Do Beauty Supplements Actually Work?

Ingredients and Fillers

All supplements are not created equal. It's important to do research and buy from reputable companies. Russak says that poor quality supplements can be ineffective at best and can actually be harmful at worst. She suggests choosing clinically tested, high-quality supplements that contain nutrients we can digest and absorb.

Make sure you scan the labels of supplements before buying them, especially for what Russak calls "other ingredients" or fillers. Culprits include sugars, sweeteners, binding agents, synthetic fillers and artificial colorings or flavorings. Also, watch out for hydrogenated oils, magnesium stearate and titanium dioxide. Be mindful of fillers that claim to do functions like improve the look or taste of a product or make it easier to swallow.

Wondering what's the deal with all the fillers? Akridge says that quite often, the amount of vitamins would be very tiny and seeing an itty-bitty supplement would likely make buyers feel ripped off. So, manufacturers add inert ingredients (fillers) to make pills a more attractive size.

Taking Supplements

Blaisure says that most supplements are safe, but it is still possible to overdo them. " It's always about balance and what the supplement is targeting," she says. "Sometimes you need extra support but only until the imbalance is corrected. Then it is time to adjust the amounts to a maintenance level."

It's best to avoid problems, but know many of the supplements are water soluble. This means if you get too much in your body, the excess will usually be excreted in urine, Akridge says.

Image via @humnutrition