Not all supplements are as harmless as they appear. Some affect liver function, interact with health conditions, or are not appropriate during pregnancy or breastfeeding. Safe-looking packaging does not equal safety.

Is there real evidence behind it?

Look beyond the marketing claims. Ask whether there is genuine, independent clinical research supporting this supplement for your specific concern — not just animal studies or manufacturer-funded trials.

What is the right dose for me?

The dose studied in clinical trials is not always what ends up in the product. More is not always better — and in some cases, more can be harmful. A very high protein intake, for example, can strain the kidneys over time.

Are there side effects I should know about?

Even ‘natural’ supplements can cause nausea, headaches, digestive upset, or other effects. Know what to expect before you start, not after.

Will this interact with any medicines I’m already taking?

This one is critical. Some supplements significantly affect how medications work. St John’s Wort, fish oil, magnesium, and calcium are just a few examples of supplements that can interact with common medications. Always ask your pharmacist.

Before You Buy Another Supplement, Read This

May 28

10 min read

A pharmacist’s honest guide to the supplement industry, the science, and what actually works.

By Miranda Chan and Courtney Oar | Pretty Proven

Image of woman's hands holding supplements

Walk into any pharmacy, health food store, or supermarket right now and you will be confronted with an overwhelming wall of supplements. Powders, capsules, gummies, and sachets promising everything from glowing skin to a longer life.

The global supplement industry is now worth over USD $170 billion - and it is growing. In Australia, surveys consistently show that more than half of adult women take some form of supplement regularly. Many take several. And yet, for all the money being spent, the evidence underpinning a significant proportion of those purchases is far thinner than the marketing suggests.

As pharmacists, we think about supplements differently to most. We are trained to evaluate evidence critically, to understand what a study actually shows (and what it doesn’t) and to ask the questions that labels never answer. We’ve written this article because we believe every woman deserves that same clarity.

This is not an article telling you supplements are bad. Some are genuinely useful. Several have excellent evidence behind them. But the supplement industry as a whole is built on a regulatory framework that does not require products to prove they work before they reach the shelf - and that matters enormously when you’re deciding where to spend your money.

The Supplement Industry: A $170 Billion Question

The supplement industry operates in a regulatory grey zone that most consumers don’t realise exists. In Australia, most supplements are classified as ‘listed medicines’ and carry an AUST L number on their packaging. That number tells you the TGA has assessed the product as low risk - not that it has been proven to work. Efficacy is self-assessed by the manufacturer.

Compare this with registered medicines (AUST R), which must be independently evaluated by the TGA for quality, safety, and efficacy before they can be sold. Most supplements will never meet that bar - and are never required to.

This doesn’t mean supplements are unsafe. It means the marketing claims you read on a label - “supports immune health”, “promotes glowing skin”, “optimises cellular function” - have not necessarily been validated by independent clinical research. Knowing the difference is the first step to spending smarter.

AUST L vs. AUST R: Know the difference

AUST L — Listed medicine. Low risk assessment only. Efficacy not independently verified.

AUST R — Registered medicine. Independently assessed for quality, safety, and efficacy.

Most supplements on pharmacy and supermarket shelves carry an AUST L number.

What Women Are Actually Buying

More than half of Australian women take at least one supplement regularly. The most commonly purchased categories include vitamins and minerals (particularly vitamin D, magnesium, and calcium), protein powders, collagen, omega 3 fatty acids, and increasingly, newer categories like creatine and longevity supplements.

This week we’ve taken a close look at the most popular supplement categories for women - what the evidence actually shows, where the gaps are, and where your money is genuinely well spent.

Collagen: The Most Overhyped Supplement in Your Bathroom Cabinet?

Collagen is the most abundant structural protein in the human body - found in skin, hair, nails, tendons, cartilage, and bone. From our mid-twenties, our natural production begins to decline. It’s a real biological process, and the supplement industry has built a multi-billion dollar category on the back of it.

