There was a story that did the media rounds a few weeks back, based on a new report by consumer magazine, Which?
I read it in The Times, but it was replicated elsewhere online, so you probably spotted it, too.
The original report was headlined, ‘The health products you don’t need.’
As you can imagine, I was eager to find out what the verdict was!
The Which? report begins, “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.”
After that strong opening salvo, it slams drinkable vitamin shots as being a waste of time.
An example is Moju’s Immunity drink, which costs £2 per shot in Ocado), but which “contains a range of vitamins you could get much cheaper elsewhere.”
And yes, this is absolutely true.
What you are effectively paying for is a very small juice with vitamins in it – which is an expensive way to go about supplementation.
For me, it’s an example of how the food industry capitalises on the health-conscious market, creating a trendy product that looks good on the shelves and makes people feel like they’re doing something positive while they’re buying a sandwich and crisps for lunch.
The article basically says you may as well buy the tablets – however, it doesn’t mention that vitamin supplements are not just one universal thing – if you buy a lab-synthesised tablet, for instance, it’s not the same as a whole-food derived capsule.
My advice, as always, is to go for high quality, whole food-based supplements from reputable UK company – my favourite being Together Health.
You can see their range on our Good Life Letter Shop here.
The second target on the Which report was ‘Hair loss solutions’, including caffeine shampoo and rosemary oil.
Can Shampoo Really Restore Your Hair?
The report argues that “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.”
Okay – that’s certainly true.
I can attest to my own lack of success with natural hair restoration – but….
The article admits that for some people, these remedies CAN have an effect – at least in terms of having healthier hair and hair follicles.
So what Which? are really complaining about here is the claims on the bottles.
Again, you could read it ‘at a glance’ and assume that there is nothing you can put on your hair to help your scalp, which isn’t true.
As always, I advise that you try out natural remedies to see what works for you.
This is why we always offer a money-back guarantee trial on anything we sell from our shop – so that it allows you to track the results for a few weeks (and sometimes a lot longer) without financial risk.
Do Supermarket Mushroom Products Do the Job?
Next up, the Which? report ‘seems’ to attack Lion’s Mane, Chaga and other ‘functional’ mushrooms.
However, to directly quote the article, “they do have potential benefits, there isn’t enough evidence yet”.
They also point out that Frankie Phillips from the British Dietetic Association says that mushrooms “may contain beneficial nutrients such as antioxidants and beta-glucan”.
That’s not the same as saying that they are snake oil, or that there is nothing to them.
What Which? is really arguing is the claims on the packaging for many mushroom products are actually based on OTHER ingredients like omega-3 and vitamins B12 and D.
And that’s fair enough.
Which is why you need to be selective about the medicinal mushroom products you choose – ideally avoid ones for sale on supermarket shelves that are padded out with other ingredients and buy high-quality mushroom powder instead.
Next up…
Why the Claims on Targeted Pain Relief Capsules Don’t Stack Up
The Which? report turns its attention to targeted oral painkillers.
“You’re essentially paying for packaging,” it argues, because “Oral painkillers can’t target specific areas of the body.”
Again, this is true.
Manufacturers sell paracetamol and ibuprofen that are designed tackle specific types of pain – for instance back pain, joint pain, period pain or headache.
But this is simply a way they can charge you more money.
“Pick an own-brand or generic with the same active ingredient and strength, and you can save nearly 50%” says Which?
However, I would challenge the idea that targeted pain relief isn’t possible.
Because while oral painkillers might not be able to reach specific parts of the body, the same cannot be said for topical pain relief.
We know from the many emails and testimonials we get that topical creams like Advance 7 (which you rub on painful parts of the body,) work really well.
For example, we have 23 verified customer reviews for Advance 7 Massage Gel which includes comments like these:
“This cream has helped with the terrible pain in my joints.”
“Only being using a short time and already feel benefit to my osteoarthritis.”
“Quite effective on muscle strain.”
“It has made a real difference to my aching knees, and has helped with both my mobility, and sleep!”
“An absolute marvel! I thought that if helps 96% of people, I had a good chance of being helped too, and I was right.”
“My pain levels have reduced, and I can actually stand still again, without hopping from leg to leg to stop the pain.”
So as you can see, there IS a way to target pain – just not through overpriced pills in the supermarket.
Overall, I thought the Which? report was good because it warns of how manufactures use smoke and mirrors to make claims on their packaging.
But the downside is the way that this information has been reported in the media.
When viewed ‘at-a-glance’, it can seem to many readers like supplements, mushrooms and pain relief products don’t work.
Yet when you look properly at the article, this is far from the case!
