Maria Katrina Paras

How to Shop Supplements, According to an Expert

Article (news)

Scroll through TikTok or Instagram long enough, and you’ll probably land on someone’s morning supplement stack: collagen in coffee, magnesium before bed, greens powder in a Stanley cup, maybe a lineup of capsules arranged with the same care as skincare. It looks aspirational, even soothing. But the better question is not what is everyone taking? It is: what do I actually need?<div> </div><div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/17842855459781.png" style="width:700px" class="fr-fic fr-dib fr-rounded" width="700"/>Supplements are products taken in addition to one’s regular diet to support nutrition, wellness, or specific health needs.</div>Supplements are popular for a reason. According to <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db561.htm" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">recent U.S. health survey data</a>, 60.2% of adults reported using at least one dietary supplement, while 38.7% used two or more. But common does not always mean necessary or harmless.“Most of us can get our required nutrients via our diet,” obesity medicine physician Dr. Fatima Cody Stanford told the <a href="https://www.ama-assn.org/public-health/prevention-wellness/what-doctors-want-patients-know-about-vitamins-and-supplements" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">American Medical Association</a>, emphasizing that a balanced pattern of good proteins, whole grains, fruits, and vegetables often covers the basics. That doesn’t mean supplements have no place. It just means they should be chosen with intention, not influence.A good first rule: shop for a gap, not a trend. Before buying what an influencer calls “life-changing,” ask what problem you are trying to solve. Low iron? Vitamin D deficiency? Sleep support? Restricted diet? A supplement makes the most sense when it answers a specific need, ideally confirmed by symptoms, diet history, medication use, or lab work.<div> </div><div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1784285766457How to Shop Supplements.jpg" style="width:700px" class="fr-fic fr-dib fr-rounded" width="700"/>Supplement shopping can get overwhelming.</div>This matters because more is not always better. A <a href="https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMsa1504267" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">New England Journal of Medicine study </a>estimated that dietary supplements were linked to about 23,000 emergency department visits in the U.S. every year. And for Filipinos taking maintenance medicine, this is where supplement shopping needs extra care. “Natural” does not always mean harmless: some supplements can interfere with prescription drugs and affect how well they work. One example is <a href="https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/st-johns-wort" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">St. John’s wort</a>, an herbal supplement often sold abroad for mood support, which has been linked to interactions with certain antidepressants, blood thinners, HIV medications, transplant drugs, and oral contraceptives. <div> </div><div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/17842858163552.png" style="width:700px;display:block;height:auto" class="fr-fic fr-dib fr-rounded" width="700"/>Food supplements should be viewed with discernment based on personal health needs, not consumer trends.</div>When comparing products, look beyond the front label and check the basics: the active ingredient, serving size, expiration date, allergen information, manufacturer or distributor, and FDA registration details. This is especially important when buying from drugstores, beauty retailers, or online shops where imported bottles and viral “wellness stacks” can look more convincing than they really are. In the Philippines, food supplements should not be treated like medicine, so watch for the familiar reminder: “<a href="https://www.fda.gov.ph/fda-advisory-no-2025-1552-public-health-warning-against-the-advertisement-promotion-marketing-and-use-of-food-dietary-supplements-for-therapeutic-purposes-and-indications/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">No Approved Therapeutic Claims</a>”. You can also check whether a product or company is listed on the <a href="https://www.fda.gov.ph/click-check-confirm-inside-the-fdas-digital-leap-towards-safer-products/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">FDA Verification Portal</a> before adding it to your cart.A multivitamin that stays close to your daily needs is usually more sensible than one promising megadoses, unless your doctor specifically recommends it. For Filipino consumers, the more practical first step is still to check the ingredient list, dosage, registration status, and whether the brand is making claims that sound too close to a cure.Finally, be wary of “before-and-after” marketing, especially the kind that thrives on TikTok, Instagram, and live selling. A <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2820369" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">JAMA Network Open</a><a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2820369" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"></a> cohort study following more than 390,000 generally healthy adults found that daily multivitamin use was not associated with a lower risk of death. Meanwhile, the <a href="https://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/uspstf/recommendation/vitamin-supplementation-to-prevent-cvd-and-cancer-preventive-medication" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">U.S. Preventive Services Task Force</a> has said there is insufficient evidence that many vitamin and mineral supplements prevent cardiovascular disease or cancer, and it recommends against beta-carotene or vitamin E for that purpose. In other words, a supplement can support a routine, but it should not replace food, sleep, movement, and checkups.The most expert way to shop for supplements, then, is surprisingly unglamorous: start with food, assess your actual needs, consult your personal health authorities, choose tested products, and resist the stack just because it looks good on camera.Wellness should not feel like a haul. Sometimes, the smartest thing you can add to your routine is a little more discernment.

Overwhelmed when you try to shop for supplements? Look no further!

Overwhelmed when you try to shop for supplements? Look no further!

How to Choose the Right Supplements: A Smart Shopper's Guide According to Experts

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How to Choose the Right Supplements: A Smart Shopper's Guide According to Experts

Danah Gutierrez

Published July 17, 2026 07:00 PM PHT

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Updated July 17, 2026 07:02 PM PHT

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