Ask a Dietitian

As seen on BCTV August 29/00

SUPPLEMENTS – JUST FOR SHOW

The best way to sell your product is to market it and that is exactly what vitamin manufacturers are doing when you see labels that say “for men”, “Ultra”, “Mega”, “Stresstabs”. Here is the inside scoop on some of the marketing tools used by manufacturers to get you to buy their supplements.

Sometimes companies throw in everything but the kitchen sink to make their products look better than the rest. Whatever is hot in the media, be it ginseng, kelp, coenzyme Q10 or alfalfa extract, they will add it. It doesn’t matter if the current research proves those ingredients to be worthless.

Other companies may add ingredients at such minuscule amounts that they have no benefit at all. You will see in big bold letters on the label; “contains ginseng, Ginko Biloba, grapeskin extract or echinacea” and see that there are only micrograms in each capsule. Why so little? Health Canada has made it illegal to add more than 10% of the lowest amount that is traditionally considered therapeutic in a multivitamin. This is to protect those people who only want a multivitamin supplement.

Vitamin companies may also switch units to make it seem like they are adding lots of a particular ingredient. One brand has 180 mcg (micrograms) of zinc which is only 0.18 mg (milligrams), 2% of the recommended daily intake.

You may be fooled by claims such as “mega”, “ultra” or “high potency”, thinking that they contain more than the other supplements, but often they don’t mean a thing. In contrast, Centrum Forte does contain adequate amount of a host of vitamins and minerals that match those of some actual “high potency” vitamins. Compare labels to check for differences.

Some formulas claim they are specialized for men, women or seniors, but these calims are not government regulated and it is up to the company to decide what nutrients are important for that group and sometimes the companies decide wrong. Life Adult Multi + minerals over 50 has only 0.1 mg folic acid which is 1/4 of the 0.4 mg recommended to reduce the risk of heart disease. It is also important to watch for name claims that promise to reduce stress or curb symptoms of menopause or PMS because unfortunately these are not backed by good evidence. One of the risks here is that people looking for a quick fix may choose to take these supplements in quantities greater than the recommended dose and risk certain side effects.

Mega dosing has become a trend these days, but more is not always better. For most of the water-soluble vitamins, your body will only absorb what it needs and the excess will be excreted in your urine. Some vitamins taken in excess can result in uncomfortable side effects such as mega doses of vitamin C, which can cause stomach problems and diarrhea. Iron should not be taken in doses greater than 18mg/day unless recommended by your physician. Excess vitamin A can be toxic to your liver and can cause birth defects.

Bottom Line: Multivitamin/Mineral supplements are generally considered safe if you follow the recommended dosage. If you wish to take supplements individual nutrients it is best to consult your family physician, dietitian or pharmacist.

Watch for the Eating for Energy segment every Tuesday on BCTV’s Noon News Hour!