplements than on food. In the short term, this can lead to side effects like nausea or diarrhea. But long-term abuse can have serious consequences.

Many people take supplements for years without knowing if they need them or how much is too much. Fat-soluble vitamins like A, D, E, and K are stored in the body instead of being excreted.

For example, too much vitamin D can lead to calcium buildup, damaging the kidneys and heart and weakening bones. High doses of vitamin A can cause liver damage, birth defects during pregnancy, and reduced bone density.

Even water-soluble vitamins can cause issues, with long-term abuse of vitamin B6 linked to nerve damage.

Since most people don’t regularly check their blood nutrient levels, they often don’t realize something is wrong until symptoms appear.

Don’t Trust Social Media Influencers

Spend a few minutes online, and you’ll likely encounter supplement products advertised as “immune-boosting,” “natural,” or “detoxifying.” While these terms sound convincing, they lack scientific definitions and are merely marketing jargon.

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) clearly states that supplements “are not medicines” and “cannot claim to have a pharmaceutical, immunological, or metabolic action.” However, many online claims suggest otherwise. This type of marketing, sometimes called “health washing,” creates the impression that supplements possess powers they don’t actually have.

Supplements are not subject to the same testing and regulation as drugs. This means they can be poorly manufactured, incorrectly dosed, or mislabeled.

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has guidelines on how health claims, including those on social media, should be made. However, enforcement is challenging, especially with influencer marketing and affiliate programs. Multi-level marketing (MLM) schemes further complicate the issue.

Sellers, often untrained in healthcare or science, promote products with personal anecdotes instead of evidence. While ASA provides specific guidance on how MLM sellers can advertise supplements, these guidelines are often ignored, rarely enforced, and sometimes circumvented legally, resulting in some astonishing claims.

The Supplement Industry Prioritizes Sales Over Science

The global supplement market is worth over £100 billion. Like any large industry, its focus is on growth and profit. This influences how products are developed and marketed.

If a supplement truly worked, it would be recommended by doctors, not influencers. Some supplements are evidence-based, but they tend to be the less flashy ones, like iron or vitamin D.

Many others are advertised with claims that stretch far beyond research findings, often propagated by individuals untrained in nutrition or healthcare.

Some Supplements Are Unsafe for Everyone

Being available without a prescription doesn’t mean supplements are safe. Even products labeled “natural” can interact with medications or cause harm.

For example, vitamin K can interact with blood-thinning medications like warfarin. High doses of iron can cause digestive issues and interfere with the absorption of certain antibiotics.

Many supplements haven’t been tested for safety in pregnant women. Others, like high-dose vitamin A, are known to be harmful during pregnancy and can pass into breast milk. If you’re pregnant, breastfeeding, taking medication, or managing a health condition, consult your pharmacist, physician, or dietitian before starting any new supplement.

While supplements can support health in specific situations, they aren’t a cure-all. Before spending money on a product that makes grand promises, ask yourself: do you really need it, or would that money be better spent on nutritious food?