Those who take a daily multivitamin could be at increased risk of early death, a GP has warned.
In a social media alert about ‘risky and useless’ supplements, Dr Asif Ahmed highlighted studies showing the ‘all in one’ capsules can increase mortality risk.
Last summer, a study by scientists from the National Cancer Institute in Maryland found that taking a daily multivitamin was associated with a four per cent increased risk of death over the course of the 20-year study.
The researchers found no evidence that the vitamin pills served any benefit for prolonging life.
‘These supplements aren’t going to work, you’re just wasting your money,’ Dr Ahmed told his 84,000 Instagram followers.
As well as the potential risks, he said it’s unlikely that the body will be able to absorb all of the nutrients in the tablet.
‘With all these vitamins and minerals in one place they’re competing for absorption so you end up absorping none of them and just waste them.’
The second popular supplement that Dr Ahmed recommended avoiding is a vitamin drip.
These celebrity-backed infusions, which can cost up to £2,000, claim to boost immunity, improve fitness and even cure hangovers.
They often contain multiple vitamins and minerals, and are said to deliver a more potent and effective dose directly into the bloodstream, compared to oral tabets.
But Dr Ahmed said the only benefit they serve is offering hydration, due to the amount of water that’s pumped into the vein.
‘Often people say after they’ve had it they feel better,’ he said. ‘That’s likely because they’re getting the hydration that they needed.
‘The dumping of a large amount of vitamins and minerals into your bloodstream is never going to be a good thing.’
He also flagged the risk of anaphlayxis — a life-threatening allergic reaction that requires immediate medical attention.
Excessive amounts of certain vitamins such as B and thiamine are known to trigger this in some who’ve never experienced an allergic reaction before, studies have found.
‘I say don’t bother its not going to be of any benefit,’ Dr Ahmed concluded.
The NHS says most people should get all the nutrients they need by having a varied and balanced diet
Model Chrissy Teigen posted about using an IV drip on Instagram in 2015 and wrote: ‘Hello body meet vitamins’ (left). Doctors say the treatment serves no benefit and could be harmful.
‘And finally number three, in my opinion is one of the worst scams out there, is weight loss powders,’ he added.
These supplements claim to combine with a special low-calorie diet to boost weight loss.
Dr Ahmed gave a special mention to a popular brand of powders called Unicity, which, when added to a fasting diet, are said to ‘help extend the time between dinner and your first meal of the following day’.
A testimony from one obesity specialist on the Unicity website reads: ‘I can honestly say this is by far the most succesful method I have found in my 30 years of practice.’
But according to Dr Ahmed, ‘If you’re going to lose weight it’s because of the fasting. The powder is unlikely to do anything.’
It’s certainly not worth the £200 a month price tag, he added.
Around half of all UK adults currently take a vitamin, mineral or food supplement on a regular basis, according to a Food Standards Agency poll.
Yet studies have consistently found the pills serve little benefit.
In 2018, a major study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology found that the most popular supplements — multivitamins, vitamin D, calcium, and vitamin C — made no difference to the risk of heart disease, stroke or early death.
Folate — found in leafy greens and eggs — and other B-vitamins were seen to offer some reduced risk of heart disease, although the authors noted that the evidence for this was ‘low to moderate quality’.
The NHS advises that most people should get all the nutrients they need fom a varied and balanced diet.
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