Britons are taking more health supplements than ever before, often because of advice from social media influencers, a survey has found.
Products range from traditional supplements like daily multivitamin and mineral tablets to more unusual ones, such as capsules made from lion’s mane mushrooms.
Nearly three-quarters of people take at least one supplement and a quarter are using three or more supplements, according to the survey by Bupa.
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world news
Far-right AfD party set to win German state election
Caption: Ulrich Siegmund, far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD)’s main candidate in the Saxony-Anhalt state election, speaks to delegates during the federal congress of Generation Germany, the youth organization of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, in Magdeburg, eastern Germany, on August 29, 2026. (Photo by Jens SCHL??TER / AFP via Getty Images)
Photographer: JENS SCHLUTER
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An election in eastern Germany on Sunday could produce the country’s first far-right state governor since WW2.
The Alternative for Germany (AfD) party’s candidate, Ulrich Siegmund, has been branded “the most dangerous man in Germany” by newspaper Der Spiegel.
What you need to know
The AfD is on course for a resounding victory in Saxony-Anhalt on Sunday.
If it wins a majority in the regional parliament, it will be in charge of the police, schools, the asylum system, civic funding and the state’s public broadcaster.
Siegmund, 35, proclaims he wants a return to politics “from the people, for the people”.
The Expat Files
4 min read
What are its policies?
The AfD’s manifesto includes radical policies such as segregating disabled pupils into separate schools. Students will also be taught “patriotism and national pride”.
Caption: People look on during a campaign rally of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party ahead of Germany’s Saxony-Anhalt state election, in Naumburg, Germany August 24, 2026. REUTERS/Annegret Hilse
Photographer: Annegret Hilse
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Source: REUTERS
Caption: Far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party’s main candidate Ulrich Siegmund greets supporters as he arrives for a debate on MDR regional TV in Magdeburg, eastern Germany on August 26, 2026. Saxony-Anhalt will go to the polls in the regional elections on September 6, 2026. (Photo by Ronny HARTMANN / AFP via Getty Images)
Photographer: RONNY HARTMANN
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It has also called for a “remigration offensive” to send migrants back to their home countries – including refugees from Ukraine.
The manifesto also includes ending the right to asylum.
What happens if the AfD wins?
The party’s likely win in Saxony-Anhalt is seen as a blueprint for an ambitious programme to sweep elections in other federal states, according to a leaked internal memo.
Critics have warned it could be the beginning of a wider political movement in Germany.
Caption: Ulrich Siegmund (L), far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD)’s main candidate in the Saxony-Anhalt state election and Sven Schulze, Saxony-Anhalt’s State Premier and Christian Democratic Union’s (CDU) main candidate in the Saxony-Anhalt state election take part in a head-to-head debate on MDR regional TV in the Broadcasting Center Saxony-Anhalt in Magdeburg, on August 26, 2026, ahead of the upcoming state elections. Saxony-Anhalt will go to the polls in the regional elections on September 6, 2026. (Photo by Ronny HARTMANN / AFP via Getty Images)
Photographer: RONNY HARTMANN
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Analysis
3 min read
(Photo: REUTERS)
weather
Summer 2026 confirmed as UK’s hottest ever
The Met Office has provisionally announced this summer was the UK’s warmest on record.
It follows months of recurring heatwaves and endless weeks without a drop of rain for some of the worst-hit areas.
The facts and figures
The mean temperatures spiked to 16.5°C, beating last year’s record-breaking average.
The highest temperature recorded this summer was 38.1°C at Kew Gardens in London on 13 August.
This means the UK’s five hottest summers on record are: 2026, 2025, 2018, 2006 and 2003.
It is drummed into us in this country that sunshine is scarce and so we ought to ‘make the most’ of it (Photo: Jonathan Brady/PA)
Explained
3 min read
Effects of climate change
The Met Office analysis found the scorching summer of 2026 is now 130 times more likely because of climate change.
Head of Climate Attribution at the weather agency, Dr Mark McCarthy, said “because of the effect of burning of fossil fuels, we should now expect this to be roughly a one in nine year event”.
In a natural climate, a summer like this would occur roughly once in every 1,000 years.
