Are supplements safe and effective?

The story of a man who ended up undergoing a liver transplant because of green tea was the reason the supplement was taken up again in the news: here are some of the risks associated with the taking these supplements.

Jim McAnts started eating green tea pills in the hope of improving his health, but this substance appears to have had a detrimental effect on his health after severe liver damage, which resulted in a liver transplant.

Experts said that such an experience as McNates' was "very rare".

Supplements are subject to EU standards for safety, health and health information promoted by manufacturers.

Supplements made by big names are often thought to be safe, provided that the manufacturer's instructions for use are followed by the manufacturers, according to the doctors.

But there is a misconception that the supplements are harmless, according to Wayne Carter, a professor of medicine at the University of Nottingham.

Excessive doses of these products, more than recommended, pose a health risk. Although the body often eliminates excessive amounts of extra food, these tablets can pose a danger to the body because they can turn into toxic substances, particularly damaging the liver, the organ responsible to purify the blood of toxic substances that can enter it.

Some of us may suffer from the ability of a weak body to interact with certain biological supplements, which can control how they affect us.

"The warning about taking supplements is based on the fact that they can be helpful to a lot of people, but that's not guaranteed for everyone," Carter said.

But if there is a danger in taking these products, what are the health benefits that can be derived from them?

Dietary supplements and child health

Experts Recognize the Positive Impact of Some Supplements on Health and the UK National Health Care Authority Recommends that Pregnant Women Take Folic Acid Supplements Up to the Twelfth Week of Pregnancy to Prevent Children from Having Abnormalities congenital diseases.

The UK government said this week that it is considering adding acid to flour after repeated claims by experts.

Vitamin D supplements are of great importance to infants, the elderly, and other non-sun-exposed people, including those who receive home medical care, who are destitute, or who wear clothing that covers the major part of life. part of the body on the outside of the house. It is also recommended to take vitamin supplements for everyone in general.

Vitamin D deficiency, which is often due to sun exposure, can lead to bone abnormalities such as rickets in children or osteoporosis in adults.

"For hundreds of years, most children in London have rickets, a phenomenon that has almost disappeared after giving vitamin D supplements to children," said Benjamin Jacob, pediatric specialist at Royal Orthopedic. Sucker.

A dose of vitamin K is injected to infants 24 hours after birth to prevent them from having rare but serious disorders in the blood.

A science in constant evolution

Jakob said that dietary supplements were also necessary for those who followed a strict diet and those who had different allergies.

The National Commission for Phytosanitary Care has recommended taking vitamin B12 supplements because they are found only in foods produced from animal sources.

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However, evidence of the health benefits of other types of dietary supplements is still weak.

For example, the Health Care Authority has stated that it is possible for the body to get everything it needs through a balanced diet without the need for vitamin supplements, with the exception of vitamin D.

There has been no evidence of the benefits of the heart and brain power of fish oil tablets. Scientific experiments have revealed that the supposed benefits of fish oil for heart health are at best "low".

"The science of nutrition is constantly evolving and there is always something new in this area," said Sam Jennings, director of nutrition consulting Berry Otaway and Associates.

"It is clear that the benefits of dietary supplements do not always appear in all, because the collection of these benefits depends on the amount each needs to obtain these benefits depending on an additional food source", she said.

Carter advises people to get advice by reviewing scientific evidence confirming the benefits of any type of dietary supplement before taking them and making sure that the warning can be written.