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APPETITE FOR PILLS? Benefits and risks of nutritional supplements 1. „Nutritionalsupplements“(Nahrungsergänzungsmittel) asthebindingdesignation 2. Informationonnutrientscharacterisingtheproduct, e.g.„withcalciumandvitaminD“ 3. Listofingredients 4. Allergenicingredientsmustbeemphasised 5. Recommendeddailyconsumptioninportions 6. Warninglabel„Donotexceedtherecommended dailyconsumption.“ 7. Anotethatnutritionalsupplementsarenosubstitute forabalanceddiet 8. Anotetokeeptheproductoutofthereachof smallchildren 9. Indicationofquantity 10.Best-beforedate 11. Nameorcompanyandaddressofmanufacturer, packerorseller 12. Nutritionalinformationandindicationofdaily requirements t WHAT MUST BE INDICATED ON THE PACKAGING? Vitamins,mineralsandsecondaryplantsubstances areimportantcomponentsofahealthy, balanced diet. They have their most beneficial effects in natural food, in combination with all ingredients. Nutritional supplements – including fruitandvegetableextracts–incontrast,cannot compensateforunbalancedeatinghabitsandan unhealthylifestyle. A targeted nutritional supplementation can only makesenseinindividualcases.Theseinclude,for example,folicacidtakenshortlybeforeandinthe earlystagesofpregnancy. t AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST… Legalnotice:©VerbraucherzentraleSachsen-Anhalte.V.(Saxony-AnhaltConsumerAdviceCentre) incooperationwiththeConsumerAdviceCentresofBaden-Wuerttemberg,Mecklenburg-WesternPomerania, NorthRhine-WestphaliaandSaxony|asofDecember2017|Designedby:tk-schu:tte|Coverimage©Maciej Czekajewski/Shutterstock.com|asofDecember2017 Moreinformationonthisisavailableat: www.verbraucherzentrale.de www.klartext-nahrungsergaenzung.de
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APPETITE FOR PILLS? - Verbraucherzentrale.de...balanced diet. They have their most beneficial effects in natural food, in combination with all ingredients. Nutritional supplements

Jul 26, 2020

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Page 1: APPETITE FOR PILLS? - Verbraucherzentrale.de...balanced diet. They have their most beneficial effects in natural food, in combination with all ingredients. Nutritional supplements

APPETITE FOR PILLS?Benefits and risks of nutritional supplements

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Page 2: APPETITE FOR PILLS? - Verbraucherzentrale.de...balanced diet. They have their most beneficial effects in natural food, in combination with all ingredients. Nutritional supplements

If there is an apparent lack of time for a balanced diet or doubts arise about the quality of the food on offer in supermarkets, many promisingly advertised nutritional supplements become interesting. But what actually are the benefits of vitamin pills and similar products?

Nutritional� supplements� are� legally� defined� as� concen-trates�of�nutrients�or�other�substances,�often�in�the�form�of�capsules�or�tablets,�which�are�intended�to�supplement�the�normal�diet.�Therefore,� in� legal� terms,� they�are�not�medications�but�food.�Unlike�medications,�which�are� intended� to�heal�or�pre-vent�illnesses,�nutritional�supplements�are�not�subject�to�any�regulatory�approval�procedure,�in�which�the�benefits�and�risks�are�tested�before�they�enter�the�market.�Nutri-tional�supplements�may�not�be�put�up�as�medications�or�advertised�with�promises�of�healing.

Providers�of�nutritional�supplements�often�fuel�consumer�fears�of� them�not�being�sufficiently�provided�with�vital�nutrients.� Fruits� and�vegetables,� for� instance,� are� sup-posedly�lower�in�nutrients�nowadays�than�they�used�to�be�due�to�depleted�soils�as�a�result�of�intensive�farming�

methods.�The�reality,�however,�is�rather�different:�nei-�ther�are�the�soils�depleted,�nor�does�food�contain�fewer�nutrients.�Germany�is�not�a�vitamin-deficient�country.