Big Read
3 min read
4 min read
The heatwave in pictures
Caption: LONDON, ENGLAND ??? AUGUST 14: An aerial view of a funfair is seen before opening on the parched Commonside West in Mitcham, London, on August 14, 2026 in London, England. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued a heat-health alert from Tuesday to Friday for nine regions in England, as parts of the country are forecast to see temperatures in excess of 36C during the fifth heatwave of the season. The National Drought Group has declared that two-thirds of England is now officially in drought, with water use restrictions impacting 27 million people. Last month was the driest July recorded in England and Wales since records began in 1836. (Photo by Brook Mitchell/Getty Images)
Photographer: Brook Mitchell
Provider: Getty Images
Source: Getty Images Europe
Copyright: 2026 Brook Mitchell
Caption: A spectator fans themself as thy watch the play on the first day of the third Test cricket match between England and New Zealand at Trent Bridge in Nottingham on June 25, 2026. (Photo by Darren Staples / AFP via Getty Images) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. NO ASSOCIATION WITH DIRECT COMPETITOR OF SPONSOR, PARTNER, OR SUPPLIER OF THE ECB
Photographer: DARREN STAPLES
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Caption: WOODHEAD, UNITED KINGDOM – AUGUST 19: In this aerial view, very low water levels impact the Woodhead Reservoir in Derbyshire where the normally covered bed is revealed on August 19, 2026 in Woodhead, United Kingdom. The National Drought Group has declared that two-thirds of England are officially in drought, with water use restrictions impacting 27 million people. Last month was the driest July ever recorded in the country since records began in 1836. (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)
Photographer: Christopher Furlong
Provider: Getty Images
Source: Getty Images Europe
Copyright: 2026 Getty Images
us politics
US army secretary Driscoll quits amid Hegseth tension
Caption: (FILES) US Secretary of the Army Dan Driscoll testifies on budget requests during a Senate Committee on Armed Services hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, May 12, 2026. US Army Secretary Dan Driscoll has submitted his resignation, the White House confirmed Monday, following reports of tensions with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. (Photo by SAUL LOEB / AFP via Getty Images)
Photographer: SAUL LOEB
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US army secretary Dan Driscoll has resigned after a year and a half in the top job.
He joins a growing list of high-ranking officials who have departed under the watch of Secretary of War Pete Hegseth.
What you need to know
The Army Secretary is reportedly resigning due to behind-the-scenes tension with Hegseth.
He had overseen the US operation in Venezuela, the ongoing war with Iran and talks between Russia and Ukraine.
In a statement to CBS News, a White House spokesperson said Driscoll “has been highly effective in advancing President [Donald] Trump’s agenda to Make America Strong Again”.
Who is Dan Driscoll?
The Iraq War veteran, 41, is a friend of US Vice President JD Vance. The pair met at Yale Law School and Driscoll was formerly one of Vance’s advisors.
Caption: (FILES) US Secretary of the Army Dan Driscoll testifies during a House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense budget hearing for the US Army on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, on April 16, 2026. US Army Secretary Dan Driscoll has submitted his resignation, the White House confirmed Monday, following reports of tensions with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. (Photo by SAUL LOEB / AFP via Getty Images)
Photographer: SAUL LOEB
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Source: AFP
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Caption: FILE PHOTO: U.S. Vice President JD Vance speaks during a press briefing at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., June 18, 2026. REUTERS/Eric Lee/File Photo
Photographer: Eric Lee
Provider: REUTERS
Source: REUTERS
He was dubbed Trump’s “drone guy”, focusing on rolling out more unmanned systems and improve US war readiness.
General Randy George, ousted by Hegseth in April, is reportedly a close friend too.
Ongoing friction with Hegseth
Caption: FILE – U.S. Army Secretary Dan Driscoll speaks at the America 250 celebration at Fort Bragg in Fayetteville, N.C., June 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Karl DeBlaker, File)
Photographer: Karl B. DeBlaker
Provider: AP Photo/Karl B. DeBlaker
Source: FR7226 AP
Copyright: Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
Driscoll is one of many senior figures who have now left the armed forces, with many having been fired by Hegseth.
