Australia’s $6.3bn dietary supplements market is drawing sharp criticism from two former sporting stars who argue that older consumers are being sold confusion instead of clarity, news.com.au reported. Olympic gold medallist Duncan Armstrong and Ironman legend Guy Leech have gone public with concerns that a booming industry frequently pushes shoppers toward buying multiple separate products rather than simpler, clearer options.
Surging Sales And Heavy Use Among Older Australians
The complementary medicines supply chain reached $6.3bn in 2025, climbing from $4.6bn in 2021, according to Complementary Medicines Australia’s 2025 Industry Snapshot. The same report found that 74 per cent of Australians used supplements in the previous year, with 41 per cent taking them daily. Independent data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics shows that 50.9 per cent of Australians aged 75 and over take a dietary supplement, demonstrating how common usage becomes later in life. Older Australians are among the heaviest consumers, with those aged 75 and over more than twice as likely to take supplements as adults aged 18 to 29. 78.4 per cent of residents in residential aged care use at least one complementary medicine, while 41.2 per cent use two or more.
Supplement industry profits from selling separate bottles
Leech, who has known Armstrong for more than 30 years and owns the independent supplement brand NEXT50, argues that industry demand has fostered a profitable model built around separate bottles for separate health concerns. Why would a company that makes a fortune selling you 10 different bottles ever put out the one product that replaces all 10?
Leech told NewsWire. It’s not that they can’t do it. It’s that it would cost them money.
Under Therapeutic Goods Administration rules, certain supplement ingredients can be listed to protect commercial confidentiality. Labels may identify a proprietary blend without detailing the exact amount of each component inside it. While legal, critics argue this makes it difficult for consumers to compare products or assess active ingredient dosages. A long ingredient list isn’t a formula, it’s a smokescreen,
Leech said. If a company won’t tell you the dose, assume it’s not enough.
Supplements avoid strict pre-sale checks as listed medicines
Most supplements sold in Australia are listed medicines, designated as AUST L products. These goods are treated as lower-risk items and are not individually assessed by the TGA for efficacy prior to sale; instead, manufacturers must hold evidence for their claims and verify rule compliance. By contrast, registered medicines, or AUST R products, undergo rigorous assessment for safety, quality, and clinical efficacy before reaching shelves. Despite this distinction, consumer trust remains high: Complementary Medicines Australia reports that 84 per cent of Australians feel confident in the safety and quality of local supplements, while 82 per cent trust supplement brands. For Armstrong, the issue became personal following a heart attack and triple bypass at age 52. Millions of older Australians think they’re doing everything right, buying supplement after supplement, and they’re not buying health, they’re buying a story,
Armstrong told NewsWire. Armstrong also warned that supplements carry risks for older individuals taking prescription drugs, a concern supported by the independent medical journal Australian Prescriber, which has cautioned that some complementary medicines interact with prescription drugs such as anticoagulants and cardiovascular medications.
Common Questions About Australian Supplement Regulations
What is the difference between AUST L and AUST R products?
AUST L products are listed medicines considered to be of lower risk and are not individually evaluated by the Therapeutic Goods Administration for efficacy before sale. AUST R products are registered medicines that undergo strict assessment for safety, quality, and clinical efficacy prior to reaching shelves.
How do manufacturers hide ingredient quantities legally?
Under current Therapeutic Goods Administration rules, certain supplement ingredients can be listed under commercial confidentiality provisions as proprietary blends. This allows manufacturers to display an ingredient name on the label without disclosing the precise amount of each component inside the formula.
Why are older Australians targeted by the supplement industry?
Data from Complementary Medicines Australia and the Australian Bureau of Statistics show that people aged 75 and over are more than twice as likely to take supplements compared to adults aged 18 to 29. This high demand among older consumers has driven companies to market various age-related health and longevity products.