Every sixth person takes the extra pill every day
Vitamin C, magnesium, fish oil capsules, vitamin B12 – almost a third of the people in Germany take vital nutrients at least once a week via dietary supplements, one in six even daily. This resulted in a representative Opinion poll of the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR).
The preparations contain concentrated, sometimes high-dose vitamins and minerals that are also found in conventional foods. Advertising for pills, powders, effervescent tablets and liquids often promises positive effects on health, well-being or performance. But by no means everyone needs them, and some can even be harmful in excess.
Tipp: A balanced and varied diet provides healthy people with sufficient essential substances. Fruit, vegetables, fish and legumes in particular are rich in it and also provide fiber and secondary plant substances.
No legal limits
Anyone can buy dietary supplements at will and without a prescription – for example in pharmacies, drugstores, supermarkets and on the Internet. Neither in Germany nor in the EU are there legal limits for the content of vitamins and minerals.
Authority makes proposals for maximum amounts
The Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) has been publishing proposals for maximum levels “based on the current state of scientific knowledge” for years – most recently in 2021. In the assessment, it takes into account, for example, the supply situation with nutrients, the daily requirement and study data on overdoses. From this, it also derives the tolerable maximum daily intake, i.e. the maximum amount of a substance that someone should consume if they add up all sources.
Tipp: Our tables for vitamins and minerals provide an up-to-date overview of what the body needs each of the nutrients for and which foods are richly blessed with them.
Classification of dietary supplements
- Are considered food
- . According to the law, dietary supplements are considered foods because they only provide nutrients to the body.
- No medicine.
- Drugs contain pharmacologically active substances that are intended to alleviate or prevent symptoms and diseases. In a strict approval process, the manufacturers have to prove that the benefits outweigh the risks and regulate the composition. Dietary supplements do not need such an approval.
- Drug impression prohibited.
- Vitamin and mineral suppliers are not allowed to claim that their products are pharmacologically active. All health claims must be in accordance with the EU’s authorized health claims, the Health Claimsstand.
- Labeling regulated.
- Vendors are required to state on the packaging what amount of nutrients their products contain and recommend a daily dose. There is also an indication that dietary supplements cannot replace a balanced diet and that they should not be kept within the reach of children.
Too much can sometimes be harmful
Under certain circumstances, consumers take too much of a good thing with food supplements. For example can an excess of isolated vitamin A cause permanent skin changes too much vitamin c promote urinary and kidney stones, too much vitamin E delay blood clotting. Also Interactions with other drugs are possible. In addition, there is not always scientific evidence for the hoped-for effects.
Tipp: Users cannot be sure that commercially available products are of comparable quality. In the summer of 2017, we checked 35 preparations as examples (vitamins: many preparations are clearly overdosed): 26 of them exceeded the maximum quantity recommendations of the BfR at the time, ten even drastically. Anyone who absorbs nutrients from food need not fear overdoses.
Only expressly recommended in certain cases
Only in certain cases is it expressly recommended to use dietary supplements. For example, should women who want to become pregnant or are in early pregnancy, are taking folic acid. In the test food supplements for pregnant women you will find suitable preparations.
Some people like Babies, the bedridden and the elderly need extra vitamin D. Also vegan – possibly also vegetarians – should take certain preparations such as B12 take in. Some dietary supplements are individually necessary, such as iron supplements for Women with heavy menstrual bleeding.
Tipp: Do not take dietary supplements on your own. Clarify with your doctor whether and which ones you really need.