Ingredients in plain English
Know what is in your capsule. Each page explains the ingredient, its traditional use or normal function, common sources and who should check with a GP or pharmacist first.
What is in the ingredient library?
The library covers every ingredient named on the Mzansi Hub supplement shelf: garlic, European cranberrybush, vitamin C, saw palmetto, biotin, zinc, vitamin D3, vitamin E, folic acid, tongkat ali, maca, fenugreek, Siberian ginseng and horny goat weed. Each page explains what the ingredient is, where it comes from, how it is traditionally used or which normal body function it contributes to, and which products on the shelf contain it.
How are vitamins and minerals described differently from plants?
Vitamins and minerals such as vitamin C, zinc, vitamin D3, vitamin E, biotin and folic acid have well-known roles in normal body function, and we describe them with the standard "contributes to" wording. Plants such as garlic, saw palmetto, maca or tongkat ali are described by their traditional use, not by promised effects. A plant's history in a traditional formula is a fact about the plant; it is not a guarantee about a capsule, and the pages say so in plain language.
Why does each page mention a pharmacist?
Some ingredients interact with medicines. Garlic can matter if you take blood thinners, ginseng and fenugreek can matter if you use blood-sugar medicine, and high-dose biotin can affect some laboratory test results. Every ingredient page ends with a short note on who should check with a GP or pharmacist first. It takes a minute and is the simplest way to stay safe.
Where do the full lists and amounts come from?
The full ingredient list with amounts is printed on the pack, and the adviser can read it out on the confirmation call. Where a seller names only some ingredients, we publish only those and say that the pack carries the complete list. We never add ingredients we cannot confirm.
How do I use the library?
Use it as a reference while you compare products. If a product page mentions an unfamiliar ingredient, open its page here, read the safety note and then decide. If you are choosing between formulas, the health goal pages and the comparison articles on the health blog put the ingredients side by side. When in doubt, take the pack to your pharmacist and ask the questions that matter to you.
See where each ingredient is used
The shelf shows six formulas, their confirmed ingredients and prices in Rands.