Are wellness shots worth the hype?

Wellness shots might seem like a modern phenomenon, with rows of colourful little bottles now packing out fridges in shops and cafes. But taking tonics and elixirs is nothing new, as Ayurvedic and Chinese herbal medicines show us. Since there have been people, it seems, there have been people wanting to feel better.

Finding ways to improve athletic performance, enhance the immune system, give us more energy, reduce anxiety, heighten focus and alertness and generally optimise how we function is something that is important to many of us. But we prefer it to be easy, right? And that’s where modern wellness drinks slot in: quick, convenient and ready-made with the promise of ticking those boxes.

There are a few different categories of wellness drinks aimed at different people. Exercisers are targeted with recovery shots; people with gut health issues can try pro- and pre-biotic drinks; for stress and relaxation there are CBD-infused drinks; vitamin shots for immunity; herbal extracts for perimenopause and brain-boosting shots containing adaptogens.

But do they actually live up to their promises and, if so, should we all be drinking them? Let’s have a look at the evidence to see if they’re worth the money and – most importantly – are they safe?

Recovery drinks

There is definitely a lot of evidence that nutrients can help performance and recovery after exercise. Some shots on the market contain caffeine to give an energy kick or beetroot for a source of nitrates, shown to aid blood flow and respiration. Electrolytes can help rehydration and amino acids – such as leucine and isoleucine – can help muscle soreness.

Look for these ingredients in your drink, but also be aware that getting the effective dose is important. A lack of regulation in the market means that, unfortunately, there is very little reassurance that these drinks actually contain what they say they do. For example, studies show that, to see an effect on muscle recovery, between 2 and 10g of leucine or isoleucine would be needed.

Some people are what we call non-responders to caffeine, meaning that no amount of caffeine will provide a stimulant effect. But for other people the effect is very strong, so they may very well notice an improvement in performance but overdoing the caffeine can cause problems with sleep, anxiety and tremors. Sensitivity to caffeine will vary from person to person, and although caffeine in moderate amounts is generally safe, the recommended limit is 200mg in a single dose of caffeine.

But if your drink isn’t third-party tested, you can’t rely on what’s on the label actually being in the drink as this industry isn’t regulated. The cost of these drinks is also a consideration: bear in mind that you could make your own coffee, get amino acids from any foods that contain protein, or make your own electrolyte drink from juice, water and a pinch of salt. That will end up costing you much less money and not a great deal more effort, but for some convenience is king here.

Immunity shots

Boosting your immune system has risen in public consciousness since Covid, with the immunity shot arriving at around the same time. They usually contain vitamins B12, D and C which are necessary for a functioning immune system, and ingredients like lemon, turmeric or ginger which are known for their anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties. Despite the evidence that these ingredients can be beneficial for health, there is very little evidence that immunity shots actually improve the immune system. One reason for this is the low bioavailability (absorbency rates) of some of these beneficial compounds. For example, curcumin, the active ingredient in turmeric, has very low bioavailability and is best absorbed in the presence of peperine, a substance found in black pepper. Without this addition you may not be getting any benefits from the turmeric at all.

Again there is also the cost factor: there is very little difference between adding a spoon of turmeric, ginger and grind of pepper to your orange juice (or indeed having them in a curry) which will cost an awful lot less than the £2 you might spend on one shot.

Gut health shots

Generally a gut health shot will contain prebiotics (to feed your healthy gut bacteria) and/or probiotics (to introduce more of these ‘good’ bacteria). The latter may be in the form of fermented drinks like kombucha (made from tea) or kefir (made from milk). These naturally occurring probiotics have been shown to benefit the bacterial profile of the gut which may potentially strengthen the gut barrier function, reduce inflammation and improve metabolism.

It is important that fermented drinks contain “live” bacteria to be effective, so look for this on the label. However, there is very little regulation of these drinks so it is very difficult to know how many live bacteria your probiotic has, and therefore how effective it is likely to be. You can also ferment these drinks cheaply at home.

Relaxation drinks

One of the most popular ingredients in wellness drinks, CBD is a non-psychoactive ingredient from the cannabis plant and has been shown to be effective in managing pain, but also to have a calming effect and potentially to reduce anxiety. However these drinks are again unregulated and a study by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) found that nearly half of the CBD products tested didn’t contain the amount they stated and four of the soft drinks didn’t contain any measurable amount at all. Additionally, the same study found that some contained high levels of heavy metals and other harmful compounds. While this may not be too much of an issue if you have them on occasion, regular consumption may cause health risks. CBD is fairly novel and so caution is advised as there is very little evidence of long-term effects at all as of yet. This is why the FSA also advises a maximum daily limit of 10mg of CBD.

Brain boosters

Caffeine is the most well-known brain booster – it has been shown to increase cognitive function, especially alertness and vigilance. Between 38 and 400mg a day is thought to be the sweet spot between maximising benefit and minimising risk. However, as mentioned above, individuals may have different sensitivities and too much caffeine can be a problem. If caffeine interferes with sleep or increases anxiety then the negatives can far outweigh the positives.

Adaptogens are herbal substances that may reduce stress and fatigue, and improve cognitive decline in older adults, among other things. These include ginseng, ashwagandha and lion’s mane mushrooms, and extracts of these often pop up in wellness teas and coffees. Although there is evidence to suggest that they may confer benefits, in practice the effects may be too subtle to notice.

Menopause shots

With a rise in menopause awareness, there has been a rise in menopause related products to match. From collagen shots to vitamin drinks there is no shortage of things you can swig to reduce menopause symptoms. While there are most definitely benefits to getting all the nutrients you need, there seems to be a premium attached to anything with “meno” in the name. A cheap multivitamin that costs around £5 for a month might do exactly the same as a menopause shot that costs £2 per day. Collagen has been shown to be beneficial for skin and bone health, although there is limited evidence to show that commercial drinks make a difference.

The other consideration is which symptoms are causing you most trouble: different supplements are useful for different symptoms. Find out more here.

The bottom line…

While there is definitely evidence that ingredients in wellness drinks can be beneficial to health, it is difficult to know how much of the active compounds you are actually getting in the individual drinks. Eating a healthy balanced diet containing anti-inflammatory foods like fruits, vegetables, spices and pulses may be more beneficial than topping up with a shot, although the placebo effect is powerful and can’t be dismissed.