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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Lifestyle
Louise Pyne

Are your supplements the equivalent of an ultra-processed food?

In the hopes of achieving everything from improved sleep quality, to a quick energy boost, or kickstarting muscle growth after workouts, a staggering 16.1 Million Brits reach for supplements as a shortcut to overhaul health.

The industry is booming and dietary supplements now come in many different forms. As well as the capsule form we're all familiar with, they’re readily sold as liquids, effervescent tablets, sprays, powders, gummies, and even ready-made drinks. However, debate over their effectiveness means supplement taking is a pretty controversial topic. Some experts claim the benefits are limited to a placebo effect. Then there are others who believe they do us more harm than good, and there’s much debate about whether most people (unless officially diagnosed with a deficiency) even need them at all. Another growing concern is around ultra-processed supplements — which much like UPFs — are thought to be detrimental to our health.

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