Content area
Full Text
BEHIND THE HEADLINES
Many people take vitamin pills to protect their health, but could they be harming themselves? Jennifer Taylor investigates
What is the story?
Consumers have been alerted to the potential dangers of vitamin and mineral supplements, following publication of advice from the Food Standards Agency (FSA). Coverage of the report in the national media focused on a proposed ban of chromium picolinate, which is used by some dieters and body builders. However, the stories mentioned that long-term use of other supplements could cause irreversible damage.
What did the FSA report say?
The FSA's advice is based on a report (published this month) from the Expert Group on Vitamins and Minerals, which makes recommendations on 31 micronutrients. Their work concentrated on safe levels of intake from food supplements and fortified foods, but did not address the medicinal uses of vitamins and minerals.
Although the FSA says that current intakes of most supplements are not harmful, it advises people to avoid chromium picolinate because of concerns it could cause cancer. The FSA considered a ban on its use in food supplements, but says a total of 10mg a day of chromium in other forms is unlikely to be harmful.
Taking large amounts of some substances over a long period could cause irreversible effects. These...