vitamines-less jumbled version

["M.Schild" <mmoo@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

A recent research by a Copenhagen University team has cautioned that 
indiscriminate use of vitamins can be a health hazard.

The controversial study, published in the American Medical Association 
journal, claims that many supplements like Vitamins A and E and beta-carotene 
may actually end up reducing your lifespan. 

"People treat it like a general tonic, but there are two sides to it. While 
certain doses can be beneficial, tilting that balance can cause disease 
itself. They should only be taken under careful supervision," said Ishi 
Khosla, Nutritionist.

Besides the study, incidents such as the one where 16 children died in Assam 
after being administered Vitamin A during an immunization round in 2001 show 
that even vitamins need to be handled with care.

Most doctors believe that supplements cannot substitute for a balanced diet, 
which takes care of all the nutrients the body needs.

Along with public cluelessness, this situation is created by the hype of the 
wellness industry.

Health Commission report

But the Copenhagen study finds resonance in a government Health Commission 
report in India, which labelled 10 out of India's top 25 top selling vitamin 
brands "irrational or non essential or hazardous."

Many of these drugs contain vitamin formulations way over the normal 
requirement, but are still consumed thoughtlessly like candy, including some 
of the biggest brands such as: 
Becosule and corex made by Pfizer
Liv-52 by Himalaya 
Dexorange by Franco-Indian
Digene by Abbott
Polybion by E Merck
Glucon-D by Heinz
Evion E by Merck
Revital by Ranbaxy.

"Three to four units (of something, vitamin E, I think) is what the body 
needs, but you get these capsules only in units of 100, and even 600. That's 
what the body needs in 50 days, so obviously there will be side-effects."

"People not aware of the benefits, or the dangers of hypervitaminosis. If a 
mother has more than 25000 units of (something else), the baby can be born 
malformed. How many young women know that, how many potential mothers know 
that?," said Dr CM Gulati, Editor, Monthly Index of Medical Specialties.

So before you reach out for that brightly coloured capsule that promises 
health and longevity, think. Take it only if you need it.

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