A specific type of supplement is prompting warnings
A health alert has been raised following new research that connects a certain type of supplement to serious health risks.
As autumn and winter approach and seasonal illnesses return, it’s no surprise that increasing numbers of people are relying on these vitamin-rich pills.
The BBC reports that more than 74 percent of Americans and around two-thirds of people in the UK use dietary supplements in an effort to boost their health.
Yet, health experts have been reminding people of the importance of taking them safely and the dangers associated with overdosing.
Though they can of course be helpful, it’s so important you know your stuff before getting started.
For instance, taking too many vitamin D supplements over a long period of time can lead to too much calcium to build up in the body, also known as hypercalcaemia – this can weaken the bones and damage the kidneys and the heart.
In the mean time, one woman from American even found herself ‘one step from liver failure’ after she accidentally overdosed on turmeric pills.
The latest warning, however, is for soft-gel capsule supplements – you know, the squishier tablets.
The supplement is essentially inside a soft shell, which is usually made of a combination of gelatin, water, opacifier and a plasticiser such as glycerin or sorbitol.
Though they are easier to swallow, they have come under scrutiny from health experts and researches for one reason – the plasticiser element.
Plasticisers are made of phthalates, which are a group of chemicals used to make plastics more flexible and durable.
However phthalates have reportedly been linked to a number of health concerns, including birth defects, allergies in children and even ‘silent killer’ heart disease, reports the Independent.
The publication outlines that phthalates are known as endocrine disruptors – these are substances that can interfere with hormone systems.
