Vitamin Information Center

Matthias Rath, the doctor who discouraged use of AIDS treatments in favour of his own nutritional pills, has dropped a libel case against The Guardian newspaper.

Dr Rath began legal action against the broadsheet a year ago, complaining that three of its articles condemning his behaviour amongst South Africans with HIV/AIDS were libelous.

Dr Rath claimed that his vitamin pill, Vitacell, could cure AIDS, prevent strokes, and eradicate heart disease and cancer.

He also claimed that conventional medicines were toxic, and distributed his own pills free in South Africa; an action which campaigners and medical experts claim led to unnecessary deaths.

The Guardian was awarded costs of £220,000 by the court. The paper’s editor, Alan Rusbridger, said:

“We are very glad that Rath has dropped his libel action, doubtless designed to discourage other journalists - in Britain and abroad - from looking too closely at his dubious claims and methods.

“We will seek to recover the costs of defending our journalism.”
Several HIV/AIDS experts have publicly condemned Dr Rath’s actions.

The Guardian was advised on the case by Professor Brian Gazzard, an HIV/Aids expert.

He said that convincing people that they could defend against HIV/AIDS by taking vitamin pills was “extremely harmful”.

He also said: “The widespread provision of anti-retrovirals in sub-Saharan Africa is one of the most important public health measures of this century.”

Mark Wainberg, director of the McGill Aids centre in Montreal, said: “It is clear that [Dr Rath] has done enormous harm to people with HIV.”

John Moore, professor of microbiology and immunobiology at Cornell University in the United States, said: “The promotion of micronutrients and vitamin pills as effective remedies for HIV harms infected people.

“If they stop taking the anti-retroviral drugs that we are know are effective, their health suffers.”

Dr Rath is head of the Dr Rath Health Foundation. The organisation pledges to fight for “Health, Peace and Social Justice.”

One of the main goals of the Foundation is to achieve a “new global healthcare system”, changing the world of medicine from what it claims to be “medicine that serves the interest of the pharmaceutical industry” to one that “serves the people.”

ONE in three of us takes them in a bid to boost our health and the UK market alone is worth £300million a year.

But now a major new study warns people who take vitamin supplements may not only be wasting their money, but SHORTENING their lives.

Brazil nuts … selenium

The review of 67 studies involving 230,000 people found that taking some vitamin pills could increase the risk of premature death by up to 16 per cent.

Researchers believe they may interfere with our bodies’ natural defence mechanisms.

Carrots … beta-carotene

Other supplements, including vitamin C, were found to have no effect, good or bad. Experts say a healthy, balanced diet should provide everything our bodies need.

Dietician Catherine Collins of the British Dietetic Association says: “It’s actually very hard to become deficient in most vitamins and minerals.

“For something like vitamin C, for example, it’s virtually impossible because it’s found in so many foods. And the body only absorbs the amount it needs, so more is not necessarily better.”

Here Sun Health looks at the study verdicts on key vitamins and minerals, and expert Catherine gives advice on how to get them from your diet.

VITAMIN A: Boosts immune system, helps with vision.

Study said: Supplements can increase risk of death by 16 per cent.

Found in: Animal products, eg milk, cheese and red meat, especially liver.

Catherine says: “Dairy foods in your diet should give you all you need.

“In fact, eating liver more than three times a week could mean you overdose on vitamin A.”

VITAMIN E: Protects fat in cells against damage that can lead to disease. Keeps the blood thin.

Study said: Supplements can raise risk of dying by four per cent.

Cheese … vitamin A

Found in: Seeds, nuts, corn oil and sunflower oil.

Catherine says: “Very easy to get in everyday foods. Even red meat and chicken has small amounts of it.”

VITAMIN C: Helps body absorb iron, speeds up repair process after injury.

Study said: Supplements won’t harm you, but no evidence they help either.

Found in: Oranges, kiwi, broccoli and peppers.

Catherine says: Five portions of fruit or veg a day will give you three times the amount that your body needs.”

