From LED devices to at-home injectables, a nutritionist reveals the wellness trends she would always be wary of

Are you confronted with adverts for super-expensive ‘wellness’ gadgets every time you go online? Or influencers telling you that adding this one supplement to your daily routine will be the secret to longevity, good looks and healing all your woes?

The wellness industry is worth trillions, and introduces us to problems we didn’t even know we had. It is awash with products that makes huge promises, often with little scientific backing, being flogged by those who don’t have a deep understanding of mechanics behind them.

It’s also elitest, according to nutritionist Karen Newby. ‘The time needed and expense of it all is so out of reach for most of us exhausted women who barely have time to make a cup of tea, take a shower, look in the mirror, sort the kids out and eat breakfast before leaving the house. This leads to a sense that we’re doing our body a disservice,' she says. 

However, she says, ‘our body is not a problem that needs to be fixed by endless monitoring and expensive kit. Whenever I see a new longevity product on the market I ask myself these questions: What is it promising? Is there credible research behind it? Is it regulated? Do I really need it or is it just a novelty product? What is the cost? Can I get the benefits of these products through the foundations - my diet and lifestyle?’

With this in mind, Newby shares five ‘wellbeing’ products that she finds particularly irksome…

Electrolytes

‘Electrolyte companies must be so thrilled that they can now not only sell their wares to non-endurance athletes or for post stomach upsets or sunstroke. They can also sell them to the worried well!

‘There is no need to take electrolytes when you wake up – you haven’t just run a marathon. Instead, drink a glass of water on waking or, like me, have hot water with a slice of lemon.

‘Hydration is of course important, but you don’t need expensive products to achieve it. Drink plenty between meals (and add a little Himalayan salt if you prefer). Herbal teas can go towards your 1.5-2 litre daily intake.’

NAD+ injections

‘I personally find watching influencers injecting themselves with NAD+ rather concerning to watch, especially for those of us who do have to inject every day for an actual health condition. There are no long term safety studies as yet.

‘If someone is injecting it, it could be compromising pathways that are not properly supported – for example if someone has poor methylation, a process that happens billions of times each second in every cell in the body and a process involved in DNA repair, it might cause side effects and strain an already compromised system.

‘NAD+ is a downstream metabolite of vitamin B3. Green beans, tofu and edamame are high in nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN), which is a direct precursor to NAD+. I would suggest eating those instead.’

Peptide injections

‘I find these concerning, because it is a completely unregulated industry where you can easily order them online and self-administer. They are peptides like GHK-CU coupled with copper which is promoted as important for skin, hair and connective tissue.

‘If you eat a protein rich diet you will have these amino acids to make peptides (small amounts of amino acids coupled together). As we age these do decline but this is why working with your body and consuming a nutrient and protein rich diet is so important.

‘Like NAD+ injections, I am also wary of causing upregulation in certain pathways.'

Mastic gum for a ‘natural jaw workout’

‘This was a new one that I came across recently. There are companies promoting the chewing of mastic gum to improve jaw strength and appearance. Their reason? That our food choices have become so soft that we don’t have good jaw strength anymore.

‘Well, if you eat a wholefood diet and chew well your food won’t be soft and you will be using your jaw. I only prescribe mastic gum for clients who are suffering with reflux – it is an ancient remedy from Greece.’

Red light devices

‘There are some big claims that come with wearable red light devices or panels – helping to reduce inflammation, improve circulation and accelerate recovery. But I wonder if these products are really needed for those of us who are generally well. Lots of the same benefits can be found from being in nature, and soaking up the sun’s rays even on a cloudy day.

‘My approach to reducing inflammation is through food. Eat plenty of omega 3 fats, which have a anti-inflammatory effect on the body, alongside antioxidants from vegetables, berries, green tea and herbs and spices like turmeric and ginger. Supporting your gut health is also important for reducing our inflammatory load.

‘Blood glucose can be lowered by eating less refined carbohydrates and more protein, beneficial fat and fibre-rich foods, and even going for a short walk post meal-time.’