Latest news with #supplements
News.com.au
4 hours ago
- Health
- News.com.au
Aussie supplement company Blackmores facing potential class action over allegedly ‘toxic' levels of B6 in products
Australian supplement giant Blackmores is facing potential class-action lawsuit, over claims that excessive levels of vitamin B6 in some of the company's over-the-counter products have led to serious health complications. Dominic Noonan-O'Keeffe began taking Blackmores supplements in May 2023 to support his health, ahead of the birth of his first child. Unaware the magnesium product contained potentially 'toxic' levels of vitamin B6, he claims he soon developed severe symptoms – including fatigue, headaches, muscle spasms, heart palpitations, and loss of sensation, according to Polaris lawyers. Doctors later diagnosed him with neuropathy linked to excessive B6 intake. Despite stopping in early 2024, Mr Noonan-O'Keeffe claims he continues to suffer daily from nerve pain and other symptoms. Polaris Lawyers – who are representing Mr Noonan-O'Keeffe, the lead plaintiff in the potential class-action – allege they later discovered the magnesium product contained about 29 times the recommended daily intake of vitamin B6. Polaris Lawyers is now investigating a proposed class action against Blackmores for the excessive B6 levels in their vitamin supplements. 'It's alarming to walk down the vitamin aisle of any chemist in Australia and see vitamin supplements containing levels of B6 which are far and above the recommended daily intake,' Polaris Lawyers Founder and Principal Nick Mann said. 'What happened to Dominic is tragic, but he is not alone – we are aware of reports that excessive levels of B6 in over-the-counter supplements may have caused lasting injuries to hundreds of Australians. 'Polaris Lawyers is currently investigating a class action on behalf of anyone who has suffered injuries as a result of excessive levels of B6 as a result of taking Blackmores vitamin supplements.' In an interim decision report released in June, the TGA acknowledged no clear consensus on a safe vitamin B6 level that fully prevents peripheral neuropathy. The decision proposed rescheduling products containing over 50mg per day as 'Pharmacist Only Medicines.' A Blackmores spokesperson said they were aware of the TGA's proposed changes. 'At Blackmores, we are committed to the highest standards of product quality and consumer safety. All our products, including those containing Vitamin B6, are developed in strict accordance with the regulatory requirements of the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA),' the spokesperson said. 'This includes compliance with maximum permitted daily doses and the inclusion of mandated warning statements. 'We acknowledge the interim decision issued by the TGA and we will ensure full compliance with its final determination.'
Daily Mail
9 hours ago
- Health
- Daily Mail
I took a very common supplement because it was supposed to help me... my world has been turned upside down and I know I'm not alone
A young Australian has claimed a B6 supplement has left him with pain and cognitive issues, as a law firm launches a class action investigation against Blackmores. Melbourne man Dominic Noonan-O'Keeffe, 33, began taking two supplements partly on the advice of health podcasters in May 2023. Over the course of several months of using the company's Blackmores Super Magnesium+ and Ashwagandha+, he developed a range of symptoms associated with overexposure to vitamin B6. Vitamin B6 is a nutrient naturally found in meats and plants, but has been added to off-the-shelf supplement ranges for its properties aiding metabolism. Overconsumption of vitamin B6 can be toxic, though there is no consensus on the threshold for safe usage. Mr Noonan-O'Keeffe's symptoms began as fatigue, nerve pain, migraines, and visual disturbances. Nine months later, his stepsister asked if he was taking B6 supplements, as a colleague of hers had recently suffered B6 toxicity. 'It was a lightbulb moment,' Mr Noonan-O'Keeffe told the Sydney Morning Herald. 'I stopped all of my supplements straight away, got a blood test, and within a week, I had a diagnosis of B6 toxicity.' He later discovered the Magnesium+ he had been taking contained approximately 29 times the recommended daily intake of vitamin B6. The Frankston man still suffers numbness in his fingers, nerve pain in his neck, and reduced cognitive ability. 