Do your supplements do what they say?

Are you someone who believes what they read on the label of a product – ie ‘it does what it says’? Or are you a sceptic? With so much information now being available to consumers on labels due to recent legislation, it would seem that most of us trust what the label says. However, maybe it is time to think again.

It seems that trusted High Street names such as Boots and Superdrug are apparently misleading millions of customers who buy their health supplements.

This is according to research by Whatsinit.com, a new, independent online supplement analysis company, backed by some of the most respected scientists in the UK and America.

Over the last six months, Whatsinit.com has tested a number of joint care supplements on sale at various UK retailers, including independent health food stores, major supermarkets, high street retailers, mail order companies and internet based suppliers - in a bid to examine who is and isn’t misleading the consumer in their labelling.

Whatsinit.com found that tests on combined Chondroitin and Glucosamine supplements – which help sufferers of joint problems - showed the most shocking results.

Boots and Superdrug were two of the biggest names to fall short of their products’ label claims – both containing less than the legally required 95 per cent of active ingredient, in this case Glucosamine, featured on their product’s label.
The study has revealed that in certain categories six out of eight joint supplements tested failed to meet their label claims – distressing news to millions of supplement users across the UK.

With 24,000 dietary supplements currently on the market, joint supplements account for 40 per cent of the UK’s £300 million health supplement industry and there is no other regulated testing of these supplements.

Nutraceutical expert and Whatsinit.com chairman, David Haythornthwaite, believes the new service will act as a wakeup call to the health supplement industry.

David said: “Our research reveals startling results. Consumers are being misled about the levels of active ingredients contained in their supplements.”

“Our online supplement analysis portal identifies the products that stand true to their label claims and deliver best value for money. Whatsinit.com has been launched to help demystify the supplements market – providing a scientifically credible, no nonsense guide to consumers. Only products that meet 95 per cent of the stated label claim are included in the rankings, which take the form of a regularly updated list of ‘top ten best buys’ and details of nearest stockists. “

The wholly independent website does not rely on advertising for income, but instead offers three different types of subscriptions to its results service, allowing subscribers to see in detail whether their favourite products have passed or failed.

The view of a supplement user

John Ingham, 71, from Chorley in Lancashire, is a retired businessman and keen golfer. He lives with his wife and step-son, less than 100 yards from his local golf club. He leads an active retirement lifestyle, playing golf almost every day and frequently taking golfing holidays in the UK abroad. He also walks the dog daily and spends much of his spare time gardening.

John has been taking combined chrondroitin and glucosamine supplements every day for more than five years, to help keep his joints supple. He has always purchased his preferred brand from a local health store that sells supplements from an American manufacturer that produces private label supplements for small retailers.

On hearing about the Whatsinit.com test results, John said: “I’m very surprised by the results I’ve seen because to be honest I always believed I could trust what it said on the label. It’s worrying that people can’t always tell what’s contained in the tablets they’ve been taking in good faith.

“I’m quite sure that my joints have been better while I’ve been taking supplements but, at the end of the day, good health isn’t something you can take lightly and you need to know that a product will do what it says on the tin.
“I think this just highlights the need for more testing – there has been lots of talk in the news about food labeling in recent years but I haven’t heard anything being said about the quality standards of health supplements, which millions of us rely on.”

What’s next

Whatsinit.com is set to take the supplement industry by storm over the next 12 months, examining a range of supplements to see if they make the grade, across a number of categories including:

Omega oils (3,6 and 9), Weight loss, Co-Q10, Ginseng, Milk Thistle, Menopause and Pregnancy.
If you are interested in any of these keep you eyes peeled for the results of the investigations.

To find out more, visit www.whatsinit.com

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