BETA-CAROTENE: Powerful antioxidant that protects DNA in cells.

Study said: Supplements may raise risk of death by seven per cent.

Fish … selenium rich

Found in: Carrots, tomatoes, butternut squash and cabbage.

Catherine says: “The amount of betacarotene your body needs every day is very small. A little bit of cheese or cooking oil is probably enough.”

SELENIUM: Protects body against free radicals, the harmful molecules that attack and destroy healthy cells.

Study said: Supplements make no difference to health or life expectancy.

Found in: Brazilnuts, fish, wholegrains and meat.

Catherine says: “It’s incredibly rare to get selenium deficiency in the UK. Your body uses up very little of it so you need only tiny amounts.”

Popping vitamin pills ‘like sweets’ could seriously damage your health, warn experts

HEALTHY people who take vitamin supplements were last night urged to be careful after research suggested they may do more harm than good.

Welsh health experts advised people to meet their nutritional needs by eating five portions of fruit and vegetables a day.

There were also calls for tighter regulation of the sale of vitamins and minerals, which the public can buy “like sweets”, according to dietary advice groups.

The warning comes after researchers found that people who take antioxidant supplements, including vitamins A and E, to try to keep diseases such as cancer at bay, could in fact be interfering with their natural body defences and may be increasing their risk of an early death by up to 16%.

About 12 million Britons supplement their diets with vitamins and the industry is worth about £330m a year.

Paul Walker, chairman of the National Public Health Association Cymru, said: “We all need vitamins up to a certain level, but there is a misconception that taking more must be good for you.

“The evidence shows that this isn’t true. Having too much does no good and, in fact, could do people harm.

“The key is to have a very varied diet with at least five portions of fruit and vegetables per day.

“More regulation of this industry is probably required.”

Antioxidants, including vitamins A, E, C and beta-carotene and selenium, are said to mop up disease-causing compounds called free radicals. It is this action that researchers say may cause problems with the defence system.

The research by Copenhagen University, released by the influential Cochrane Library, applied only to synthetic supplements and not to vitamins that occur naturally in vegetables and fruit.

Researchers carried out a review of 67 studies on 230,000 healthy people and found “no convincing evidence” that any of the antioxidants helped to prolong life expectancy but some “increased mortality”.

They found that vitamin A supplements increased the risk of death in healthy people by 16%. Taking beta-carotene was linked to a 7% increased risk, while regular users of vitamin E supplements increased the risk of an early death by 4%.

Although the review found no significant detrimental effect caused by vitamin C, it found no evidence that it helped ward off disease. Millions take it in the hope of avoiding a common cold.

Goran Bjelakovic, who led the review, said: “We could find no evidence to support taking antioxidant supplements to reduce the risk of dying earlier in healthy people or patients with various diseases.

“If anything, people in trial groups given the antioxidants beta-carotene, vitamin A and vitamin E showed increased rates of mortality.”

Catherine Collins of the British Dietetic Association said: “This study is deeply worrying and shows that there should be more regulation for vitamins and minerals.

“The public can buy vitamins as easily as sweets. They should be treated in the same way as paracetamol with maximum limits on the dosage.”

Camille Clarke, a naturopathic nutritionist, based at the Natural Health Clinic in Cathedral Road, Cardiff, backed calls for tighter controls.

“It [the industry] needs to be regulated, vitamins are too freely available,” said Camille, who urged people to opt for naturally- occurring vitamins.

“People read things in magazines and they are taking huge amounts of vitamins and minerals but have a terrible diet.

“There’s no point in taking vitamins if you don’t have a healthy diet. You should only take them if you have a health problem and only for a little while.”

Denise Parish, a lecturer in dietetics at the University of Wales Institute, Cardiff, and a state registered dietician of 14 years, said: “As a general rule there is no evidence to say taking vitamins is of any benefit. Actually eating the foods that contain them is the best way of getting antioxidants.”

She said the only people who should take vitamin supplements are those who have particular health problems or pregnant women who are advised to take folate.