What does the evidence say?

For skin, the evidence is the most developed - but still limited. A review of 19 studies involving over 1,000 participants found improvements in skin firmness, moisture, and the appearance of wrinkles in people taking collagen supplements. Sounds promising. But most of those studies used multi-ingredient products containing vitamins, antioxidants, hyaluronic acid, and coenzyme Q10 alongside collagen - making it impossible to isolate what collagen itself was actually doing.

For hair and nails, the evidence is significantly weaker. One small study of 25 people found improved nail brittleness with collagen supplementation - but with no control group. For hair, there are currently no human studies examining the benefit of collagen on hair growth, volume, or thickness. None.

There is also a fundamental biological limitation. When you consume collagen - in any form - your body breaks it down into amino acids during digestion, just like any other protein. There is no guarantee those amino acids will be reassembled into collagen, let alone directed to your skin, hair, or nails. They may end up in cartilage, bone, or muscle instead.

Industry funding is also a significant concern in this space. In many published collagen studies, the majority of authors have declared affiliations with supplement companies, which raises real questions about bias that consumers rarely see disclosed on a product label.

What to do instead

If your goal is better skin, hair, and nails, your money is more evidence-backed spent on:

SPF 50+ daily - the single most evidence-backed skin intervention available.
Topical retinoids - clinically proven to improve skin texture and elasticity.
Adequate total protein intake - provides the amino acid building blocks collagen synthesis requires.
Vitamin C - essential cofactor for your body’s own collagen production.
Sleep, movement, and not smoking.

Protein: Do Women Actually Need a Supplement?

Protein is one of the three essential macronutrients and arguably the most important for women as they age. It provides the amino acids your body needs to build and repair muscle, bone, enzymes, and hormones. Getting enough, consistently, matters more than most women realise.

How much do women need?

Requirements vary based on age, activity level, and life stage:

Adult women: 0.75g per kg of body weight per day
Women over 70: 1.0g per kg per day to support muscle maintenance
Active women: 1.4–2.0g per kg per day
Pregnant women: speak to your obstetrician or accredited dietitian

An important note: the recommended daily intake is considered the minimum to prevent deficiency - not necessarily the amount needed to thrive. Emerging research suggests many women, particularly those who are active or moving through their 30s and 40s, would benefit from sitting closer to the higher end of these ranges.

Do you need a protein supplement?

For most Australians, a varied diet provides sufficient protein without supplementation. But - and this matters - many women are not eating enough protein, are not distributing it well across the day, and are not adjusting their intake as they age or increase their activity.

Research suggests spreading protein evenly throughout the day - roughly every 3 to 4 hours, aiming for 20–40g per meal - is more effective for muscle synthesis than consuming most of it in one sitting.

A protein supplement is a tool. Used in the right context - for the right person - it can be genuinely useful. It is not a shortcut, it is not a replacement for whole food, and it is not something every woman needs. Food first. Supplement if needed. Always with intention.

From the Founders: Six Supplements We’d Actually Take

We get asked constantly - what supplements do you actually take? Here is our honest answer. No sponsorships. No affiliate links. No products we’ve been paid to recommend. These are the six supplements we personally find most evidence-backed for women in their 30s.

Supplement	Key notes
Vitamin D	Supports bone density, immune function, mood, and muscle health. Deficiency is common even in Australia. Look for D3 (cholecalciferol). Get levels checked annually. Take with a fat-containing meal.
Calcium	Essential for bone strength. Women under 50 need 1,000mg daily from food and supplements combined. Split doses — your body absorbs calcium better in amounts of 500mg or less at a time.
Magnesium	Supports sleep, stress, muscle recovery, and hormonal balance. Choose magnesium glycinate or bisglycinate — better absorbed and gentler on the gut than magnesium oxide. Take at night.
Omega 3s	Supports cardiovascular health, brain function, inflammation, and mood. Check the EPA and DHA content — not just the total fish oil amount. Take with food to minimise aftertaste.
Protein	For muscle maintenance, metabolism, satiety, and hormonal health. Whey protein isolate for fast post-exercise absorption; pea or hemp for plant-based. Powder over gummies or bars.
Creatine	One of the most researched supplements available. 3–5g of creatine monohydrate daily supports muscle strength, power, and recovery — with emerging evidence for brain health and mood in women. No loading phase required.

