Germany – The investigation lead bubbles: 16 twos for immunity

In the world of dietary supplements, amazing arithmetic works. A hundred milligrams — good, a thousand — must be ten times better. Two useful substances in one pill? Perfect! And if you add a loud promise of immune protection, the success of the buyer is almost assured. However, the human body does not have to obey marketing formulas. And the German experts decided to remind the manufacturers.

In the cold season, along with vitamins, tranquility is also sold: it seems to have taken a pill - then he was insured. Especially when the window is damp, and in public transport coughing from all sides. But the Öko-Test test showed that bright advertising and the real merits of the tool are not the same thing.

Cold shower for buyers

For the November issue, the magazine purchased 21 complexes in pharmacies, drogeria, supermarkets and online stores. To check went capsules, lozenges, ordinary and effervescent tablets, as well as liquid concentrate. Experts measured the content of active substances, studied dosages, labeling and scientific data on effectiveness. The verdict is harsh: 16 products received "bad" or "very bad." The best result is only "satisfactory" in Cetebe Abwehr lozenges Fit Vitamin C + Zink. And they had comments on the information on the packaging.

However, a poor estimate does not equal the proven danger. Scores were reduced for excess individual substances, unwanted components, gaps in warnings and benefits to a healthy person that manufacturers cannot conclusively confirm.

A shock dose of doubt

The amount of vitamin C in a daily serving ranged from 12 to 1000 mg. Five funds offered a whole gram. And the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) recommends a maximum of 250 mg per day for dietary supplements - four times less. This is a preventive benchmark, not a threshold beyond which poisoning begins. But why such a vitamin artillery? With a varied diet, vitamin C deficiency is rare in Germany. Pepper, cabbage, broccoli, potatoes and citrus fruits are available all year round.

And scientific reviews don't promise miracles. In most people, regular vitamin C supplementation does not reduce the risk of catching a cold, although in adults it can reduce the duration of the illness by about 8%. And if you start drinking the supplement only at the first symptoms, a stable therapeutic effect of the study was not found.

Zinc without superpower

This mineral is really necessary for the immune system. But it does not follow that it should be taken uncontrollably. According to a Cochrane review, some forms of zinc can shorten a cold by about two days. Confidence in the results is low; nausea, unpleasant taste and other adverse reactions were more common. There is no convincing evidence of benefit for permanent prevention.

In the tested complexes, the daily portion contained from 2.25 to 15 mg of zinc. The four products reached the top mark, more than double the BfR benchmark for supplements of 6.5 mg. Only four out of 21 products met the recommended limits for both substances. At the same time, 6.5 mg is not the maximum safe dose, taking into account nutrition. For adults, the upper allowable level of total intake is 25 mg per day. Prolonged excess of zinc can impair the absorption of copper, important, in particular, for hematopoiesis. Therefore, BfR advises to indicate on the package: if the supplement contains more than 3.5 mg of zinc in a daily serving, you should not simultaneously take other products with this mineral. In ten cases, the inspectors did not find such a warning.

Talk and company

In ten products, Öko-Test criticized the additional ingredients. Five had talc: The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) proposed classifying it as "probably carcinogenic to humans." But this is an assessment of the dangerous properties of a substance, not evidence that a particular pill causes cancer. Comments were also made on selected phosphates, emulsifiers and sweeteners. Their presence in itself does not mean inevitable harm: the substance, dose and conditions of use are important.

No less questions were raised by promises on packages. “Promotes the normal functioning of the immune system” is not the same as “prevents colds.” Nutritional supplements, unlike drugs, do not pass a comparable test of therapeutic effectiveness against a particular disease before sale.

Why calm down?

The daily portion cost buyers from three cents to 1.93 euros. For a month, the most expensive option will pull almost 58 euros. But the probability of getting sick from such a check does not become less. However, any supplements cannot be written off. With confirmed deficiency, certain diseases or nutritional features, they can be useful. It is better to discuss the dosage with a doctor or pharmacist, especially when taking medications: zinc affects the absorption of certain drugs. The conclusion is simple: double dose does not promise double protection. A spectacular hissing in a glass does not mean that along with the bubbles will disappear runny nose.

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