Do I actually need supplements?
Start with the job you need help with, then consider food, evidence, suitability and cost.
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Before you buy a supplement: labels, overlap and claims
Compare what is in the pack, what a serving means and whether the claims deserve your money.
By SHIFT Some Timber · Sources checked . General information, not an individual assessment. This guide has not been reviewed by a clinician.
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The short answer
Compare the amount per stated daily serving, ingredients, warnings, overlap and full cost. Check with a pharmacist or clinician about suitability alongside medicines or health conditions. Food supplements should not be presented as treatments for disease.
DHSC: food supplements guidance · ASA/CAP: sports supplements
Read the serving, not just the biggest number
A large quantity on the front may describe the whole pack, an ingredient blend or several capsules. Find the daily-serving instructions and the amount of each relevant ingredient in that serving. Compare equivalent quantities. A bigger tub is not automatically better value if its servings or formulation differ.
Keep the units straight
NHS information distinguishes milligrams, micrograms and international units. A milligram is 1,000 micrograms; IU conversions depend on the vitamin. Do not compare numbers without checking the unit, and do not use a guessed conversion to decide your dose.
Check what is already in your cupboard
Put the labels of your existing products beside the proposed one. A multivitamin and another blend may contain the same nutrients. Share the complete list with a pharmacist or clinician if you need advice about suitability. Government guidance warns against taking more than recommended and highlights the need for advice with prescribed medicines or medical conditions.
Look behind the promise
ASA guidance says health claims for food and supplements must use permitted claims and meet their conditions of use. A general promise about wellbeing still needs appropriate support. A permitted claim about an ingredient does not prove that the whole product will treat a symptom or produce a particular result for you.
Turn price into something comparable
Calculate the number of stated daily servings, then compare the total delivered cost for that period. Check allergens, ingredients you want to avoid, the format and whether you would actually use it. Convenience and taste can matter, but they are different from evidence of a health benefit.
A short buying checklist
Can I explain what this product is for? Do I know what is in one daily serving? Have I checked warnings and overlap? Does the claim match the evidence? Do I understand the total cost? If a symptom or test result is driving the decision, have I had the right professional conversation first? You do not need a full shelf of products to make progress.
Sources and scope
Source checking is separate from clinical review. Linked guidance may change. Product instructions and service availability must be checked on the current product or provider page.
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