Supplements are easy to buy online, and most are perfectly safe, but the market also has its share of poorly made and sometimes dangerous products. This is particularly true of herbal products aimed at men. Knowing how supplements are regulated and what a proper label looks like makes it much easier to tell the two apart.
How supplements are regulated
In the UK, food supplements are treated as food rather than medicine. They fall under general food safety law and specific rules on food supplements, and the business selling them is responsible for making sure each product is safe, accurately described and properly labelled. Supplement businesses should be registered with their local council as a food business. Enforcement is carried out by local trading standards and environmental health teams, with the Food Standards Agency setting the overall rules.
The important line is between food and medicine. As soon as a product claims to treat, cure or prevent a disease, it is legally a medicine and needs a licence from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, known as the MHRA. Supplements can only make health claims that appear on the government's register of authorised claims, and the wording has to match closely.
What a supplement label should show
- The words food supplement, along with the name of the main ingredients
- The full ingredients list, with allergens clearly emphasised
- The amount of each active ingredient per daily dose
- The recommended daily dose and a warning not to exceed it
- A statement that supplements should not replace a varied diet
- A warning to keep the product out of reach of young children
- A best before date and a batch or lot number
- The name and a UK address of the business responsible for the product
Red flags when buying online
- Medical promises. Claims that a product cures, treats or works like a prescription drug.
- Instant results. Natural herbal products do not normally work within minutes or hours. A product that does may contain undeclared medicine.
- No UK contact details. A seller with no traceable UK address is hard to hold to account.
- Missing information. Labels without amounts, batch numbers or a best before date.
- Prices that seem too good. Very cheap products are more likely to be fake or diluted.
The MHRA regularly seizes herbal sexual health products that turn out to contain prescription drugs such as sildenafil or tadalafil, which can be dangerous for people with heart conditions or those taking certain medicines. If a product seems too effective to be herbal, treat it with suspicion.
Questions worth asking a seller
A reputable seller should be happy to tell you who makes the product, whether each batch is independently tested, and what the test covered. At Horny Viking we hold a certificate of analysis for every batch, covering ingredient content, heavy metals and microbiological safety, and we are glad to answer questions through our contact page.
Common questions
Are food supplements licensed in the UK?
No. Food supplements are regulated as food, so they do not need a licence before sale. The seller is responsible for making sure the product is safe and correctly labelled, and local trading standards and environmental health officers enforce the rules.
Can a supplement claim to treat a medical condition?
No. Any product that claims to treat or prevent a disease is treated as a medicine and needs a licence from the MHRA. A supplement making that kind of claim is breaking the law.
What should I do if a supplement makes me unwell?
Stop taking it and speak to your GP or pharmacist, or call NHS 111. You can also report a suspected reaction through the MHRA Yellow Card scheme.
Last reviewed 2 November 2026