The chief medical officer for Wales, Dr Tony Jewell, said: “A good balanced diet which includes fresh fruit and vegetables will always provide individuals with the vitamins that they need.

“We would always advise people not to rely on such supplements as their primary source of vitamin intake.”

THE wife of Middlesbrough’s Deputy Mayor, Bob Kerr, was involved in an arrest drama at Stockton’s Holme House Prison over suspected drugs.

Mrs Genvieve Kerr was found in possession of tablets during a visit to the prison and was arrested and taken to Stockton Police Station.

She was, however, released two hours later without charge - the tablets were vitamin pills.

Councillor Kerr and his wife were visiting an asylum seeker currently detained at the prison as part of their involvement with local charity, Justice First, which works with people in the Tees Valley who are seeking asylum.

As is the case with any visitor to Holme House, Cllr and Mrs Kerr were subjected to a rigorous search before being allowed access to the visiting area.

During this procedure, Mrs Kerr was found to be in possession of a quantity of tablets, which she explained to prison staff were simply vitamin supplements.

The prison is well known for its vigorous anti-drugs policy and Mrs Kerr was subsequently arrested on suspicion of possessing a controlled substance last Thursday night. She was escorted to Stockton Police Station where she was detained for approximately two hours before being released without charge when it was established that the tablets were indeed vitamins.

Cllr Kerr said: “I fully understand why the prison authorities took the course of action they did as the problem of drugs in jails is a very real one.

“My wife had her vitamin tablets on her person as she always does, but with hindsight we can both see why the prison staff were quite rightly suspicious.

“We were treated at all times with the utmost professionalism and courtesy, both by the staff at Holme House and by Stockton Police.

“It is also reassuring to know that the authorities continue to operate such a robust policy in relation to the issue of drugs entering our prisons.”

Cllr Kerr has been a councillor in Middlesbrough since 1983.

Matt Spencer, Governor of Holme House Prison, said: “A lady was stopped coming into the prison. She had some tablets in her possession. The police were called and I believe they took her away for questioning.”

A spokeswoman for Cleveland Police said: “Police received a call from Holme House Prison shortly before 6pm.

“Officers attended and arrested a woman in relation to drugs offences. She was subsequently released without charge.”

We’re still in a recession. Our currency is still struggling. Inflation is worsening. Companies are worried. I addressed all this last month. This time I want to extend the discussion about where to put technology dollars and how to pitch a recessionary budget. Lots of technology gurus and pundits talk about the distinction between vitamin pills and pain killers. Put another way, there’s an obvious distinction between investments that make money and those that save money – assuming, of course, that all goes well with the projects designed to save or make money. At the simplest level is the relationship between cost management investments (pain killers) versus investments designed to generate revenue (vitamin pills).

So what will it be today – and for the next year or two? (Yes, I think that this recession will be longer and deeper than the last few.) Pain killers – without a doubt.

Those projects that contribute to cost reduction will be well received in many companies, while those designed to generate revenue – vitamin pills – will be closely scrutinized. Continuing with some other metaphors, it may be better to buy or sell shovels as everyone looks for gold-plated growth.

So is it time to buy shares in Cisco and EMC or Oracle and SAP? If you equate infrastructure with pain killers then Cisco and EMC make sense; if you see Oracle and SAP as vitamin pills then you may want to think twice about your investments in their products and services. Conclusion? Infrastructure projects are closer to pain killers and pain killers are closer to cost management than applications projects, vitamin pills or revenue generating projects.

The only problem with all this is that it’s all wrong.

While infrastructure projects often save money (and reduce pain), applications projects are where struggling companies should place their bets. Why? For the same reason why struggling companies in general should play offense rather than defense. This means that while cost management projects are always appealing, when times are tough companies should invest in projects that will eventually make them money. Throwing a long pass on fourth and one is risky – but courageous and often very smart.

