In addition to groceries and beauty supplies, Dollar Tree sells a wide variety of vitamins and supplements—but is it safe to buy these necessities for $1.25? While there are certainly some OTC medications worth picking up at dollar-store discounts, they're not all the best buys. Now, pharmacist and authorGrant Harting, PharmD, shares his list of Dollar Tree supplements that you should avoid. Read on for the four products he recommends leaving on the shelf.
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1 | People's Choice Energy
Copyright Grant Harting / TikTokHarting, who uses the handle @grant_harting on TikTok, has a series evaluating different medications at Dollar Tree. In a May 30 video he "tackles a big one," vitamins.
"I'm actually surprised that there's not more vitamins, I thought there would be more, but let's start with this," he says, picking up a People's Choice-brand energy supplement.
"This People's Choice thing is made in Miami Lakes, Florida, it says, but I literally don't even know what this means, 'a proprietary blend,'" Harting says while reading the supplement facts. Listed among the ingredients are guarana, green tea, ginseng, and 80 milligrams of caffeine.
"So the only thing in here that's even doing anything is caffeine. These are just caffeine pills. That's gonna be a hard no from me," he concludes. "Even if I liked the blend, you still only get 21 tablets for $1.25. That's not a good deal."
2 | People's Choice Biotin
Copyright Grant Harting / TikTokHarting also suggests skipping the People's Choice biotin supplements, which advertise support for hair, skin, and nail health.
"[I] feel like most people have heard of this, [this bottle contains] 24 tablets, same company," Harting says. "So it has 800 micrograms of biotin and 62 milligrams of calcium—OK, cool, cool, I see you," he says, before noticing something more concerning.
"I'm not a fan of this residue that's on the bottle, not really impressed so far," the pharmacist adds.
Harting also notes that the recommended daily dose for all supplements and vitamins is "widely debated." So, while he believes 800 micrograms of biotin is "fine," others might have different opinions. What's not as much of a debate however, is the product not being the best economical choice.
"You only get 24 tablets, and that's like 5 cents per pill. If you want actual biotin therapy, you're gonna need way more than that," Harting says.
RELATED: Dermatologist Reveals Her 7 Favorite Dollar Tree Skincare Products for Anti-Aging.
3 | People's Choice Fish Oil
Copyright Grant Harting / TikTokIn a separate TikTok video posted on June 8, Harting further advises against People's Choice fish oil supplements. While he's a fan of fish oil supplements in general, this particular product is a no-go for him.
"On the back of the label here, it says it's manufactured in the USA—we don't mind seeing that," he starts. "But this, legally speaking, is a supplement, it's not a medication, so there's different regulations, meaning it doesn't have to prove it's effective, essentially."
In terms of quality, Harting says these are probably the same softgels you'd get elsewhere, likely "just repackaged."
But he goes on to warn that this particular product is a "scam" due to the serving size. The fish oil supplements are 1,000 milligrams per serving, with a serving being two softgels. According to Harting, you need between 1 and 3 grams of fish oil therapy each day, which works out to anywhere between two and six softgels.
"Serving size is two softgels—there's only 18 softgels in here—you would have to take two a day, and that's only nine days of therapy for $1.25. That's actually not a good deal."
Harting goes on to say that while these products at Dollar Tree can be "good," it pays to double-check the serving size.
"You have to make sure that you're getting enough of the dose—if anything, you're probably going to be under-dosed here, but that's a common tactic people use," he shares. "They'll put big numbers on the label, but whenever you actually look at the nutrition facts, you end up [having to take] more than just one per day. When you do the math, it doesn't make mathematical sense. Not financial sense, anyway."
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4 | Nature's Science Test Booster
Copyright Grant Harting / TikTokHarting also takes issue with the Nature's Science Test Booster, which promises to "increase testosterone."
"To be honest, do I even need to say anything about this?" Harting starts. "I just feel like I shouldn't even say anything, like this should be obvious that you should never buy this."
While it has a note that it's manufactured at a good manufacturing practice (GMP) facility, that's something it is legally required to have and "not special," Harting explains. The products are also manufactured in the U.S., but it's not clear if the ingredients were made domestically as well.
"The serving is three caplets, meaning you get four servings in this container, and it has tongkat [ali] and maca powder," Harting notes.
"OK, don't buy that, whatever that is," the pharmacist says when back in his car. "I had to look up the products, and they don't do anything. Is that a surprise to anyone?"
Harting also shares with TikTokers that he tried to visit the Nature's Science website, but couldn't get it to load.
"I mean, that's a huge red flag for me—like, your website is your gateway into your representation of your company and it doesn't even load? That's scary to me," he says. "That's gonna be a hard no on that testosterone thing."
Best Life offers the most up-to-date information from top experts, new research, and health agencies, but our content is not meant to be a substitute for professional guidance. When it comes to the medication you're taking or any other health questions you have, always consult your healthcare provider directly.
