The Germans swallow too much supplements

Older people often take too many supplements

06/26/2013

More and more people are turning to vitamin pills and dietary supplements, although consumers in Germany are eating enough essential nutrients via regular foods. „A large proportion of the population uses nutritional supplements“, Researchers from the Max Rubner Institute (MRI) at the Federal Research Institute for Nutrition and Food recently discovered.

The scientists used in their analysis of the „National Consumption Study II“. It was found that about 30 percent of women regularly consume so-called supplements. For men, the proportion was significantly lower at 19 percent.

Young women between the ages of 15 and 18 are least likely to take supplements. Here, the share was just over 10 percent. Also low was the male share of 19-24 year olds. Here, only 12 percent of young men take vitamin pills. Very often, elderly people over the age of 65 take vitamins and minerals as pills. „This happens regardless of gender“, so the study authors.

It was striking that especially those regularly resort to dietary supplements, which are already sufficiently supplied with nutrients anyway. It is not uncommon „Exceedances of the tolerable daily maximum levels indicated by the European Food Safety Authority“, so the institute. This is especially common in magnesium and vitamin A. With respect to the foods plus pills, many subjects had twice the reference value for vitamins B1, B2, B6 and C as well as for vitamin B12. „For the substance niacin it was even threefold“, warn the experts. „Very popular were vitamin C and E as well as magnesium and calcium. Magnesium with potassium, for example, many patients take to reduce unpleasant heart stumbling. (Sb)

Picture: Martin Berk