Despite�being�legally�classified�as�such,�nutritional�sup-plements�in�fact�differ�from�conventional�food�products.�As� they� contain� nutrients� in� a� concentrated/isolated�form,�overdoses�are�more�likely.�For�example,�it�has�long�since�been�known�that�the�intake�of�additional�amounts�of�beta-carotene�by�smokers�may�facilitate�lung�cancer.�If�women�take�too�much�vitamin�A�during�the�initial�weeks�of�pregnancy,�they�risk�developmental�disorders�in�the�child.� Products� containing� high� levels� of� antioxidative�vitamins�A,�C�and�E�for�protection�against�cardiovascular�diseases�are�also�not�recommended.�Certain�trace�ele-ments,�such�as�iron,�should�only�be�taken�in�the�event�of�a�proven�deficiency�and�only�after�consultation�with�a�doctor,�due�to�the�risks�associated�with�an�uncontrolled�intake.�In�addition,�an�excess�of�individual�nutrients�can�interfere�with�the�absorption�of�other�nutrients�(calcium�and�magnesium;�plant�sterols�and�fat-soluble�vitamins).�Furthermore,� interactions�with�medication�are�possible�–�for�example,�iron�blocks�the�absorption�of�the�thyroid�hormone� thyroxine� if� taken�at� the�same� time.�Persons�wishing� to� take�nutritional� supplements� in� addition� to�their�medication� should� therefore� always� consult� their�doctor�or�pharmacist�beforehand.�

These�other�substances�are�consumed�in�nutritional�sup-plements�in�a�concentrated/isolated�form�and�cannot�cat-�egorically� be� assumed� to� be� harmless.� The� Consumer��Advice�Centres�therefore�demand�that:•� �manufacturers�prove�that�a�nutritional�supplement��

presents�no�health�risk�to�any�population�group��(including�potential�risk�groups),�before�they�enter��the�market�(positive�lists�required!).

•� �manufacturers�prove�the�benefits�promised�for�the��product.�

The�European� legislative�body�has� reacted�to� the�wide�range�of�foods�with�unproven�health�claims�by�adopting�the� Regulation� on� Nutritional� and� Health� Claims.� It� is�intended�to�ensure�that�health�claims�can�only�be�made�if�the�advertised�benefits�have�been�proven.�But�there�is�a�catch�here:�So�far,�the�European�Commission�has�only�approved�specific�statements�on�vitamins�and�minerals�as�well�as�a�few�other�substances.�The�large�number�of�advertising�promises�relating�to�herbal�substances�have�so�far�remained�unevaluated�and�may�currently�still�be�used.���

The�sole�regulation�at�the�European�level�deals�with�the�type�of�vitamins,�mineral�substances�and�trace�element�compounds�that�may�be�added.�No�specifications�exist�to�date�regarding�the�maximum�quantities.�No�specific�regulations�exist�concerning�the�numerous�other�sub-�stances�to�be�found�in�nutritional�supplements.�These�include:•� �plant�preparations,�so-called�botanicals�(such�as�ginkgo),•� secondary�plant�compounds�(such�as�phytoestrogens),•� amino�acids�and�their�compounds�� �� (such�as�L-carnitine,�glucosamine),•� natural�oils�(such�as�fish�oil,�evening�primrose�oil),•� products�of�animal�origin�� (such�as�shark�cartilage,�mussel�extracts),•� algae,�gelatine…

t NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENTS ARE NOT MEDICATIONS!

t THE FAIRY TALE OF THE UNDERSUPPLY OF VITAMINS

t RISKS AND SIDE-EFFECTS

BIG PROMISES – SMALL BENEFITS

At�first�sight,�nutritional�supplements,�often�advertised�as�purely�herbal,� appear� to�be�natural�and�harmless.�In� fact:� It� is� these� preparations� in� particular,� which�are�sold�via�the�internet,�that�can�contain�substances��hazardous� to� health,� some� of� them� having� strong�pharmacological�effects.�Often�these�preparations�are�only�exposed�by�chance;�either�by�random�testing�or�when�health�damage�occured�after�intake.

t ADULTERATED NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENTS ON THE INTERNET

t WHICH SUBSTANCES MAY BE ADDED TO NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENTS?