Big brands, retailers, and social media platforms have pulled a range of supplements following safety concerns. An investigation revealed that some supplements being sold online contain up to 12.5 times the recommended safe upper limit of popular vitamins and minerals, as reported by Which?.
Which? experts scrutinized Vitamin D, Vitamin A, Vitamin B6, and Zinc supplements available for sale on various popular platforms such as AliExpress, Amazon, eBay, Superdrug, Temu, and TikTok Shop.
For instance, while the NHS recommends a daily Vitamin D intake of 10 micrograms (µg) for adults, with a safe limit of up to 100µg, certain marketplaces listed Nuke Nutrition 10,000 IU (250µg) vitamin D3 supplements for sale. Nuke Nutrition promptly removed the product pending an investigation. Additionally, Which? found vitamin D3 supplements on AliExpress in 50,000 IU or 1,250µg doses, exceeding the recommended daily dose by 12.5 times.
Consuming excessively high doses of certain vitamins and minerals can pose health risks. For example, an intake of 10,000 IU of Vitamin D can increase the risk of hypercalcaemia, leading to severe consequences like vomiting, confusion, bone weakening, and kidney failure. Such high doses should only be taken under medical supervision to address specific health issues.
Furthermore, Which? discovered Vitamin D supplements for children on sale that contained significantly more than the recommended dose of 2,000 IU or 50µg for children aged one to ten. Temu featured “Growth” and “Height Growth Maximiser” supplements from Pslalae described as suitable for kids, teens, and adults, containing 2,500 IU (62.5µg) of vitamin D3.
Vitamin A plays a vital role in vision, immune system support, and skin health. While the NHS advises a daily intake of no more than 1500µg of Vitamin A, the European Food Safety Authority suggests a maximum of 3000µg in 2024 to support vision, immune function, and skin health.
Several platforms including Etsy, TikTok Shop, and eBay sold 25,000 IU or 7,500µg vitamin A supplements from the brand Mother Nature. It is recommended not to exceed 10mg of Vitamin B6 daily, yet Which? found the supplement available at a dosage of 100mg on Temu, as well as Solgar and Holland & Barrett.
Holland & Barrett withdrew the product following Which?’s alert. Amazon’s top-selling zinc supplement, suggested to be taken at a maximum of 25mg by the NHS, contained 50mg from the brand WeightWorld. The 50mg Now Foods zinc supplement, available on eBay and TikTok Shop, labeled as “Amazon’s Choice,” exceeded the recommended daily limit. Amazon and Superdrug Marketplace also offered a 50mg zinc supplement from the brand New Leaf. Consuming over 25mg of zinc daily can lead to a copper deficiency, resulting in fatigue and anemia.
Sue Davies, the head of food policy at Which?, expressed concern over the availability of supplements with potentially harmful doses online. She emphasized the need for stricter regulation in the supplements industry to protect consumers from ingesting levels exceeding safe limits.
Various platforms responded to the findings. AliExpress mentioned that the non-compliant products had already been removed through monitoring rules. Amazon stated that the flagged products met current regulatory guidance but acknowledged ongoing debates regarding appropriate guidelines. eBay clarified that their listings align with advisory levels from health authorities.
In conclusion, it is crucial for consumers to be aware of the risks associated with high-dose supplements and for regulatory bodies and platforms to ensure compliance with safety standards to safeguard public health.