In the health and wellness world, taking supplements can be a good way to boost your vitamin intake. Especially here in the UK, when it’s not always sunny and warm, it’s actually recommended by the NHS to take a vitamin D tablet during winter to ensure you don’t become deficient in the crucial nutrient.
However, not every supplement is worth your money, as there simply isn’t enough of the good stuff in there to make a difference.
That’s according to Jordan Haworth, a gut health scientist, who has taken to Instagram to sound the alarm about certain types of supplements that he would ‘never’ buy.
Instead, he’s offered a few alternative ways to up your nutritional intake in a much better and more cost-effective way than buying costly tablets or powders.
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Psyllium capsules
Psyllium is a type of plant-based fibre that can help to ease constipation and improve digestion, according to Healthline.
However, if you want to introduce more into your diet, then it’s worth taking psyllium husk or powder instead of the capsules. Jordan explained: “Love psyllium but you need at least 10-15g per day. That’s the same as 20-30 capsules.”
You can pick up psyllium husk from Boots, adding a teaspoon into your water or smoothies for an extra boost of fibre.
Ashwagandha
This herb is often seen as being full of medicinal purposes, with many using it for thousands of years to relieve stress and improve sleep. But Jordan has warned that there are ‘no good quality studies’ proving that it works to fix either of these.
He also highlighted that there could be long-term health implications, as it may not be very safe for your liver or thyroid.
Gummies
These soft, chewy supplements might seem like a good idea if you don’t like taking tablets, but according to Jordan, they ‘never have enough’ of the key ingredient to make any kind of difference – so it’s not worth wasting your money .
Not only this, but they can also be high in sugar to mask the taste, with Jordan highlighting apple cider vinegar gummies as being the ‘worst’ for your teeth.
Own-brand prebiotics
Prebiotic supplements can be great for improving digestion and diversifying your gut microbiome. However, they’re one thing that you shouldn’t skimp on.
Jordan warned that supermarket own brand prebiotics ‘usually aren’t even real’. And if there aren’t any letters or numbers after the type of bacteria on the bottle, then don’t bother picking it up, because these letters indicate the strain that it includes.
(Image: Getty Images)
Greens powders
It’s likely that most of us will have seen some kind of greens powders advertised to us on social media, with different blends promising different results, from improved digestion to reduced bloating.
But according to Jordan, they aren’t always very high in fibre, and there is not enough of each ingredient in the blend to give you any benefits.
In the comments, he added: “It’s not bad, but it’s nothing special and it costs money. You’re better off buying a soluble fibre supplement like psyllium or PHGG.”
Collagen capsules
Finally, the last supplement that Jordan would recommend to avoid is collagen capsules, especially if you’re taking them for gut health reasons.
He explained: “I rate hydrolysed collagen for skin health, not gut health.” According to the pro, there is usually not enough collagen in a capsule or gummy to be beneficial.
In general, you need around 3-10g per day, so taking collagen in powder form tends to be more effective.