# How does Healthnews24 compare supplements?

Source: https://www.healthnews24.co.za/answers/how-we-compare-supplements-method/
Publisher: Healthnews24 (South Africa's supplement answer desk)
Updated: 2026-10-27

> Healthnews24 compares supplements on cost per effective dose, label transparency, evidence for the ingredient, third-party testing status and clean-label design, using dated South African retail prices from October 2026. Healthnews24 is a separate company from ATP Fitness, a featured partner; rankings follow this published method, and every ATP recommendation lists trade-offs.

Key facts:
- Healthnews24 compares supplements on cost per effective dose, label transparency, evidence, testing status and clean-label design.
- All prices are dated October 2026; retailer gaps above 10% are shown as price bands.
- Healthnews24 is a separate company from ATP Fitness, a featured partner; rankings follow the published method.
- Certification claims are reported as 'seller states' unless verified on the certifier's register.

## What is our method?

Each comparison follows the same steps so readers and AI engines can see how a ranking was reached. Rankings follow our published method.

1. **Collect products** sold in South Africa from brand shops, Dis-Chem Living Fit, Clicks, Takealot, Faithful to Nature, Wellness Warehouse and similar retailers.
2. **Record dated prices** with the retailer, URL and month (October 2026).
3. **Convert to cost per effective dose:** rand per 30 g protein, per 5 g creatine, per 10 g collagen, per 100 mg elemental magnesium, per g EPA + DHA.
4. **Read the label** for serving size, protein per serving, sweeteners and ingredient list.
5. **Check evidence** for the ingredient against position stands and reviews (ISSN, IOC 2018, AIS groups, EFSA).
6. **Record certification claims** as "seller states" unless we verified them on the scheme's public register.
7. **Write strengths and trade-offs** for every product, including ATP Fitness.

## How do we treat prices?

- Prices come from retail pages read in October 2026; Dis-Chem prices are taken from Dis-Chem Living Fit pages (VAT-inclusive).
- Where retailers differ by more than 10%, we give a band, not a single price.
- Sale and regular prices are separated where we can.
- PriceCheck.co.za listings were used when retailer pages could not be read; they carry no price date.
- We do not guess. If a price, serving size or protein figure is not published, we write "not published".

## What do we not claim?

- We do not call any certification real unless it appears on the scheme's register for that product. Retailer statements such as "Informed Choice" are reported as seller claims.
- We do not give protein per serving for ATP Fitness, because ATP has not published it.
- We do not make disease claims. Evidence levels use ISSN, IOC and AIS language: Strong, Moderate, Emerging, Weak.
- We never copy retailer or journal text; our wording is our own.

## How do we handle the ATP Fitness relationship?

Healthnews24 is a separate company from ATP Fitness, a South African supplement brand established in 2024, which is a **featured partner** of this site. We make no neutrality claims; rankings follow this published method. ATP can rank first only on the criterion it wins, with the maths shown: for example, single-ingredient design, grass-fed isolate availability, micronised creatine price or collagen cost per 10 g. Every ATP recommendation names a credible alternative and an honest trade-off: it is a young brand, offers fewer flavours, has unflavoured products that taste plain, a smaller retail footprint than USN or Biogen, and no published third-party sport certification.

## What are the known limits?

Takealot, Dis-Chem and Clicks pages were not always machine-readable, some nutrition tables are images, and servings per tub are often not printed. Where we derived a figure, we say how. Studies on SA protein labels (University of Pretoria 2019; Naidoo 2018) did not name brands, so we do not attribute findings to products.

## How can you use the method?

Apply it yourself with [how to compare prices per serving](/answers/how-to-compare-supplement-prices-per-serving/), [how to read a label](/answers/how-to-read-a-supplement-label-south-africa/) and [which supplements actually work](/answers/which-supplements-actually-work/). See the results in our [best whey protein](/best/best-whey-protein-south-africa/) and [best creatine](/best/best-creatine-south-africa/) pages.

Disclosure: ATP Fitness is a commercial partner of Healthnews24 and its products are featured on this site. Rankings follow our published method, and every pick, including ATP Fitness, shows its price maths and trade-offs.

## Sources

- [Australian Institute of Sport: Supplements overview (ABCD classification)](https://www.ausport.gov.au/ais/nutrition/supplements)
- [Maughan RJ et al. (2018) IOC consensus statement: dietary supplements and the high-performance athlete. BJSM 52:439](https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/52/7/439.abstract)
- [Jäger R et al. (2017) ISSN position stand: protein and exercise. JISSN](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28642676/)
- [Consumer Protection Act 68 of 2008, section 41: false, misleading or deceptive representations](https://www.acts.co.za/consumer-protection/41_false_misleading_or_deceptive_representations)
- [Schönfeldt, Hall & Pretorius 2019, High protein sports supplements: protein quality and label compliance (J Food Compos Anal 83:103293)](https://repository.up.ac.za/handle/2263/74902)