As I said last month, there’s no question that projects must either save money or make money in a recessionary economy. But the relative distribution of these projects should be closely scrutinized. The conservative play is to invest only in projects that save you money, often in infrastructure projects that reduce some form of pain. But the smart play is to mix investments with as many – or more – applications projects that can contribute to revenue growth, so-called vitamin pills.

It’s sort of like contrarian stock market investors or those that play counterintuitive trends. Does it work? More often than any of us care to admit. So if you’re about to present your 2008 – 2009 technology budget, here’s some advice:

1. Lead with pain killers likely to yield impressive cost savings; this will build credibility.

2. Selectively propose projects that look like they will save money and make money, knowing that they’re more likely to make money than save it.

3. Mange the hell out of these projects. If they start to go south, kill them quickly and reload with another revenue generating project (in cost-saving clothing).

Some of this requires a little slight of hand and some adult-sized hype. But if you want to emerge from this recession as a hero, then work the system toward projects designed to score revenue gains, not just hold the competition to field goals.

Thousands of people pop vitamin pills every day in the hope of warding off that nasty bug, making themselves look better or even live longer.

But do these “magic” tablets really work?

The jury’s out but some studies suggest they could be a waste of money… and even do us harm.

And with Britons spending £300million a year on vitamin and mineral supplements, it’s a huge industry.

“The problem is that supplements are new, so there isn’t much research into their long-term effects,” says nutrition consultant Ian Marber.

However, there is some evidence of shortterm effects. Last year, Copenhagen University reviewed more than 815 clinical trials of the antioxidant vitamins A, C, E, betacarotene and the mineral selenium.

And produced some alarming results…

While vitamin C and selenium had no effect on lifespan, supplements of vitamins A, E and beta carotene actually seemed to raise the risk of premature death.

So what must you know?

Cancer danger

Worryingly, some studies have found links between supplements and cancer.

Researchers looking at whether supplements of beta carotene could reduce the risk of lung cancer gathered 18,000 American smokers in the 1990s.

Half were given beta carotene and vitamin A, while the others received a dummy pill.

“But researchers had to make the supplement group stop taking the vitamins two years early because there was a greater incidence of the disease in the group,” says dietitian Catherine Collins.

“A follow-up six years later found the risk continued even after people had stopped taking supplements.”

Last month, another study found that people who took vitamin E supplements - particularly smokers - may be at a 28 per cent increased risk of lung cancer.

But those results are not as clearcut as they first appear. Dr Ann Walker, adviser to the Health Supplements Information Service, says: “People on a lower dose of vitamin E had a lower risk of lung cancer and we don’t know whether those taking the higher doses were already ill.”

And she argues that there is evidence that a multivitamin may reduce cancer risk. “A study in 1997 found that people taking multivitamins were at lower risk of colon cancer,” she says.

But Henry Scowcroft, senior science information officer at Cancer Research UK, says that although some studies suggest supplements help, many suggest they don’t. Current advice remains that the best way to reduce your risk of getting cancer is by giving up smoking and following a healthy, balanced diet.

Heart help?

So, can supplements reduce the risk of heart disease? “We don’t recommend supplements,” says Victoria Taylor, senior dietitian at the British Heart Foundation.

“A 2005 review concluded that as high doses of vitamin E and beta carotene were linked with a higher risk of mortality, they shouldn’t be recommended.

“And the Women’s Health Study in 2005 found no benefits for the heart from taking vitamins A, C and E.

“Overall, there’s no evidence to support taking vitamins. Eating fruit and vegetables has heart benefits but it may be the plant nutrients and fibre that helps - we can’t assume it’s specific vitamins.”

General health

But what about overall well-being - should we take vitamins for immunity?

For most of us, no, says Catherine. “There’s no evidence the general population benefits.

“Our food today is of better quality and with more variety than ever before. There are arguments that poor soil quality from intensive farming means food doesn’t contain all the nutrients but there’s no evidence - if soil was that low quality, a plant wouldn’t grow.”

Pregnancy and childhood

There is solid proof, however, that certain people do benefit from some supplements.