Longevity Supplements: The $100-a-Month Question

A new wave of premium supplement brands (think IM8, Tmrw, and Blueprint) has built entire product lines around the concept of slowing biological ageing. They are sophisticated, beautifully marketed, and expensive. A one-month supply can cost anywhere from $100 to $400 AUD, with some stacks running to $4,800 per year.

What’s in them?

Most longevity supplements are built around a core set of ingredients and biological theories:

NAD+ precursors (NMN & NR) — may help restore cellular energy production that declines with age. Animal studies are promising. Human evidence is early and limited.
Resveratrol — linked to longevity-associated proteins called sirtuins. Human evidence is underwhelming, and bioavailability in standard supplement form is poor.
Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) — involved in cellular energy. Some cardiovascular evidence, but its specific role in longevity is not well established.
Spermidine — linked to autophagy (cellular self-cleaning). Interesting preclinical data. Human evidence is very limited.
Fisetin & Quercetin — proposed to help clear senescent (‘zombie’) cells. Promising in animal models. Human evidence minimal.
Foundational nutrients (Vitamin D, Omega 3s, Magnesium, B Vitamins) — arguably the strongest evidence-based component of any longevity stack, and obtainable at a fraction of the cost.

Our honest assessment

The science of biological ageing is genuinely fascinating. The pathways these supplements target are real. But the majority of supporting studies are in animal models or small short-term human trials - and many are industry funded. Large-scale, long-term randomised controlled trials in humans simply do not yet exist.

Bioavailability is also a significant issue. Several of these compounds are poorly absorbed in standard supplement form, meaning what is on the label may not reflect what actually reaches your cells.

The science is promising. The products are ahead of the evidence.

What Actually Works: The Evidence-Based Longevity List

Here is the inconvenient truth. The most evidence-backed interventions for long-term health are mostly free. Before spending hundreds of dollars a month on a longevity stack, ask yourself honestly whether these foundations are in place:

Sleep (7–9 hours nightly) — one of the most powerful tools for cellular repair, hormonal balance, immune function, and cognitive health. No supplement replicates what sleep does.
Resistance training (2–3 sessions per week) — preserving muscle mass is one of the strongest predictors of healthy ageing in women. The evidence is extensive and consistent.
Diet quality — a wholefoods-rich diet with adequate protein remains the most evidence-backed nutritional approach to longevity. Mediterranean-style eating patterns have decades of robust human data.
Daily movement — regular low-intensity movement is independently associated with reduced all-cause mortality. It does not need to be intense to be effective.
Stress reduction — chronic stress accelerates biological ageing through sustained cortisol elevation and systemic inflammation. Mindfulness, breathwork, and social connection have measurable effects on inflammatory markers.
Avoiding smoking and limiting alcohol — two of the most well-established accelerators of biological ageing. Reducing or eliminating both has more longevity evidence than any supplement currently on the market.
Daily SPF — one of the most evidence-backed interventions for skin longevity and reducing UV-driven cellular damage.

Before You Start Any Supplement: Five Questions to Ask

Regardless of which supplement you’re considering - whether it’s a $10 magnesium or a $200 longevity stack - run it through these five questions first.

