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Vitamins and supplements

If you're popping pills to cure your ills, we can help you pick the right ones for the job.

Whether you're looking to boost your health during conception and pregnancy, or you're feeling run down and just want more information about what's actually helpful, our articles and buying guides about vitamins and supplements can help. We'll guide you through the options that are likely to do some good, those with the potential to harm, and the pills that might as well be Smarties.

Meet the vitamins and supplements team

Articles

Is it safe to use essential oils? Essential oil brands like Doterra are on the rise, but are they putting our health at risk?

Protein powders – do they work? We weigh up the pros and cons of boosting your protein intake with supplements.

Should you take creatine? From boosting sports performance to the elixir of life, we look at the evidence behind the hype.

10 common pharmacy products you don't need Which over-the-counter medicines, supplements and health products are best left on the shelf?

ACCC alleges Voltaren misled shoppers with premium priced gel Commences Federal Court action against the manufacturers.

Herbal memory boosters for exams Take with a grain of salt, and don't expect any miracles.

Probiotics Probiotic supplements are promoted for general good health, as well as treating various ailments. Should you take one?

Listed vs registered medicines - what's the difference? That number at the bottom of the label can tell you a lot about how effective a medicine may be.

Experts warn of dodgy supplements 19 May 2016 | Studies have found that some supplements and vitamins could actually be harmful.

Alternative medicines Which herbal supplements are OK to take, and which should you avoid?

Traditional Chinese medicine warning Australian tests on TCMs found many contain illegal and potentially harmful ingredients.

Pregnancy supplements Are pregnancy supplements doing you and your baby any good, or are you just flushing money down the toilet?

Most fish oil supplements have false omega 3 claims, says study 22 January 2015 | If your fish oil doesn't seem to be working, it could be that it doesn't have the stated levels of omega-3.

Omega 3 supplements Omega-3 is linked to many health benefits, but are fish oil supplements really the quick fix?

Memory-enhancing pills Will taking Omega-3, Ginko or Brahmi keep you sharp and safe from dementia?

Glucosamine for arthritis Can glucosamine help relieve the pain of osteoarthritis? The jury is still out.

Dubious pharmacy products Our investigation found some pharmacies are selling 'health' products that simply don't work.

Multivitamins Do we need multivitamins and minerals tailored to our age and gender? Do we need supplements at all?

Iron – are you getting enough? Iron deficiency will leave you tired, run down and at risk of anaemia.

Vitamin D deficiency If there are so few symptoms of a vitamin D deficiency, how can we know if we’re getting enough?

Show 16 more articles

The vitamins and supplements team

When your get-up-and-go seems to have got up and gone, the CHOICE team of health experts can tell you which vitamins and supplements are likely to perk you up. They're also well-versed in marketing practices, and can help you sift through all the guff and gimmicks to find the products that will actually work for you, regardless of what the nice lady on the TV recommends.

Karina Bray

Rachel Clemons Investigative journalist

Nutrition, Diet and fitness, Feeding children, Food warnings and safety, Groceries, Packaging labelling and advertising

Vitamins and supplements

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