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Will your Supplements be Banned?
By WLR Dietitian
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Ask most nutrition experts whether we really need to take
vitamin and mineral supplements, and they’ll usually say it’s
unnecessary providing you’re eating a balanced diet that’s
packed with a range of nutrients. But with today’s fast-paced
lifestyles, many of us find it hard to always prepare and eat
nutritious meals – and so take dietary supplements as a safeguard.
According to the latest National Diet and Nutrition Survey
– a large survey that looks at the dietary habits and
nutritional status of people in Britain – more than one in
three of us pops a daily pill to help boost our intake of
vitamins and minerals. But come the 1 August 2005, many of us
may find our usual supplements are no longer available, thanks
to new legislation – the European Food Supplements Directive –
that’s likely to see around 5,000 supplements made illegal in
the UK.
It’s been a controversial issue ever since the Directive
was first passed in 2002. And now that it’s just months away
from coming into effect, the debate is reaching its peak, as
campaigners fighting the legislation put in one last bid to
prevent it from becoming law.
Uncovering the legislation
The new legislation has two main aims: firstly, to protect
consumers from unsafe products by standardising the rules that
affect the definition, composition and labelling of dietary
supplements sold in the European Union; and secondly to assist
the trade of supplements across member states. Sceptics argue
that it’s simply been devised to aid the latter, but
supporters say the legislation is long overdue and believe it
will protect consumers in a market that, until now, has been
poorly controlled.
The Directive lists those vitamins and minerals that can be
used in supplements and states that each ingredient must be
proven to be safe and in a form the body can easily use.
Currently, a ‘positive list’ of around 120 ingredients has
been developed, although vitamins and minerals may be added to
this list in the future if manufacturers submit a dossier to
demonstrate their safety. Fortunately, the current list
includes most of the common vitamins and minerals found in
supplements, such as vitamins A, B1, B2, C and E, and minerals
such as calcium, iron, magnesium, zinc and potassium.
But those who oppose the legislation are concerned that
around 300 ingredients also often used in supplements have
been missed off the list and, as a consequence, will become
illegal from August 2005. The only way to get them back on the list
is to submit a safety dossier to the European Food Safety
Authority – the organisation responsible for making decisions
on whether or not an ingredient is safe and can therefore be
added to the ‘positive’ list.
Currently, manufacturer’s have until July to submit their
safety dossiers and can continue using the nutrient in their
product until the end of 2009 or until the European Food
Safety Authority comes to a decision, whichever is sooner.
According to many manufacturers though, these dossiers are
very expensive to produce – costing up to £250,000 for each
ingredient – and as a result, it’s really only the larger
companies that can afford to do this.
The case against…
The Alliance for Natural Health – a non-profit organisation
who are campaigning against the legislation – say the
Directive only allows 15 minerals to be used in food
supplements, despite increasing evidence that our bodies need
many more than this for optimum health. Its members – who
include scientists, complementary medical practitioners,
supplement manufacturers and consumers – are also concerned
that the forms of vitamins that are allowed are often
synthetic rather than natural, despite scientific evidence to
show that some natural forms are more readily available to the
body, and therefore more effective, than their synthetic
equivalents.
In fact, some sceptics have even suggested this is a
conspiracy by the pharmaceutical industry to restrict access
to natural substances, thereby forcing consumers to rely on
synthetic products that are generally produced by larger
companies. Ultimately, they say the smaller, specialised firms
will suffer most while consumers will be forced to buy their
usual products from illegal sources, such as unregulated
internet dealers, thus undermining safety standards, which are
one of the main goals of the Directive.
In a final attempt to stop the ban, the Alliance for
Natural Health challenged the Directive in the European Court
of Justice earlier this year. A decision is expected in April
but it looks likely to fall in favour of supporters of the
legislation.
The case for…
Indeed, many nutrition experts and consumer groups welcome
the ban and claim that only those products containing vitamins
or minerals at levels that might cause harm will be withdrawn.
In addition, they believe it’s in the consumer’s best interest
to allow only chemical forms of a vitamin or mineral that the
body can easily use.
The Consumers’ Association say this legislation is a
positive step as it means we won’t be wasting our money on
poor quality supplements that can’t be used by the body. They
claim supplements will continue to be available if they are
safe and in a form the body can use and say responsible
manufacturers should already be in a position to show their
products are safe and can be readily absorbed. Therefore
submitting a dossier for ingredients not currently on the
‘positive list’ shouldn’t be a problem.
Too much of a good thing
But the controversy doesn’t stop here. Campaigners are also
concerned that in addition to certain vitamins and minerals
being banned, doses will also be dramatically reduced in two
years time, once this part of the Directive comes into effect.
They argue the high doses currently used don’t pose a risk to
health.
But many nutrition experts disagree and say that consuming
some vitamins and minerals in large amounts may actually
damage our health – a fact backed up by a report from the Food
Standards Agency’s Expert Group on Vitamins and Minerals. The
report, published in 2003, provided advice on the safety of 31
vitamins and minerals for the first time and set safe upper
levels or guidance levels for each.
The report showed that current intakes of most vitamins and
minerals are not harmful but one substance used in supplements
called chromium picolinate – an ingredient that’s often used
in slimming products rather than food supplements – has the
potential to cause cancer. Further research is currently
taking place.
Meanwhile, the report found that some vitamins and minerals
could have irreversible harmful effects if taken in large
amounts over long periods of time. These included
beta-carotene (especially a risk for smokers if taken in
excess), nicotinic acid (a B vitamin), zinc, manganese
(especially a concern for older people taking excessive
amounts) and phosphorus.
Three nutrients were also identified as having short-term
harmful effects if taken in excess. Doses of vitamin C above
1,000mg a day and high doses of calcium and iron were found to
cause abdominal pain and diarrhoea. The report also advised
against taking more than 10mg a day of vitamin B6 unless
recommended by a GP, as high intakes over a long time can lead
to nerve damage.
Many nutrition experts also claim that most consumers and
GPs are unlikely to suspect supplements as being a possible
cause of ill health, unless there’s a sudden, violent reaction
that occurs shortly after taking the product. They say it’s
difficult to identify how many people are currently affected
adversely by excessive doses and so believe that the sooner
maximum safe levels are set for vitamins and minerals in food
supplements, the better.
Currently, all the doses have been set in the UK and are
waiting to be agreed on by the rest of the European Union.
These amounts have been based on scientific evidence about
safe levels and take into account the amount of vitamins and
minerals we could potentially consume from food and the
amounts we’re advised to have. Quite simply, it’s a case of
watching this space to find out the maximum doses that will be
allowed in supplements in the future.
Food for thought
One thing’s for sure though! The controversy is likely to
continue over the next few months as campaigners fight to get
the ban lifted and supporters push for the legislation to be
passed.
Ultimately though, there’s no getting away from the fact
that eating a balanced, varied diet is the best way to meet
your needs for vitamins and minerals. Research proves that
individual nutrients given in the form of a supplement are
less likely to promote health when compared to the combination
of nutrients supplied by Mother Nature in whole foods. And
let’s face it, it’s far more enjoyable to get all the vitamins
and minerals we need by eating fresh, delicious and tasty
foods – rather than constantly popping pills!
To find out more about what the new legislation will mean
for you, click here: How
the new Vitamins and Minerals Laws will affect you.
COMING NEXT MONTH…
Weight Loss Resources dietitian Juliette Kellow shows you
how to ensure you’re meeting your requirements for vitamins
and minerals – without resorting to pill popping.
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