Vitamins health warning issued

VITAMIN supplements could be dangerous to people's health because too many products carry misleading or too little information, according to a new study.

Consumer watchdog Which? found that products in supermarkets, chemists and health shops carried numerous examples of unsubstantiated claims.

The worst culprits were those supplements claiming to maintain healthy bones and joints, the watchdog said.

Which? chief executive Peter Vicary-Smith said: "Researchers also found high-strength supplement products containing vitamin B6 and beta-carotene on sale, without the recommended warnings that taking too much of them could be harmful."

In addition to visiting retail outlets, Which? conducted an online survey of 1,263 supplement takers across the UK.

"A third didn't realise that taking too much of some supplements could damage your health," Mr Vicary-Smith said.

He called on the European Commission to address the issue.

He said: "We're concerned that people are being taken for a ride, needlessly paying a premium for many products on the basis of health claims that haven't been backed up by scientific evidence.

"We want to see the European Commission release a list of accepted and rejected claims as soon as possible, so consumers won't continue to be bamboozled by health claims they can't trust."

Many claims, such as those for the benefits of glucosamine for joint health, have had their supporting evidence rejected by the European Food Safety Authority but they are still available in shops.

Carina Norris, Fife-based nutritionist, said: "Taking a good-quality multi-vitamin and mineral supplement containing no more than 100 per cent of your daily requirements can be a good idea, as a kind of safety net for days when you're perhaps not eating as healthily as you should."

She warned that, although uncommon, long-term overdosing by taking far more than recommended on packaging had serious risks.

She added: "Much less is known about the chronic, long-term effects of taking just a little too much.

"So don't fall into the trap of thinking that more is better and go for the megadose supplement with the highest dosage."

Ms Norris said it was worrying that Which? found that some manufacturers were using packaging that was misleading or did not provide enough information for people to make informed choices. She said pregnant women and children were particularly vulnerable.

And she warned: "Many people may not realise that they are doubling up on their supplements. They could be taking more than they realise.

"For example, you could be taking a vitamin A supplement because you've heard that it's an immune-boosting antioxidant. Plus you could be taking cod liver oil for your joints - which is also rich in vitamin A. Then you could take a multi-vitamin, which also contains vitamin A.Add to this any vitamin A-rich foods such as liver, and you could be taking far more than you should."

The vitamin, mineral and supplement market in the UK was worth 396 million in 2009 alone.

Supplements are considered foodstuffs under the Food Supplements Directive 2002, so they cannot claim to prevent, treat or cure a disease as that is the realm of medicines and is subject to different laws.

Manufacturers are allowed to make general claims such as "good for healthy bones" or "helps with memory and learning" - and do not need to independently verify those claims.