Which? Should you be concerned about what's inside your supplements?
Oct 13, 2025
Shefalee Loth, a public health nutritionist at Which?, and Sophie Medlin, founder of City Dietitians, dive into the hidden world of supplement ingredients. They explore the roles of fillers, bulking agents, and additives, and the potential concerns surrounding them. Listeners learn about the safety of common bulking agents and why gummy vitamins often compromise active nutrients. The duo also shares tips for deciphering ingredient labels and highlights the growing demand for cleaner products. It's an enlightening discussion on making informed choices in supplementation!
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Additives Are Mostly Preference, Not Danger
- Non-active ingredients in supplements are usually a preference issue rather than a safety risk.
- Which and the guests found nothing unsafe in the supplements they reviewed.
Why Bulking Agents Exist
- Bulking agents make tiny-dose nutrients physically usable in capsules or tablets.
- Common bulking agents include talcum powder and cellulose, with differing consumer appeal.
Gummies Sacrifice Nutrient For Sugar
- Gummy supplements often contain several types of sugars and take up valuable space that could hold more active nutrient.
- The guests flagged gummies as the worst culprits for unnecessary additives.