Vitamin pills are largely useless - Nutritionists

Especially when you think you're taking vitamin pills to make up for a poor diet. It's the same old story I'm afraid; there's no substitute for a proper diet and exercise. Forget the magic pill. There isn't one. In fact the magic vitamin pill may even be harmful.

Health experts have expressed concern and dismay at an increase in demand for unnecessary and sometimes harmful vitamin pills. 

Between June 2011 and June 2015, the proportion of the nation buying nutritional supplements, including vitamins and minerals, in a twelve month period increased from 36 per cent to 42 per cent, Roy Morgan reported last week — an increase of 1.5 million people. 

An advocate for better-researched medications blamed extra demand on heavy industry lobbying and marketing. 

“Wholesale vitamins to the general public is a total waste of money and can actually be detrimental to health,” Friends of Science in Medicine vice president Emeritus Professor Alastair McLennan said. 

“The vast majority, and I’m talking 99 per cent, of the vitamin-taking public are wasting their money. And some vitamins, in excess, can cause harm.” 

A leading nutritionist warned the new research suggested a growing number of Australians were “self-medicating” with supplements in an ill-advised attempt to correct poor diet. 

“The problems in the Australian diet concern an excess of saturated fats and sugar and salt and a lack of dietary fibre. And not a single one of those four major problems is solved by taking a vitamin supplement,” Dr Rosemary Stanton told The New Daily. 

“It’s disappointment to see this increase in the sales of vitamins without any decrease in the sales of junk food.” more