If you’re trying to conceive or are in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy, the Department of Health recommends 400mcg of folic acid each day, to help prevent birth defects of the spine and brain.

But always take a supplement designed for pregnancy - a standard multivitamin can contain more nutrients than stated on the label, and high doses of vitamin A have been linked with birth defects.

“Young children can also benefit from a multivitamin, especially as we’re so cautious with the sun - we need sunlight to make vitamin D, essential for immunity and healthy bones, and low levels have been linked with conditions including multiple sclerosis,” says Catherine.

“Ensure they have a supplement designed for youngsters.”

SUPPLEMENT SAFETY

If you really want a supplement Catherine Collins suggests a multivitamin and mineral. “Nutrients work together and multivitamins contain them at a safe dose.”

However, don’t think you can survive on junk food topped up with huge doses of individual nutrients.

While excess water-soluble vitamins like vitamin C and the B vitamins will just be excreted, the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K, are stored in the body and can accumulate. And the longterm effect isn’t known.

And avoid extra supplements on top of your multivitamin. “If you have specific needs, like PMS, look for a formulation designed for your condition,” advises dietitian Nigel Denby.

And if you’re on medication, check with your GP.

In Sri Lanka, one of the most misused drugs is vitamins which can be bought over the counter. The majority of Sri Lankan doctors prescribe (unnecessary) vitamins and iron pills to their patients. A large number of healthy normal people especially those living in the urban areas swallow vitamins daily as they believe that daily intake of vitamins helps them to improve quality of their lives, prolong life and prevent certain chronic diseases.

Most of the vitamin pills doctors prescribe to their patients are highly unnecessary and excessive intake of certain vitamins such as vitamin A, vitamin D and vitamin K can give rise to chronic health problems both in adults and in children.

“Because nutrition operates as an infinitely complex biochemical system involving thousands of chemicals and thousands of effects on your health, it makes little or no sense that isolated nutrients taken as supplements can substitute for whole food. Supplements will not lead to lasting health and may cause unforeseen side-effects. The danger of Western diets cannot be overcome by consuming nutrient pills” (T. Colin Campbell and Thomas M. Campbell).

In Sri Lanka, thousands of healthy patients swallow vitamin pills daily. Most of them take multivitamin and B-complex tablets and some of them take iron pills. Most of the vitamins doctors prescribe to their patients are highly unnecessary and self medication with fat-soluble vitamins can be dangerous. The common vitamins doctors prescribe to their patients are multivitamins and vitamin C; multivitamin tablets containing iron can rarely lead to heart disease.

Vitamin A

Vitamin A is prescribed by doctors to patients suffering from vitamin A deficiency which is a rare disease nowadays due to improvement in public health services unlike the days before 1970 when I served in an outstation provincial hospital as a relieving house officer, when I used to see, children with eye complications of vitamin A deficiency in paediatric wards and in the eye clinic. I saw the most number of patients with xeropthalmia when I clerked under (late) Professor C.C. de Silva at Lady Ridgeway Hospital in 1961. I understand from my colleagues that it is not common to see malnourished children with vitamin A deficiencies in the paediatric wards nowadays.

Overdose of vitamin A can cause rough skin, dry hair and raised sedimentation rate (high E.S.R.) and raised alkaline phosphatase. Vitamin A supplements should not be prescribed to females who might become pregnant and those attending antenatal clinics, as high blood levels of vitamin A can cause birth defects. Pregnant mothers should not eat liver and liver sausages which are rich in vitamin A.

Vitamin D

We Sri Lankans are fortunate that we don’t have diseases due to vitamin D deficiency as we get exposed to sunlight. I used to see a fair number of children with rickets when I did paediatric appointments in 1961, but I have never seen any adult cases with vitamin D deficiency (osteomalacca) in Sri Lanka. I saw a few cases of osteomalacia in the Metabolic Unit, Manchester Royal Infirmary when I used to join the Professional Teaching rounds in 1972 at Royal Infirmary. I understand that rickets is rare in Sri Lanka now.

