Dietary supplements are often advertised as panaceas that will boost immunity and give people shiny hair and good skin. Many people in Belgium take such pills but often without prior medical advice.
More than half of people in Belgium (53%) use dietary supplements, a recent survey by consumer protection organisation Test Achats revealed. The reasons range from supplementing deficiencies (70%) and strengthening the immune system (37%) to increasing vitality (24%) and alleviating joint problems (15%). However, half of users take the pills without first consulting a health professional (such as a doctor, pharmacist or dietician), a finding that Test Achats says is worrying.
"Taking dietary supplements without prior medical advice is not without risk and can intervene with the working of pharmaceutical drugs," spokesperson Laura Clays said. "St John's wort, for example, reduces the effect of the contraceptive pill, but overdosing is also possible."
Earlier this year, Test Achats already put out a similar warning for plant-based supplements. In its latest survey, conducted among almost 1,000 consumers between 25 and 79, this ignorance was again highlighted: four in ten consumers are unaware of these risks and think supplements are harmless.
Stricter regulations needed
The survey also shows that 66% of people who use dietary supplements think they work well. But Clays says it is medical knowledge that supplements are only effective in case of deficiencies.
It also highlighted distrust of health claims on packaging: only 9% of respondents believe they are always scientifically substantiated. "Consumer trust in the market is essential for it to work properly, and our survey clearly shows that consumers do not believe all the promises made on food supplement packaging."
Test Achats argued that the survey shows the need for better regulation of the dietary supplement market and reiterates its demands for better monitoring of these products. "We call for a stricter framework in terms of proof of efficacy, safety and quality, and much stricter controls by the authorities. In any case, we advise consumers to use food supplements only after consulting their GP," Clays concluded.
