The health products you don't need

From rosemary hair oil that suggests it can cure hair loss to vitamin drinks that cost more per millilitre than champagne,  wellness products are big business.

But while slick packaging might promise a world of health benefits, our research suggests that in many cases there isn’t currently robust-enough evidence to justify the price. Or, you can just as easily get the same benefits elsewhere for less. 

We looked at a range of trending health products and asked experts to give their opinions on the claims being made. Find out what’s worthwhile – and what you can safely leave on the shelf.

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Vitamin shots that cost more than champagne 

Shop shelves are heaving with ranks of juice ‘shots’ that claim to boost your immune system. Many cost around £2 for a 60ml shot, which is more expensive per ml than our top Best Buy champagne. But in the examples we looked at the main ingredient was typically fruit juice. 

Moju’s Immunity drink, which costs £2 for a 'shot' (Ocado), contains a range of vitamins you could get much cheaper elsewhere. Added vitamins aren’t necessary for most healthy people, with the exception of Vitamin D (which the NHS recommends all people take throughout winter in the UK) - and you can buy vitamin D tablets for around 2p a dose.  

The Turmeric Co claims its turmeric shots (£1.95 for 60ml at Sainsbury's) with added vitamins can reduce inflammation and bloating. Making claims about curcumin, the active ingredient in turmeric, is permitted as it is an ‘on-hold claim’ (meaning it’s under consideration), but that doesn’t mean the evidence is conclusive. Either way, it’s an expensive way to get vitamins. 

Moju said: ‘On a like-for-like basis, supplements are indeed cheaper than shots, but there are many other reasons people are choosing to buy [shots], such as taste and convenience.’ The Turmeric Co. didn’t respond to our request for comment.

Hair loss shampoos and oils

Hair loss solutions are big business, and in recent years, rosemary oil has shot to fame as the latest 'it' ingredient.

But there isn't a one-size-fits-all solution for hair loss or thinning hair because it can be caused by a wide variety of factors specific to the individual. It can also self-resolve, in some cases, or can't be prevented at all. 

Be wary of vague claims around ‘revitalising hair’, such as Weleda's Revitalising Hair Tonic (£13.95 for 100ml at Boots). And while social media sensation HairSyrup’s Grows-Mary shampoo (£15.50 for 100ml, Hairsyrup) claims its rosemary oil is as effective as minoxidil (one of only two clinically proven ingredients recommended by the NHS for some types of hair loss), hair-loss expert Victoria Scott, from the Institute of Trichologists, says this isn’t accurate. In theory, she said, as rosemary oil is anti-inflammatory, it could help anyone with inflammation-related hair loss, but that is likely to be a small subset.  

As for caffeine shampoo, there’s some evidence (mostly brand-funded) that it can help people whose hair is sensitive to the hormone dihydrotestosterone, which can shrink hair follicles and stilt growth. However, its effectiveness is not clinically proven by large-scale independent studies, and in 2018, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) ruled that Alpecin could no longer advertise its ability to reduce hair loss. 

Weleda told us its product was clinically proven to reduce hair loss and strengthen hair. ‘What many people experience as hair loss can, in fact, be hair breakage,’ the brand told us, ‘so a product that supports a healthy scalp with nourishing natural ingredients can help minimise that kind of problem.'

Hair Syrup said: ‘While we advocate the potential benefits of rosemary oil for certain individuals, we always stress that a large amount of this is [based on] anecdotal, singular evidence.’ Asked about the claim that rosemary oil is as effective as minoxidil, which we saw on the Hair Syrup’s website, it said the claim was referring to rosemary oil, not the product itself.

Alpecin didn't respond to our requests for comment.

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Lion's Mane, Chaga and other 'functional' mushrooms

It’s hard to miss ‘mushroom mania’, with supplements made from mushrooms, including reishi, lion’s mane and chaga, increasingly populating pharmacy and health-store shelves. 

But while they do have potential benefits, there isn’t enough evidence yet to suggest they work – and the vast majority don’t have authorised health claims in the UK. 

Brands are allowed to make some claims about reishi mushrooms, as this ingredient is under review. But look closely and you'll find packaging claims for other mushroom supplements are often based on other everyday ingredients which do have authorised health claims, such as omega-3, vitamin B12 and D, rather than the mushrooms themselves. 

Frankie Phillips from the British Dietetic Association says that while they may contain beneficial nutrients such as antioxidants and beta-glucan, mushrooms are essentially ‘incidental’ in many of these types of supplements. 

Take Grass & Co’s Focus lion’s mane supplement (£24.50 for 30 servings, Holland and Barrett). It contains added vitamin B12 and omega-3, which allows the brand to claim that it helps with brain fog because both those ingredients are proven to contribute to normal psychological and brain function. 

Dirtea's Lion’s Mane powder (£39.99 for 30 servings) doesn’t contain any added extras and the claims it makes are less direct and more suggestive as a result. But last year, the ASA banned a number of the brand’s social media ads for implying its product could prevent, treat or cure conditions such as anxiety and dementia. 

Grass & Co told us that its supplements were ‘naturally rich in beta-D-glucan polysaccharides, triterpenoids, antioxidants, vitamins and amino acids’ and that, while it ‘recognises research on functional mushrooms is evolving’, it was ‘encouraged by the growing body of evidence that demonstrates the potential health benefits’. It added that it was in the process of conducting its own clinical trials. 

Dirtea said that it was confident its products had a ‘profound impact’ on many people’s lives and that it was committed to ‘supporting rigorous scientific research to further understand and validate the health benefits of [functional mushroom] products.’

