The Rise of Supplements: Do We Really Know What We're Consuming and Whether We Need It?

Creatine to improve physical performance, protein powder to gain muscle, magnesium to sleep better, collagen to care for the skin, ashwagandha to combat stress, and vitamins to have more energy. It only takes a few minutes on social media to come across a recommendation about these products. Some are part of sports routines, others are presented as wellness allies, and most promise benefits that seem to fit practically anyone.

The consumption of dietary supplements has become normalized to the point of becoming a daily habit, even among people who do not know if they really need what they are taking, and their popularity is increasing.

According to a survey published by the Organization of Consumers and Users (OCU) in October 2025, 58% of Spaniards between 18 and 74 years old had consumed some dietary supplement during the previous twelve months, compared to 42% recorded in 2021. Among those who used them, 85% had resorted to vitamins, 53% to proteins, and 45% to probiotics.

Behind this trend coexist products with scientifically proven benefits, but also others whose efficacy is still under investigation and substances that, if consumed without proper precautions, pose health risks.

From social media recommendation to daily consumption

The growth of the supplementation market is closely related to a greater concern for wellness and the ease of accessing information about nutrition, exercise, and health. Social media has helped give visibility to supplements that were previously associated with much more specific contexts.

Creatine, for example, has gone from being a product mainly known in the sports field to appearing in recommendations aimed at much broader audiences. Something similar happens with ashwagandha, a plant traditionally used in Indian traditional medicine that has become popular as a resource to manage stress.

The problem arises when an individual experience is presented as a universal recommendation. That a supplement is useful for one person does not mean another will obtain the same benefit, especially when their needs, habits, health status, or medical treatments are different.

Along with this is the danger of presenting these products as part of healthy routines, which contributes to generating the feeling that incorporating them alone means an improvement in health status.

Creatine, proteins, and vitamins: what benefits are proven?

One of the main difficulties in evaluating supplements is that they are usually grouped under the same category, although their mechanisms of action and the available scientific evidence are very different.

Creatine is one of the most studied sports supplements. According to the United States National Institutes of Health (NIH), its consumption improves performance in activities that require brief and high-intensity efforts, such as weightlifting or repeated sprints. However, its benefits are much more limited in endurance sports, such as long-distance running.

With protein powders, something different happens. They provide the amino acids necessary to maintain and develop muscle mass, but they are also present in common foods such as eggs, fish, meat, dairy, or legumes. These products are practical for those who have difficulty meeting their daily protein needs through diet. On the other hand, adding them to a diet that already provides enough protein does not guarantee greater muscle development.

Vitamins and minerals also perform essential functions in the body, but their supplementation depends mainly on individual circumstances. Correcting a vitamin D deficiency or preventing a folic acid deficiency during pregnancy planning are examples of uses with recognized reasons and benefits. However, consuming vitamin complexes without a specific need can not only be unnecessary but harmful to health. Excess of certain vitamins and minerals can cause adverse effects, especially when taken in high doses for prolonged periods or when combining several products with similar ingredients.

The Spanish Agency for Food Safety and Nutrition (AESAN) therefore reminds that dietary supplements are intended to complement the diet, not to replace a balanced diet, and their consumption must respond to specific needs considering both possible benefits and risks.

Ashwagandha and other trendy supplements but with limited evidence

Among the products that have gained great prominence is ashwagandha, usually marketed to reduce stress, promote rest, or improve concentration.

Some clinical trials have found favorable results on stress and insomnia. However, the United States National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) points out that many of these studies have small samples, use different preparations, and there is insufficient information about its long-term safety.

Added to this are the possible risks associated with its consumption. Although it is a plant of natural origin, this does not guarantee it is harmless, as it contains compounds capable of acting on the body and interfering with certain treatments. In fact, cases, although rare, of liver injuries related to ashwagandha have been documented, as well as interactions with medications for thyroid, blood pressure, or diabetes.

Therefore, that a substance has interesting properties or has shown promising results in certain studies does not mean its consumption is appropriate or beneficial for everyone.

The risk of taking supplements without needing them

One of the most common mistakes is assuming that if a vitamin is beneficial in certain amounts, consuming more will provide better results.

The body needs these nutrients within specific margins. Continuously exceeding them can produce adverse effects, especially when combining several of them without considering that they contain similar ingredients.

Vitamin D is a good example of how an essential nutrient for the body can also be harmful when consumed in excess. Although it plays a fundamental role in bone health, taking excessively high amounts through supplements can cause abnormal calcium accumulation in the blood, which, in the most severe cases, affects the kidneys and cardiovascular system, as warned by the United States National Institutes of Health (NIH).

This risk is especially relevant when combining several supplements without checking their ingredients, as it is possible to be consuming the same substance through different products and exceed the recommended amounts without being aware of it. In addition, some components interfere with the action of certain medications, which adds another difficulty when assessing their safety. Hence the importance of considering not only the content of each supplement but also the amount, duration, and circumstances.

Dietary supplements are not the same as medicines

Another fact often ignored is that, although they are marketed in capsules, tablets, and other formats similar to medicines, in Spain dietary supplements are legally considered foods. Therefore, they are not intended to prevent, treat, or cure diseases, and claims about their benefits must comply with food regulations.

This distinction is especially important due to the number of products promoted with health-related promises. The Spanish Agency for Food Safety and Nutrition (AESAN) recommends not believing in miraculous results and paying attention to labeling and marketing conditions, especially in online purchases, where it is easy to find supplements accompanied by claims that do not always have scientific support.

Because this type of message, along with free availability without prescription, should not be synonymous with being suitable for everyone. Although many are consumed without medical supervision, their choice must respond to a specific need and take into account each person's characteristics, especially when there are diseases or pharmacological treatments.

An individual need, not a universal recommendation

The growing interest in dietary supplements reflects greater concern for health and wellness, but also a negative trend of seeking quick solutions to improve our appearance. In this context, personal experiences and recommendations circulating on social media acquire an influence that does not always correspond to the available scientific evidence.

The popularity of these products has made incorporating them into routines increasingly common, to the point that sometimes it seems stranger not to take any supplement than to consume several. However, taking care of health also means recognizing when our body needs an additional supply and when there is no reason to incorporate it.

After all, the true value of a supplement is not in its popularity nor in the promises that accompany it, but in the benefit it really provides to the person who consumes it.