You should never self-medicate with vitamin D tablets as you may get symptoms of vitamin D overdosage which include loss of appetite, lassitude, nausea, vomiting, diarhoea, weight loss, increased urine output, sweating, headache, thirst and giddiness.

Vitamin E

Some women self-medicate with vitamin E as they have a misconception that taking vitamin E capsules and hair lotions containing vitamin E prevent fall of hair. Very often beauticians advise their customers to take vitamin E as far as I am aware vitamin E is not useful for females with loss of hair.

About 30 years ago, doctors used to prescribe vitamin E to heart patients in the belief that vitamin E prevents heart attacks. All the clinical trials done todate have shown that vitamin E does not prevent heart attacks. I frequently prescribe vitamin E to my patients who are on “water tablets” (diuretics) such as Frusemide and spironolactone, for prevention nocturnal cramps.

Vitamin B-Complex

Deficiency of B-Complex vitamins is rare. Out of B vitamins, folic acid is commonly prescribed by obstetricians to pregnant mothers to prevent neural tube defects in the foetus. Folic acid is commonly prescribed by physicians to patients with megaloblastic anaemia (due to folate deficiency). Folic acid is known to prevent carcinoma of breast in females and is commonly prescribed to heart patients to prevent heart attacks although there is no scientific evidence so far to show that routine folic acid intake prevents heart attacks.

Eat a well balanced diet

If you eat a well-balanced diet you don’t have to swallow vitamins. Randomized clinical trials of vitamin supplements have been disappointing including those with vitamin E and beta-carotene and even folic acid for prevention of heart attacks. According to some randomized clinical trials, there are risks with increased doses of beta-carotene.

According to Dean Ornish (best selling author) at least 1000 protective substances are found in certain foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes and soya products and above foods have anti-cancer, anti-aging and anti-heart disease properties. When you eat more healthfully, you are going to look good, feel good, lose weight and gain health. Joy of living is a much better motivation than fear of dying.

Diet and lifestyle changes can be more powerful than drugs. I don’t think the majority of Sri Lankans who swallow multivitamin, vitamin C and iron tablets are deficient in vitamins and iron. For those who take Western diets and for those who take a lot of junk food, and who don’t take sufficient fruits and vegetables and whole grains, it is advisable to take some vitamins such as multivitamin and vitamin C tablets. For patients who are deficient in vitamins, their physicians will prescribe vitamins. When normal healthy people swallow vitamins, you are prone to get side-effects.

Don’t take too much of Iron pills

Taking too much of iron pills and syrups containing iron can cause iron overload. When you take too much of iron your bad cholesterol (LDL) will get oxidized and oxidized LDL is more toxic than unoxidized LDL and will end up in arteries and contribute to development of coronary heart disease (heart attacks).

Females don’t have to worry about iron overload problems during child-bearing period and excess of iron is lost during menstrual cycles. But taking iron pills after menopause is not advisable and may cause iron overload.

You don’t have to worry about vitamins and other nutrients as long as you take enough fruits, vegetables, soya and other legumes and whole grains. Only when we consume nutrients as food and not as supplements that it is useful. According to the New York Times, April 29, 2003 (science section) there are no proved health benefits of consuming nutrient supplements (Kolata G).

Vitamin supplements are not a panacea for good health and taking too much of vitamins and other nutrients including iron can be dangerous. You don’t have to worry about vitamins and other nutrients as long as you take a healthful diet containing fruits, vegetables, soya products, legumes and whole grains. Avoid consumption of transfats commonly found in margarine and vegetable oils.

Vitamins and minerals can be absorbed by the body in a number of ways. They first enter our body through the food we eat. Secondly, we can take vitamin supplements to increase the amount of pertinent vitamins and minerals. There are different methods of taking medication and one of the most common methods is absorbing it in its liquid form. Do the advantages of liquid vitamins far outweigh its disadvantages �” if there are any? Read on and find out.
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