Expert
Advice on Vitamins & Vitamin Supplements
Main Recommendations of Vitamin Report
UK Food Standards Agency (May 2003)
New advice on vitamins and minerals that
could have possible harmful effects if taken in too high a dose was published
May 2003 (London) by the UK Food Standards Agency. The advice follows
the publication of the report of the Expert Group on Vitamins and Minerals
(EVM), which makes recommendations on 31 vitamins and minerals.
Main Vitamin Recommendations
The amounts of most vitamins and minerals
that people take are not thought to be harmful, but the Agency is now
advising the public on what levels of supplements are unlikely to cause
any harm.
Summary
- The Agency is advising people not to
take chromium picolinate and has consulted on a proposal to ban the
use of this form of chromium in the manufacture of food supplements
because there is a chance that it could cause cancer.
- Having 10 mg or less a day of chromium
in other forms from food and supplements is unlikely to cause any harm.
- Some substances may have irreversible
harmful effects if taken for long periods at the highest supplemental
doses. These include beta-carotene (especially for smokers and people
who have been exposed to asbestos), nicotinic acid, zinc, manganese
(especially for older people) and phosphorus.
- Levels of vitamin C above 1000 mg a
day could cause abdominal pain and diarrhoea. Similarly, high intakes
of calcium (above 1500 mg a day) and iron (above 17 mg a day) may result
in similar symptoms in some people. However, these symptoms should disappear
once people stop taking the supplements.
- The Food Standards Agency is also re-emphasising
its advice that people should not take more than 10 mg a day of vitamin
B6 from food supplements unless acting on medical advice. Taking large
amounts for a long time can lead to a loss of feeling in the arms and
legs. Generally these symptoms are reversible but in a few cases the
effect has been irreversible.
- This advice follows the publication
of the report of the Expert Group on Vitamins and Minerals (EVM), an
independent expert advisory committee, that has made recommendations
on 31 vitamins and minerals.
Vitamins Information in More Detail
- Levels of vitamin C above 1000mg/day
could cause abdominal pain and diarrhoea. Similarly, high intakes of
calcium (above 1500mg/day) and iron (above 17mg/day) may result in similar
symptoms in some people. These symptoms should disappear once people
stop taking the supplements.
- There are some substances that may have
irreversible harmful effects if taken for long periods at the highest
supplemental doses. These include beta-carotene (especially for smokers
and those exposed to asbestos), nicotinic acid, zinc, manganese (especially
for older people) and phosphorus.
- Current advice on vitamin B6 is being
re-emphasised. The Agency advises against taking more than 10mg/day
of vitamin B6 from dietary supplements unless acting on medical advice.
High intakes taken over a long period of time can lead to a loss of
feeling in the arms and legs.
- Advice is also being given on biotin,
folic acid, pantothenic acid, riboflavin, niacin, thiamin, vitamin B12,
vitamin D, vitamin E, vitamin K, boron, cobalt, copper, iodine, molybdenum,
nickel, selenium, tin, magnesium, potassium, and silicon.
Sir John Krebs, Chair of the Food Standards
Agency, said:
'While in most cases you can get all the
nutrients you need from a balanced diet, many people choose to take supplements.
But taking some high dose supplements over a long period of time could
be harmful. We are using an extremely thorough independent expert review
of the scientific evidence on the safety of vitamins and minerals as the
basis for new advice to help consumers make informed choices. In addition,
the Board of the Food Standards Agency will be considering what further
action we would wish the supplements industry to take.'
The FSA Board will today receive a report
recommending voluntary action by the supplements industry to reduce the
dose and/or provide label warnings for some high dose food supplements.
For More Vitamins Information
You can order a copy for £19.95,
quoting ISBN 1-904026-11-7, by contacting:
Food Standards Agency Publications. Email foodstandards@eclogistics.co.uk
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