Almost 50% of Australians take some form of daily dietary supplement – and the industry is booming.
However, a recent case documented in the Medical Journal of Australia has raised some concerns that people could be inadvertently poisoning themselves by taking too many, or the wrong kind of vitamins.
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Almost 50% of Australians take some kind of daily dietary supplement and the industry is booming but there are growing concerns that people might be inadvertedly poisoning themselves by taking too many or taking the wrong ones in a recent case documented in the medical journal of Australia a 40-year-old man was suffering rapid
Uncontrollable twitching and he was found to have dangerously high levels of vitamin B6 because of the supplements he was taking Dr Joanna hanet is a senior lecturer in complimentary medicines at the University of Sydney and she joins us now uh good morning to you Dr hanet
Thank you so much for coming into the studio to speak to us about this good morning vitamin made the headlines this week because of this case that we just alluded to in um in the introduction there 40-year-old man he enjoyed going to the gym he thought he was turning up
With to the neurologist with some neurological disorder but in fact turned out that he had too much B6 in his system can you tell me just a little bit about that and B6 yeah so B6 is an essential nutrient we we need it we obtain it from our diet but it’s well
Known throughout the world through numerous case studies that it can have a what we call neurotoxicity or cause uh damage to the peripheral nerves and in our um extremities so it it’s not a new case it is something that has been known for some time known by the medical
Sector but perhaps maybe not known by these one in two Australians which is the that who take vitamins um correct yes so um there have been recent moves to reduce the amount of vitamin B6 that is permissible to include in uh vitamin and mineral supplements um as a way of
Reducing that risk but yeah as you say um I think a lot of the Australian public think that because it’s natural it is safe but as with any medicines there are you know um there are always a safety threshold yeah well let’s talk about some of that you’ve written two
Research papers into um this very subject I mean what are the vitamins to look out for that are perhaps causing problems and you know in what quantities are people taking these that where they do turn out um to create toxicities yeah so well vitamin B6 is a very good
Example um another example is where people take um Iron where it is not necessary so iron’s a double-edged sword really needed very very important for many fun fun in the human body uh but when it’s taken in excess it can be toxic so I guess the take- home message
Is have your iron check to see if there’s actually an indication for supplementation yeah zinc that’s another one uh zinc is another interesting one double-edged sword really important for immune function but taken in higher supplemental doses for longer periods of time can actually inadvertently affect how the immune fun uh immune systems
Function so plenty of people are taking um let’s say magnes ium for sleep if you just speak around chat around your workplace what what do you take what you know some people might not take any some people might take them in very safe doses as well but others who who are
Taking more than they should multivitamins I mean are vitamins essentially safe to take when taken in the correct quantities look generally speaking yes but there needs to be an individualized approach so people with certain conditions taking certain medications um and specific populations and stages of life so children adults
And the elderly um the doses may vary and is there any evidence to support that they work um I yeah the question of do they work is a very broad it is a broad question and again it’s an individualized uh situation and there are certainly medical indications where
Um it’s necessary for people to be supplemented with specific vitamins and minerals so um it’s a$2 billion almost industry I know that you’re a member of the TGA ad advisory for complimentary medicines but do you think that there needs to be more oversight in this industry uh Australia is probably got
One of the better regulatory systems around the world and we’re looked to for that for that um regulation it’s a very light touch approach in terms of how they’re regulated because they are generally considered low risk uh but in terms of my own personal opinions around labeling and um consumer medicine
Information we we can do better okay so just the the final comment being um safe to take in uh in the context that you’re advised to take them in um but should we perhaps just be eating more fruit and veg we should 100% be eating more fruit
And veg and don’t get me started on that uh the Australian Institute of Health and welfare’s latest nut uh dietry report is rather concerning so I suggest people go down the trolley and think about what they’re putting in their trolley rather than perhaps what they’re taking from a bottle okay Dr uh Joanna
Han great to speak with you thank you thank you
