Do you really need a supplement for that?

More of us are buying and popping supplements in the UK than ever, but are they doing more harm than good? Amelia Jean Jones investigates

Fruity gums that make your hair shine, fizzy tablets that stop a cold in its tracks and moreish syrups to boost energy when you’re burnt out… these days, supermarket supplement aisles look more like wellness sweet shops.

It’s a market that’s booming. According to research,* 59% of Brits took vitamins, minerals and supplements in 2018, with 38% of women likely to pop a pill every day.

But do we really need them? Or are we pouring our money into something that, at best, is simply a placebo and, at worst, is actually harming us? Most experts agree that if you already have enough of a nutrient in your body, taking extra via supplements cannot add any health benefits. And a US study† estimated that 23,000 patients a year attended accident and emergency departments after suffering adverse events related to dietary supplements between 2004 and 2013 – with one in four being young adults aged 20 to 34. Plus, supplements aren’t as strictly regulated as medicines, meaning “a product only has to contain a tiny amount of a certain ingredient to make a health claim about it,” explains Simon White, chief nutritional scientist at supplement brand Lyma. “The rest of the ingredients can be cheap, and contain harmful fillers to bulk out the product.” More worryingly, they can also clash with prescribed medicines. But surely a £442 million UK market isn’t built on nothing? Are there times when you should pop a pill? We spoke to the experts to get the lowdown on the most common ailments, supplements, and more.