Supplements have never looked more seductive. Instagram and TikTok Shop feeds are overflowing with capsules and powders promising glowing skin, deeper sleep, balanced hormones, sharper focus\u2014and sometimes all of the above. What was once the domain of naturopaths and dedicated fitness enthusiasts has become a $177 billion global industry projected to nearly double by 2030, according to Grand View Research.<\/p>\n
And we\u2019re consuming them at unprecedented rates. In 2023, the Council for Responsible Nutrition Consumer Survey found that approximately 74% of U.S. adults say they use dietary supplements, with 55% qualifying as regular users\u2014and 92% of those users believe supplements are essential to maintaining their health.<\/p>\n
As I inch deeper into perimenopause, I\u2019ve felt the impulse to fill the gaps\u2014energy, sleep, mood, and focus. But the deeper I looked into the supplement space, the more it felt like a well-intentioned but largely buyer-beware ecosystem.<\/p>\n
I\u2019m not anti-supplement. But like many women entering a new hormonal era, I\u2019m asking harder questions: What am I putting into my body? Does it work? Is it safe? And who is looking out for consumer safety?<\/p>\n
What Exactly Are Supplements?<\/p>\n
Under U.S. law, supplements are defined as products meant to \u201csupplement\u201d the diet\u2014a broad category that ranges from multivitamins and minerals to protein powders, botanical extracts, probiotics, hormone-support blends, adaptogens, and longevity compounds. These fall into several core categories\u2014nutritional, botanical, performance, and condition-specific\u2014each with its own promise and pitfalls.<\/p>\n
\u201cSupplements can absolutely play a supportive role\u2014especially when they correct what\u2019s missing, like vitamin D or magnesium. But they must not be mistaken for primary medical treatment. Used with intention, and in coordination with a clinician, they can be beneficial,\u201d Vanessa Coppola, DNP, FNP-BC, MSCP<\/a>, licensed nurse practitioner and board-certified menopause practitioner, explains to me over email.<\/p>\n In other words: supplements can help\u2014but they\u2019re not magic wands.<\/p>\n How Supplements Are Monitored (And How They Aren\u2019t)<\/p>\n CLP Holistic Health<\/p>\n Edward Fury<\/p>\n Unlike pharmaceuticals, supplements fall under the 1994 Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act<\/a> (DSHEA)\u2014a framework that gives companies broad freedom to self-regulate. They do not need FDA approval before hitting shelves, and oversight typically occurs only when something goes wrong.<\/p>\n \u201cDSHEA doesn\u2019t require the FDA to approve supplements before they\u2019re sold. Quality and safety become the manufacturer\u2019s responsibility\u2014and not all companies take that seriously,\u201d nutritionist Toby Amidor, MS, RD<\/a>, tells me over email.<\/p>\n The gaps show up in real-world testing. Recent analyses continue to find inconsistencies between what\u2019s on the label and what\u2019s actually in the bottle. In one 2023\u201324 review of weight-loss supplements, 82% had inaccurate labels\u2014and none carried a third-party certification seal. While that study focused on a single category, it underscores how limited verification can be across the broader market.<\/p>\n Andrew Shao, Ph.D., SVP of Global Regulatory & Scientific Affairs at Niagen Bioscience<\/a> and the makers of Tru Niagen<\/a> (patented nicotinamide riboside), believes the policy is outdated. \u201cDSHEA hasn\u2019t been updated since 1994\u2014and it was written before the explosion of the modern internet. Today, anyone can launch a product online. AI will only make deceptive marketing easier. Without policy reform, this problem will worsen.\u201d<\/p>\n When \u2018Safe\u2019 Isn\u2019t So Simple: Recent Supplement Scares<\/p>\n Even supplements perceived as harmless have made headlines, reminding us that \u201cnatural\u201d doesn\u2019t always equal risk-free. Recent studies highlight how complex supplement safety can be.<\/p>\n Melatonin and Heart Health<\/p>\n A 2025 observational study presented at the American Heart Association\u2019s annual meeting found that long-term melatonin users had significantly higher rates of heart failure and hospitalization compared to non-users. The study can\u2019t prove causation, but it highlighted a bigger issue: melatonin is sold OTC in the U.S. with no standardized dosing and no pre-market safety testing.<\/p>\n Contaminants in Popular Powders<\/p>\n Independent testing has also detected heavy metals like lead and arsenic in certain greens powders\u2014an issue tied to soil contamination and inconsistent testing requirements.<\/p>\n Botanical Blends and Liver Injury<\/p>\n Herbal \u201cdetox\u201d and weight-loss products continue to appear in FDA adverse-event reports, often due to contamination or interactions with medications.<\/p>\n These incidents don\u2019t mean supplements are unsafe across the board\u2014but they reveal how often problems surface only after consumers report harm.<\/p>\n Supplements And The Trust Economy<\/p>\n Ancient + Brave<\/p>\n gc@grahamcarlow.com<\/p>\n In a marketplace this noisy, trust has become its own form of currency. Consumers analyze labels, chase \u201cclinically proven\u201d ingredients, and Google unfamiliar terms\u2014but still must rely heavily on brands to tell the truth.<\/p>\n Some companies are leaning into transparency. \u201cGetting certified as a B Corp wasn\u2019t a marketing badge\u2014it was a framework for embedding purpose into sourcing, governance, and transparency. When we certified in 2021, our score of 107.3 was the highest of any U.K. supplement brand,\u201d says Kate Prince, founder and CEO of Ancient + Brave<\/a>.<\/p>\n Others emphasize scientific rigor. Shao explains, \u201cOur ingredient, Niagen, has been reviewed by the FDA under the NDI program and listed as Generally Recognized as Safe. It\u2019s been featured in 40 peer-reviewed human clinical studies\u2014over 95% independently funded. We publish all of our certificates of analysis openly.\u201d <\/p>\n