01	Is this safe for me? Not all supplements are as harmless as they appear. Some affect liver function, interact with health conditions, or are not appropriate during pregnancy or breastfeeding. Safe-looking packaging does not equal safety.
02	Is there real evidence behind it? Look beyond the marketing claims. Ask whether there is genuine, independent clinical research supporting this supplement for your specific concern — not just animal studies or manufacturer-funded trials.
03	What is the right dose for me? The dose studied in clinical trials is not always what ends up in the product. More is not always better — and in some cases, more can be harmful. A very high protein intake, for example, can strain the kidneys over time.
04	Are there side effects I should know about? Even ‘natural’ supplements can cause nausea, headaches, digestive upset, or other effects. Know what to expect before you start, not after.
05	Will this interact with any medicines I’m already taking? This one is critical. Some supplements significantly affect how medications work. St John’s Wort, fish oil, magnesium, and calcium are just a few examples of supplements that can interact with common medications. Always ask your pharmacist.

The Bottom Line

Supplements are not inherently good or bad. Some have excellent evidence and a meaningful role to play in women’s health - particularly vitamin D, calcium, magnesium, omega 3s, protein, and creatine for those who need them. Others are built on early science, industry-funded research, or marketing that outpaces the evidence.

The global supplement industry will continue to grow. New ingredients, new brands, and new promises will keep arriving. Our role - as pharmacists and as Pretty Proven - is to help you navigate that landscape with clarity, so that every dollar you spend is an informed one.

Before you buy anything, optimise what you already have. Sleep well. Move your body. Eat real food. Manage your stress. Wear sunscreen. These are not exciting recommendations. But they have decades of robust human evidence behind them - and no supplement stack will ever compensate for getting them wrong.

And if you’re ever unsure about a supplement - whether it’s right for you, whether it interacts with your medications, or whether the dose makes sense - your pharmacist is the most accessible healthcare professional you have. Use us.

Disclaimer

The information in this article is intended for general educational purposes only. It does not constitute medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment, and should not replace professional guidance tailored to your individual circumstances. Always consult your pharmacist, GP, or an accredited dietitian before starting a new supplement.

Knowledge is power. Use it wisely, and always in partnership with the professionals who know you best.

Informed. Assured. Empowered.

Miranda Chan & Courtney Oar | Pretty Proven | prettyproven.com.au

References:

Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) 2024, How we regulate medicines, Australian Government Department of Health, viewed May 2026, https://www.tga.gov.au/registered-and-listed-medicines

Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) 2025, Understanding listed and registered complementary medicine regulation, Australian Government Department of Health, viewed May 2026, https://www.tga.gov.au/resources/guidance/understanding-listed-and-registered-complementary-medicine-regulation

National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC), Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing & New Zealand Ministry of Health 2006, Nutrient Reference Values for Australia and New Zealand Including Recommended Dietary Intakes, NHMRC, Canberra, viewed May 2026, https://www.nhmrc.gov.au/about-us/publications/nutrient-reference-values-australia-and-new-zealand-including-recommended-dietary-intakes

de Miranda, RB, Weimer, P & Rossi, RC 2021, 'Effects of hydrolyzed collagen supplementation on skin aging: a systematic review and meta-analysis', International Journal of Dermatology, vol. 60, no. 12, pp. 1449–1461, doi: 10.1111/ijd.15518

Hexsel, D, Zague, V, Schunck, M, Siega, C, Camozzato, FO & Oesser, S 2017, 'Oral supplementation with specific bioactive collagen peptides improves nail growth and reduces symptoms of brittle nails', Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, vol. 16, no. 4, pp. 520–526, doi: 10.1111/jocd.12393

Smith-Ryan, AE, Cabre, HE, Eckerson, JM & Candow, DG 2021, 'Creatine supplementation in women's health: a lifespan perspective', Nutrients, vol. 13, no. 3, p. 877, doi: 10.3390/nu13030877, viewed May 2026, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7998865/

Xu, C, Bi, S, Zhang, W & Luo, L 2024, 'The effects of creatine supplementation on cognitive function in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis', Frontiers in Nutrition, vol. 11, article 1424972, doi: 10.3389/fnut.2024.1424972