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Other manufacturers use clever language and font sizes to exaggerate the effect that some ingredients have.
So although only a small minority of people actually need supplements, a third of adults in our survey told us they regularly take them. The supplements industry was valued at �385 million in 2012.
Misleading claims
The most popular supplements people take are multivitamins, glucosamine supplements for joint health, and probiotic tablets and drinks.
However, all health claims relating to glucosamine and joint health have been rejected by the EU. Claims that probiotics improve digestive health were also rejected.
In the past five years, products (food, drink and supplements) that want to carry a health claim have had to submit the evidence behind that claim to the EU's European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). More than 44,000 health claims were originally submitted, and only 248 have so far been approved by the EU.
Supplements for joints
The EFSA panel rejected claims that glucosamine and chondroitin help support healthy joints, help support flexible joints and reduce inflammation in joints. However, 94% of adults in our survey who take glucosamine supplements believe that glucosamine supports healthy joints and cartilage.
- Seven Seas JointCare Active heavily advertises the ingredients glucosamine, omega-3 and chondroitin on the front of the pack above the health claim 'supports muscles, bones & cartilage to keep you moving'. Underneath, in much smaller text, the packaging states 'with vitamins C & D, Manganese and Zinc' - these are the ingredients for which the health claim is authorised.
- Optima ActivJuice Juice for Joints advertises glucosamine on the front of the pack with the health claim 'helps improve joint cartilage function'. On the back of the pack it says '...with glucosamine & vitamin C to provide a refreshing way to maintain normal function of cartilage in joints, bone, skin, teeth and blood vessels'. But this claim is only approved for vitamin C, not glucosamine.
Glucosamine supplements can cost up to �1 a day. A multivitamin that contains vitamin C, D, manganese and zinc - the active ingredients in these supplements - can cost as little as 3p a day. This works out as up to �354 cheaper a year.
To see other products we found that were misleading or confusing visit our gallery of food supplements you don't need.
Which? says
Which? executive director Richard Lloyd said: 'Which? campaigned for health claims on these products to be backed up by scientific evidence, so it�s disappointing that manufacturers are using clever language to imply unproven benefits.
We would like to see all ambiguous and exaggerated claims completely removed from all food supplement packaging, so consumers can feel confident they are getting a fair deal in the products they buy.'
This Article was originally published at - which.co.uk


Dietary supplements are extremely troublesome to stay aware of. There are always new elements, or old ones, that have been discovered to treat this indication or diminish that pain.
Suffering with a joint pain for a longer period of time is a quite uncomfortable and painful phenomenon, especially for the people who have very active lifestyles. People use a lot of medication to get over with this pain that later becomes a serious hurdle in their personal and professional growth. There are lots of drugs available in the market that claim to provide an immediate relief but the relief may not be long lasting or it may have a lot of side effects on the other parts of the body. In fact, most of these drugs fail to address the real cause behind the joint pain. A lot of products have been introduced to provide natural remedies to fill this gap but most of them remained unsuccessful. However a leading dietary supplement manufacturing brand has come up with a very strong and effective Supplement called "Cellaplex" to cure joints pain.