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Collagen supplements and creams

Some studies support the effectiveness of collagen supplements for healthy bones, joints and skin, but the benefits are currently unproven by large-scale independent studies, with many trials funded by brands. 

That hasn’t stemmed the tide of expensive supplements and creams on offer - some of which could cost more than an annual car insurance bill (Absolute Collagen, which claims one of its supplements is taken every two seconds, costs £53.98 for a one-month supply.)

But collagen may not be the skincare panacea it’s claimed to be. When applied topically, collagen molecules are too big to penetrate the outer layer of skin, Dr Thivi Maruthappu, from the British Cosmetic Dermatology Group, told us. 

Manufacturers sometimes break the molecules down into peptides, but even then, it’s unlikely they can reach deep layers of skin to effect long-lasting change. Meanwhile, collagen creams often include other ingredients, such as glycerin for hydration and retinol for rejuvenation, which may explain any visible cosmetic improvement. 

When taken orally, as with supplements like Absolute Collagen, the extent to which collagen is digested isn’t known. And as one of the most abundant proteins in the body, there’s no way it can be targeted at wrinkles. Dr Maruthappu says the labels on some supplements have claims based on other added ingredients – such as zinc and vitamins B and C – which are known to help maintain skin health (and have approved health claims to this effect). 

Absolute Collagen spokesperson, Dr Dave Reilly PhD - Senior Scientist, Clinical Trials Manager and NPD Lead, said: “There are various independent studies and peer-reviewed publications on collagen's digestion, absorption, and bioavailability (example here). These show that collagen is digested until only the amino acid building blocks, and a small number of peptides can cross out of the small intestines and into the surrounding bloodstream, and peptides larger than this cannot be transported into the bloodstream. Hence, Absolute Collagen contains Hydrolysed collagen peptides, which are digested in the gut until the peptides are small enough to be absorbed.”

'Detox' teas

The wellness industry would have us believe that we all need to detox our bodies, but this isn’t true. Our liver, kidneys and digestive systems do that for us already. 

That hasn’t stopped numerous brands from marketing their teas as ‘detox’ products.

The ASA, which regulates advertising claims in the UK (but not packaging), told us its position is that ‘no product can detox the human body’. As a result, it has taken action against a number of brand ads, including ads taken out by Pukka, which used to have a Detox tea, but has now renamed it Feel New. Twinings, however, still has a Detox tea in its range.

If you drink these teas because you like the taste, then go ahead. But, as Shefalee Loth, Which? nutritionist, says: ‘There’s no evidence that detox teas offer any benefits.’ 

Twinings told us it was 'aware of the spectrum of opinions and guidance relating to detox products in general, and we’re in the process of reviewing our Detox blend in light of these.’ Pukka said it had 'led the industry in renaming “Detox” five years ago, even when the term for our tea was approved by Trading Standards.'

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Targeted painkillers 

When you buy targeted oral painkillers, you’re essentially paying for packaging. 

Leading pain specialist and former Oxford University senior research fellow Dr Andrew Moore points out, ‘it’s impossible to formulate for headache, or joint pain, or period pain’. Oral painkillers can't target specific areas of the body, but even so, manufacturers sell paracetamol and ibuprofen for specific types of pain, even though they contain the same active ingredient. 

This can be helpful if you’re quickly scanning a shelf for a solution, but it can also needlessly cost you more. 

Dr Moore says that it can be worth paying extra for ibuprofen lysine, which he says is a more effective formulation of the drug, but you don’t need to spend more on a branded version marketed for a specific pain. 

Pick an own-brand or generic with the same active ingredient and strength, and you can save nearly 50%. 

Take Tesco own-brand ibuprofen lysine, which costs £2.25 for 12, while Tesco 'Migraine Relief' costs £2.35 for the same thing (with the same active ingredient). The equivalent pack of Nurofen migraine relief pills is £4.  

Which are the best painkillers - aspirin, ibuprofen or paracetamol?

Marketing tricks to watch out for

Brands spend vast sums of money to convince you to buy their products. Here are some common marketing techniques to watch out for:

• Fancy packaging and branding. This alone doesn’t indicate quality, although it can have great suggestive power. If you are comparing two products, check what they contain. Take painkillers: a generic pack can cost as little as 39p, while the branded version can cost 10 times more despite containing the same active ingredient. 

• Pricing. Premium pricing implies quality and can make us feel like we’re investing in something special or aspirational. Sometimes, that’s the case – but not always. If slick ads and products pop up on your social media, it’s worth checking if you can buy the same type of product elsewhere for less. 

• Vague claims and the power of suggestion. This can be persuasive, whether it’s the use of medical-sounding terminology and design (see Moju’s ‘doses’ of Immunity juice) or vague phrases such as ‘may help to’. Often, brands will avoid stating fact. Ask yourself: is that because they can’t?

• Self-funded studies. Brands will often quote their own studies, but these don’t always stand up to scrutiny. Products hailed as ‘clinically proven’ may be basing this on self-funded trials. In the past, the ASA has banned brands from making claims about the efficacy of products based on these kinds of submitted studies. 

• Customer reviews. Brands use positive reviews in marketing, because obviously they’re not going to use negative ones. It’s worth doing extra research before you make up your mind. On retailer sites, watch out for reviews that are piped in from the brand’s own site or based on the reviewer receiving a free product. 

How to spot a fake review - tips on navigating online reviews safely

Note: originally published 1 May 2024, but updated to correct a pricing error. We incorrectly stated juice shots were more expensive per ml than Moët & Chandon champagne, but this isn't the case. They are however pricier than our top Best Buy champagne.