Healthy Choices: Indonesians Rely on Healthcare Professionals for Supplement Information

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – The health and fitness platform Herbalife has released a health survey on supplements titled the Asia Pacific Responsible Supplementation 2025 Survey. The data revealed that despite the widespread use of health supplements in Indonesia, there is still a lack of confidence in making the right supplement decisions.

As many as 88 percent of consumers in Indonesia routinely consume health supplements. However, only 69 percent of them feel confident in choosing responsible supplements.

Oktrianto Wahyu Jatmiko, the Director & General Manager of Herbalife Indonesia, stated that the survey aims to support a healthy lifestyle for the Indonesian people. He emphasized the importance of education on safe, high-quality, and Sharia-compliant supplements. “We are committed to ensuring that everyone has a strong foundation of knowledge to make the best decisions for their health,” said Oktrianto.

The survey, conducted in May 2025, aimed to study consumer attitudes and behavior towards supplement products in the Asia Pacific region. Making responsible supplement choices means thoroughly understanding the composition of ingredients, recommended doses, consumption limits, and possible interactions with other supplements or medications before consuming them. A total of 9,000 respondents from 11 countries participated in the survey. These countries include Australia, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam.

Responsible Supplement Choices

Indonesians gather information about the safety of supplement consumption from various sources. However, the primary source influencing decisions to consume supplements comes from healthcare professionals (67 percent), family and friends (47 percent), and independent product research (31 percent).

The majority of Indonesian consumers, or 61 percent of respondents who lack confidence in making responsible supplement decisions, consider consulting with healthcare professionals, such as doctors or nutritionists, as a reliable source of information. Another 56 percent of respondents choose to obtain information about the benefits of supplements from social media. 54 percent of other respondents place more trust in health information about supplements at the point of sale for health supplements.

Oktrianto mentioned that the survey shows a knowledge gap regarding health supplements among consumers. Many are still unaware of the effects of excessive consumption. “For example, with vitamin C and vitamin D, more than half of the Indonesian respondents do not know the effects of excessive consumption,” said Oktrianto.

Despite the knowledge gap, consumer purchasing decisions in Indonesia are driven by factors such as healthcare professional recommendations (51 percent), product safety and effectiveness (46 percent), and product quality certification (37 percent). Trust in supplement brands also plays a significant role, with 98 percent of Indonesian consumers acknowledging that it influences their purchase decisions.

Preventive Health Drives Supplement Consumption

Oktrianto mentioned that the majority of Indonesian respondents, around 92 percent, emphasize the importance of preventive healthcare for their well-being. One way to achieve this is by taking real steps towards better health, such as choosing healthier foods (64 percent), engaging in physical activities more frequently (63 percent), and consuming health supplements (62 percent).

Additionally, as many as 70 percent of Indonesian respondents express confidence in achieving their health goals in 2025. “With the increasing consumer awareness in Indonesia about the importance of health and fitness, choosing supplements that have been thoroughly tested and produced with full transparency is a crucial step. We believe high quality, consistency, and traceability of products should be the primary priorities for consumers,” said Oktrianto.

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