Dietary supplements are booming – a whopping 202,000 tons were produced in Germany alone in 2021. That's 12% more than the previous year. But what's behind these popular supplements? And what should consumers keep in mind when taking them? We've investigated the most common myths surrounding dietary supplements.
Table of contents:
- What are dietary supplements?
- Myth 1: Dietary supplements are medications
- Myth 2: Dietary supplements are always safe
- Myth 3: Vegans and vegetarians automatically need dietary supplements
- Myth 4: Anyone can take dietary supplements
- What you should pay attention to when taking dietary supplements
What are dietary supplements?
A full 75% of Germans regularly take dietary supplements – especially vitamins. This was the result of a 2023 survey conducted for Statista Consumer Insights.
Dietary supplements are concentrated sources of nutrients (or other substances with nutritional or physiological effects) sold in dosed form.
The popular supplements can consist of many different "ingredients":
- Vitamins
- Minerals
- Amino acids
- essential fatty acids
- Fiber
- Plant and herbal extracts
Food supplements are considered food in the EU ( Regulation (EC) No. 178/2002 ). This means that the responsibility for the safety of the products lies with the manufacturer, importer, supplier, or distributor.
Directive 2002/46/EC specifies which vitamins and minerals may be added to supplements. Importantly, however, there are currently no minimum or maximum amounts for the substances contained.
Myth 1: Dietary supplements are medications
Not true.
Dietary supplements (or NEMs for short) are legally classified as foodstuffs—meaning they are not medications. The key difference in this classification is that medications require regulatory approval, whereas supplements do not.
They only have to be reported to the Federal Office of Consumer Protection and Food Safety - this is quite different for medicines that fall under the Medicines Act.
The benefits and risks of dietary supplements are therefore not tested, which is why they cannot be packaged like medicines or advertised with promises of healing. [1]
Allowed are:
- Health claims: These must relate to normal body function. (For example: "Contributes to the normal function of the immune system")
- Nutritional information (for example: "sugar-free")
- Disease-related claims (for example: "reduced risk of disease")
- Exactly which claims are permitted is set out in the EU Health Claims Regulation
Not permitted are:
- Health claims that state that the supplement can prevent, cure, or alleviate disease.
- The statement that a balanced diet is not sufficient to provide nutrients.
- Misleading advertising claims that may trigger fears
- Health claims that refer to the whole food and not just to individual substances
- Advertising claims that are not scientifically proven
- Efficacy statements that refer only to individuals
- Information based on recommendations from individual doctors
Myth 2: Dietary supplements are always safe
Not true.
So, dietary supplements aren't medications and are available over the counter—so they're automatically safe, right? No, quite the opposite. Precisely because supplements don't have minimum or maximum dosage limits and aren't thoroughly tested before sale, dietary supplements can also cause harm.
For example, in 2023, the project "Klartext NahrungsmittelErgänzung" (Plain Text on Nutritional Supplements) reviewed the composition of 33 over-the-counter products for children - with the following result:
- A full 70% of the products tested exceeded the recommended reference values for vitamins and minerals for children.
- For products containing Omega 3, manufacturers advertised health claims that were not fulfilled (due to insufficient dosage)
- 39% of products met or even exceeded the recommendations for adults. [2]
Severe overdoses of certain substances can have health consequences. A good example of this is vitamin D.
While an overdose of vitamin D is hardly achievable through a normal diet, supplements with (too) high a dosage can trigger what is known as vitamin D intoxication (poisoning).
Excessive intake of the vitamin leads to increased calcium levels in the body, which can lead to acute nausea, abdominal cramps, vomiting or, in severe cases, kidney damage, cardiac arrhythmias and even death.
Because vitamin D can be stored in the body, not only acute but also gradual overdose is possible. [3]
Myth 3: Vegans and vegetarians automatically need dietary supplements
Partly true.
There's still a persistent rumor that vegetarians and vegans are essentially dependent on dietary supplements. This isn't entirely true.
The VeChi Youth Study compared a total of 401 children and adolescents who followed either an omnivorous, vegetarian or vegan diet between October 2017 and January 2019.
The result: There were no specific risk nutrients for either the vegetarian or vegan children and adolescents. [4]
There is one exception, however: Vegetarians and vegans should in most cases supplement vitamin B12 and have their status checked regularly.
The study "Risks and Benefits of a Vegan Diet" also came to a similar conclusion: With the exception of vitamin B12 intake, all of the subjects' values were comparably good – however, both vegans and omnivores had taken supplements during the trial period. [5]
There is currently little precise information available on vegan and vegetarian diets. However, clear deficiencies in specific nutrients have not yet been proven.
Myth 4: Anyone can take dietary supplements
Partly true.
Which supplements are suitable for which consumer is very individual:
- People who eat a varied and healthy diet generally do not need any dietary supplements.
- People taking certain medications may not be able to supplement with dietary supplements due to interactions.
- Others, on the other hand, depend on additional nutrient intake through dietary supplements.
If in doubt, consult your doctor before taking any supplements. This way, you can ensure that any medications or pre-existing medical conditions are not negatively affected by the supplements and that you are not exposed to any additional health risks.
What you should pay attention to when taking dietary supplements
- Find out exactly what ingredients are included and the respective quantities.
- Exaggerated advertising promises should make you suspicious – it's better to stay away from such products.
- Vague consumption recommendations are also not trustworthy and should be avoided.
- If in doubt, seek advice from your family doctor.
- Follow the packaging instructions and check the quantities beforehand.
- If you fear a real nutrient deficiency, you must consult your doctor - only he can prescribe the necessary medication.
- Check for possible interactions with your medications beforehand.
- If you want to buy online, it is best to do so from a shop based in Germany.
At Machinaro, we know what's important when it comes to premium nutritional supplements. That's why we not only ensure perfectly balanced dosages, but also handle analysis, quality control, production, final processing, and packaging safely and sustainably in Germany.
Discover our high-quality product range now!
[1] https://www.verbraucherzentrale.de/recht-gesetz/gesundheitsaussagen-54672
[2] https://www.verbraucherzentrale.de/sites/default/files/2023-08/2023_07_10_marktchecknem-fuer-kinder-2023.pdf
[3] https://www.rki.de/SharedDocs/FAQ/Vitamin_D/FAQ11.html#:~:text=If%20taken%20in%20high%20doses,%20unconsciousness%20and%20death%20can%20be%20taken.
[4] https://vechi-youth-studie.de/ergebnisse/
[5] https://www.aerzteblatt.de/archiv/215078/Versorgungsstatus-mit-Vitaminen-und-Mineralstoffen-bei-veganer-Ernaehrungsweise
