Scientists have made serious warnings about the supposed health benefits of popular vitamins and supplements.
A report on Four Corners last night exposed the increased risk of life-threatening conditions after taking too much vitamin E, C and D, which could lead to prostate cancer and heart disease. It has also been found that fish oil and weight loss tablets can cause harm.
One weight-loss pill linked to liver failure is OxyElite Pro Super Thermo capsules, with the Therapeutic Goods Authority putting a warning out for Australians.
In March, ABC reported that since 2011, at least six Aussies have had to undergo three liver and three kidney transplants for taking the herbal supplement.
After taking half a bottle of OxyElite Pro Super Thermo capsules, U.S Navy chief petty officer Cynthia Novida’s eyes started to turn yellow as a result of her liver failure and she needed a liver transplant. She now has to take 19 pills to keep her condition under control.
Cynthia
According to the special investigation by the New York Times and the PBS Frontline, she and more than 100 others are taking legal action against the makers of OxyElite Pro, USP Labs.
OxyElite Pro
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) doesn’t conduct reviews into dietary supplements before going on the market, meaning that people can’t always assume everything in a supplement store is safe to use.
Dr Paul Offit, from The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia talked about the risks of vitamin E, saying: “If you take large quantities of Vitamin E as a supplement, you clearly and definitively increase your risk of prostate cancer.”
He also said that pills containing 1,000mg of Vitamin C equates to eight rockmelons, which goes “against what nature intends.”
High as well as low blood levels of Vitamin D have been found to have a higher risk of cardiovascular disease, as well as fish oil if the main ingredient is exposed to oxygen.
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