Key Points
- Australian vitamins and health supplements are popular gift items for many migrant communities
- Vitamin D, multivitamins and vitamin C are Australia's top three most consumed complementary medicines.
- Health experts urge people to only consume the supplements they need
This story is a part of the SBS health and wellbeing initiative Mind Your Health launched on World Mental Health Day (10 October). Click to visit the SBS Mind Your Health portal, featuring digital stories, podcasts and videos in English and multiple languages.
Lauren Yoo is a Korean businesswoman who has lived in Sydney for seven years.
Every year when she visits her home country, there are a few things her family always asks her to pack.
Lauren Yoo and her children. Source: Supplied
Small products such as pawpaw ointment or propolis spray, mainly produced in Australia, are welcomed by her friends and relatives.
I also buy a lot of vitamins and health supplements when they are on sale. My friends love Australian products, and Swisse products are not sold in Korea yet, so I always bring them to Korea.Lauren Yoo
Ms Yoo is not alone.
Australian vitamins and health supplements are popular the world over, in part due to the country’s strict production guidelines.
As such, they’ve become a popular gifting option among many migrant communities.
Giving the gift of health
Korean-Australian pharmacist Angela Song runs two pharmacies in the Sydney suburbs of Campsie and Eastwood.
Korean-Australian pharmacist Angela Song
Even if you have all the wealth, it means nothing without health. So many people buy a lot of nutritional supplements when they visit Korea with the intention of gifting good health.Pharmacist Angela Song
But with Korea having its own thriving wellness industry, what compels Korean-Australians to load up their suitcases with Australian health supplements for their loved ones?
Ian Son works for the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA).
He supports Korean businesses to enter the Australian market through his research and reports specialising in biotechnology.
Mr Son says many Korean migrants are attracted by the global esteem in which Australian health supplements are held.
"Generally, these products are called ‘health food’ in Korea, and many countries regulate them based on food standards,” he says.
In contrast, Australia uses the name ‘complementary medicine’ and the same government agency that manages medical devices and pharmaceuticals manages and supervises these products with the same standards as pharmaceuticals.Ian Son of the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA)
"This is what makes Australia's vitamins and health supplements so special," Mr Son says.
Australia's national image as a clean country also helps, he adds.
Pharmacist Ms Song believes the fact that most Australian vitamins and health supplements are produced domestically also plays a role in building credibility.
"Most vitamins and health supplements are not manufactured by overseas contractors but produced in Australia.
"These products are labelled with a ‘Made in Australia’ logo, which seems to be treated like a badge of honour," she says.
Domestic market strong
According to Complementary Medicine Australia's (CMA) industry audit report in 2021, three out of four people in Australia regularly use complementary medicine and its market is valued at $5.5 billion.
Vitamin and dietary supplements, the largest market segment, is valued at $2.6 billion.
That’s followed by sports nutrition products ($0.945 billion), herbal/traditional products ($0.64 billion), weight loss products ($0.44 billion) and exports ($0.864 billion).
Although the market has more than doubled in the past 10 years, the growth rate has slowed considerably in the last three years due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ian Son from Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA) Source: Supplied
He explains that there are three powerful brands manufacturing vitamins and health supplements in Australia.
"They are Swisse, Blackmores and Pharmacare. You may not be familiar with the name of Pharmacare, but you might know their brands, Nature's Way and Bioglan," he says.
Before the pandemic, Blackmores could actually be counted as the top company, but now the top three companies are splitting the market into three segments.Ian Son from the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA)
Blackmores first entered the Korean market in 2012 and Pharmacare followed just last year. As of August, Pharmacare sells its products in over 600 pharmacies across Korea.
Trends and demands
Ms Song, who has been working as a pharmacist for 30 years, has seen trends come and go.
"In the past, many people did a lot of physical labour. In Korea, many people were involved in farming, so we sold many products that supported and protected joints.
“But the times have changed, and the nutrients we lack and need in our daily lives also have changed a lot."
Due to working indoors, Ms Song says many people lack vitamin D.
From her experience, more people have been seeking out immune boosters since the COVID-19 pandemic broke out.
Anti-ageing beauty products that contain collagen are also particularly popular among the Korean community, she adds.
According to a 2020 YouGov Galaxy Omnibus vitamin consumption survey of 1,034 Australians aged 18 and above, four out of 10 participants said they consumed vitamin D.
Multivitamins and vitamin C rounded out the top three complementary medicines, followed by fish oil, iron, vitamin B, calcium, probiotics and vitamin E.
Dr Young Kim, a GP in the Sydney suburb of Strathfield
"It is claimed by some that vitamin D prevents cancer, boosts immunity and prevents dementia. It is also said that vitamin D prevents heart disease and even controls our emotions.
"When we eat foods, even if we eat calcium-rich foods, if we don't have enough vitamin D, it won't be absorbed by the intestines," she explains.
Pharmacist Ms Song says that if she had to recommend one vitamin to her customers, it would be vitamin C.
"Vitamin C is vital to produce collagen in our body, and it boosts immunity when the body absorbs iron in the small intestine.
"Although it is necessary for healing wounds when we get hurt and strengthening bones, ligaments and teeth, it is not made by the body, so vitamin C only comes through consuming food or health supplements," she says.
Health experts urge people to only consume the vitamins and supplements they need. Source: AAP
Finding the balance
Ms Song says there is no 'perfect answer' to the amount of vitamins a person should consume.
However, she wants to remind people that the purpose of taking vitamins and health supplements is to ‘fill the gaps in our bodies’.
“In some ways Korean Australians are easily influenced by the media. When they hear something is good for their health, everyone wants to have it, even if it is not suitable for them."
She urges people to exercise caution.
No matter how good the vitamins and supplements are, if they are not needed in your body, they are not good products for you.Korean-Australian pharmacist Angela Song
“For example, if you don’t have a blood pressure issue, you don't need vitamins and supplements to control blood pressure.”
"Choose only what you absolutely need, and follow the correct dosage - an overdose is dangerous, but on the other hand, having too little is of no use."
Korean-Australian GP Dr Kim, who has practised for over 20 years, emphasises that vitamins and nutritional supplements are no substitute for daily meals.
Vitamins are well contained in meals, so it is important to consume only with a good balance.Dr Young Kim, GP in Sydney
Disclaimer: This information is general and is not specific advice. For accurate information relevant to your situation ask your doctor or health expert.
