Top tips on how to avoid buying fake supplements online, as advised by a health expert
The Yahoo Shopping team loves shopping and especially appreciates the convenience of online shopping. Imagine the immediate gratification of same-day deliveries (Hello Amazon Singapore), deep savings using vouchers and credit card promotions (Hey there, Shopee and Lazada) and the smorgasbord variety of products from the WWW at your fingertips (iherb, here’s looking at you)!
As avid online shoppers ourselves, we understand that it is a shopping minefield out there. That's why we always advise shoppers to practise due caution, especially when shopping for supplements online. Yahoo Shopping spoke with a Naturopathic Nutrition Advisor from Nano Singapore, Dr John Lee who shares unreservedly the common misconceptions about dietary supplements, pitfalls of shopping for health supplements online, and expert tips on how to prevent spending truckloads of money on fake products online. We hope you benefit from his advice as much as we did.
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Yahoo Shopping: What are some common misconceptions about health supplements?
A) More is always better
Too much of a good thing can be a bad thing. Vitamins A, D, E, and K are not water-soluble, and our bodies may have difficulties excreting the excess. In addition, the build-up over time can lead to toxicity. Vitamin D toxicity, for instance, may cause bone pain and kidney stones. Even water-soluble vitamins like Vitamin C can also cause side effects such as diarrhoea, nausea, and vomiting if taken in excess.
B) Natural is always better
Many believe that products labelled as 'natural' are free of ‘chemicals’. Here’s the deal – natural medicines, just like laboratory-produced products, are made up of chemicals too. This is a reminder to cast aside the preconceived notion that "natural is always better".
C) Supplements from natural sources will not interact with medications
This may be, in part, related to the belief that "natural is better". St. John's wort is a natural remedy commonly used for depression and mood disorders. It is available for purchase over the counter in dietary supplements. Still, in other countries such as France, its use in products has been banned due to concerns regarding drug interaction. In addition, there are grounds for concern that this ingredient may reduce the efficacies of drugs such as warfarin (an anticoagulant) and theophylline (a medication for obstructive lung diseases). This can be potentially life-threatening!
Rule of thumb: Consult your health practitioner whenever you wish to start a course of supplements, especially if you have any pre-existing conditions.
What should we watch out for when purchasing supplements online?
If something sounds too good to be true, it usually is. So refrain from buying supplements that claim to work better than drugs and cure incurable diseases.
We should also learn to read and research ingredient labels, look into the active ingredients and the current scientific data backing them, and look at the inactive ingredients for potential harmful fillers that may adversely affect our health. A quick discussion with your doctor is also recommended to avoid buying something that you may not need, or worse, something that may be detrimental to your health.
Where you buy it from is also crucial. Counterfeit products masquerading as their authentic counterparts at a much-discounted price, expired products re-labelled with new fake expiry dates, and stolen products that are no longer monitored for safety and quality may mean that you are not getting what you are paying for. Beware of buying from untrusted websites. Instead, opt for buying directly from manufacturers, authorised distributors, or healthcare professionals.
How can we avoid buying supplements made with a large percentage of fillers?
Fillers or bulking agents are used to increasing the capsule's size, reduce manufacturing costs, and achieve the desired consistency without clumping separation. Other common additives found in supplements include binders, flow agents, and colourants. These inactive ingredients are usually present in small amounts which do not adversely affect our health. However, it would still be prudent to be aware of a few common offenders, such as:
A) Artificial colourants
Artificial colourants offset colour loss due to exposure to light and air. A few examples of these that you may look out for in your vitamin gummies and energy drinks include FD&C Blue No.1 and 2, FD&C Green No. 3, and FD&C Red No. 3 40. They offer no nutritional value but have been linked to behavioural issues in kids (such as hyperactivity) so much that European lawmakers have made it mandatory to include a warning label on the packaging if the product contains artificial dyes!
B) Microcrystalline cellulose
Another common additive to look out for is microcrystalline cellulose, often used as a bulking agent. It is mostly just fibre; it passes through our alimentary tract without being absorbed. Aside from the fact that it offers little to no medicinal value, individuals with inflammatory bowel conditions may find themselves with aggravated symptoms, usually resulting from ingesting multiple different pills containing the mentioned additive.
C) Hydrogenated oils
Hydrogenated oils are also often used to lower production costs and prolong the shelf life of supplements. Partially hydrogenated soybean oil is one of the most widely used fillers, showing up in many supplements. Unfortunately, hydrogenated oil is heavy in trans-fat, which raises the bad cholesterol (LDL) and lowers the good cholesterol (HDL) – this may spell trouble as it increases the consumers’ cardiovascular risk.
A quick look at the ingredient labels in the inactive ingredient section can quickly alert us to their presence.
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About Dr John Lee, Naturopathic Nutrition Advisor, Nano Singapore
Dr John Lee is passionate about transforming people’s lives through simple, natural health nutrition and guiding people to be the best version of themselves. His naturopathic philosophy is to make health simple, sustainable, and fun. Dr John Lee graduated with a Degree In Doctor Of Medicine from the National University of Malaysia. He worked 6 years with the Ministry of Health, Malaysia, before joining BP HealthCare, the largest medical diagnostic chain in Southeast Asia.
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The content on this page is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. You should always seek advice from a qualified healthcare provider on queries regarding a medical condition. Any action taken by you in reliance on or in connection with this content is solely at your own risk.