According to CBS, one source said Driscoll had brought concerns to the Trump administration around Hegseth pushing out some army generals from the department.
Analysis
3 min read
The NHS does recommend some supplements: Adults are advised to take vitamin D for six months over winter, as we cannot make enough of it when sunlight is weaker. Pregnant women and those trying to conceive should take vitamin D all year round, as well as folic acid.
But some others have little good evidence to support them – yet still have strong adherents online. Here are four widely used supplements that you probably can safely do without.
The turmeric myth
The yellow spice turmeric, widely used in cooking, has gained the reputation of a superfood. Its key ingredient, curcumin, is claimed to be anti-inflammatory and even to have anti-cancer effects.
But many of the original studies these claims were based on have been retracted due to concerns that they were flawed, the New Scientist reported in June.
It is also implausible that curcumin could have much effect on the body because it is poorly soluble and is mainly excreted. A study of men taking the supplement found it was barely detectable in their blood.
Special formulations of curcumin designed to boost absorption may even have caused liver injury, according to the US National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.
“These high-bioavailability forms of purified curcumin were linked to several cases of liver injury and mentioned as a possible cause of outbreaks of acute hepatitis with jaundice in Italy,” the institute said.
Limited research on lion’s mane
Lion’s mane mushrooms may be consumed in the form of fashionable coffees, but these fungi are also sold as powders and capsules.
In mushroom form, lion’s mane is a large white fungus with long dangling fronds. In traditional Chinese medicine, it is used for relieving stress and improving mood.
Today, lion’s mane is sometimes claimed to be a cognitive enhancer. This stems from the fact that it contains two groups of compounds, called erinacines and hericenones, which boost a molecule in the brain called BDNF that supports brain cells.
But experts say the research doesn’t support the claims made about it. “The research is really limited at the moment,” said Dr Ellen Smith, a nutritional researcher at Northumbria University. “There needs to be a lot more evidence before we can start making the kinds of claims that we’re seeing.”
Fishy claims about fish oil
Fish, especially oily fish like salmon, mackerel and sardines, has long been thought to be good for us because of its omega-3 fatty acids. Many studies have shown that people who eat more fish tend to have better health and live longer – with omega-3 assumed to be the reason.
Omega-3 is a key component of brain cell membranes and has been said to protect the heart in some way, perhaps by lowering blood pressure or levels of harmful fats in the blood called triglycerides.
But when it was tested in randomised trials – the best kind of medical evidence – the results were disappointing.
Fish eaters live longer but trials of fish oil supplements fail to show much benefit (Photo: Alexander Spatari/Getty)
Cochrane reviews, which combine evidence from multiple trials, found omega-3 supplements have little, if any, benefit for lifespan or the heart or brain.
“The most trustworthy studies consistently showed little or no effect of long-chain omega-3 fats on cardiovascular health,” said Dr Lee Hooper, a nutrition expert at the University of East Anglia, who led one of the Cochrane reviews.
Mixed results for multivitamins
A daily tablet containing all the main vitamins and minerals is one of the most popular supplements – taken by four in 10 people who take any supplement, according to the Food Standards Agency.
It is also among the least controversial. Many people see it as a sort of insurance policy, assuming it would make up any deficits in their diet.
But the NHS does not recommend that most adults take this kind of supplement. Randomised trials have shown they don’t make any difference to how long people live, nor to common conditions like heart disease or cancer.
The use of some vitamin supplements, including vitamins A and E, has even been linked with a slightly higher death rate in some trials. The explanation remains a mystery.
However, a large trial from 2022 – part-funded by the manufacturer of a multivitamin and mineral pill – found that people taking their supplement did somewhat better on memory tests than those taking a dummy pill.
The trial was large, involving about 3,500 people. But the effect was modest, roughly equivalent to the typical decline in memory abilities over three years of ageing.
Bupa’s poll of 8,000 people in the UK found that people are increasingly getting their health information from influencers on platforms like TikTok and Instagram.
“The sheer volume of health information available brings significant opportunities, but also makes it harder to distinguish trustworthy sources,” said Dr Caroline Wood, head of customer intelligence for Bupa Global, India & UK.
But the NHS says: “Most people should get all the nutrients they need by having a varied and balanced diet.”