'I'm hoping I'm at the tail end of a big flare-up, and this is the start of recovery, even though we know the recovery prospects are pretty unknown,' Mr Noonan-O'Keeffe said. Injury law firm Polaris Lawyers has been pursuing a class action investigation against the wellness giant since May. They are acting on behalf of anyone who has suffered injuries after taking their supplements. Polaris principal Nick Mann said more than 300 people had enquired about joining the suit. Their respondents claimed to have suffered after taking B6 supplements, exclusively and in combination with other supplements. Elli Carew, 64, said she had been inadvertently taking the vitamin through other supplements for several years, with B6 toxicity now interfering with the treatment of her Parkinson's disease. Penny Thompson, 61, said her B6 toxicity first presented as numbness in her hands and feet, before she suffered from paralysed vocal cords. The vocal injury, affecting her ability to eat and speak, cost her her role as a TAFE teacher, before she developed other injuries like headaches, gut pain, and numbness. Mr Mann said the reports were 'alarming'. 'It's alarming to walk down the vitamin aisle of any chemist in Australia and see vitamin supplements containing levels of B6 which are far above the recommended daily intake,' he said. 'Consumers of supplements have a right to be confident that the product they purchase will be safe for their use. 'The fact that potentially harmful supplements have been approved for sale by the regulator does not alter the legal obligations of manufacturers to ensure that the products are safe for consumers.' In a decision posted in June, the TGA announced it would consider ordering supplements containing more than 50mg of vitamin B6 to be stored behind pharmacy counters. Such a change would not come into effect until February 2027. A Blackmores spokesman told Daily Mail Australia the company was committed to the 'highest standards of product quality and consumer safety'. 'All our products, including those containing vitamin B6, are developed in strict accordance with the regulatory requirements of the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA),' he said. 'This includes compliance with maximum permitted daily doses and the inclusion of mandated warning statements. 'We acknowledge the interim decision issued by the TGA and we will ensure full compliance with its final determination.'
Yahoo
a day ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Heart disease is the leading cause of death. A cardiologist takes 3 supplements to lower his risk.
Supplements can be helpful for heart health, according to a cardiologist. He shared the supplements he personally takes for his cardiovascular health. Studies show that omega-3, magnesium, and vitamin D are all good for the heart. Supplements can boost longevity, reduce inflammation, and aid in strength training. They can also improve cardiovascular health, according to a heart transplant cardiologist. Dr. Dmitry Yaranov, the director of the advanced heart failure program at Baptist Memorial Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee, told Business Insider that being a cardiologist makes him extra aware of cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of death in the US. "I'm always very conscious about my diet," Yaranov said, and that includes supplements to support his heart health. At the same time, he said the list of supplements he takes is "not long," as he tries to focus on supplements that have more research behind them. Supplements "support a healthy lifestyle, but they don't replace a healthy lifestyle," Yaranov said, emphasizing the importance of practicing heart-healthy habits such as regular exercise and a balanced diet. "I think that a lot of times, my patients forget about that." Omega-3 reduces the risk of blood clots Of all the supplements he takes, Yaranov said omega-3 has the most research backing its heart health benefits. Found in foods such as salmon, anchovies, soybeans, and walnuts, omega-3 helps support healthy blood cells, reducing the risk of blood clots. It also helps to lower triglyceride levels, a type of fat that can cause plaque buildup in the arteries and eventually lead to a stroke, heart attack, or heart disease. "I know that for sure, I'm not getting enough fresh, fatty fish in my diet," Yaranov said, which is why he's been taking omega-3 supplements for years. Magnesium glycinate improves sleep Magnesium supports heart, bone, brain, and muscle health, controlling processes such as blood pressure. It can naturally be found in foods such as spinach and black beans, but up to 15% of Americans are magnesium-deficient. Yaranov emphasized that he checks his magnesium levels every six months to a year through blood work, since "certain levels of magnesium are dangerous for the heart." Taking too much magnesium can lead to irregular heart rhythms and even cardiac arrest. He said cardiologists recommend keeping magnesium near 2.0 to 2.2 mg/dL, especially in patients with heart disease. Getting his bloodwork done also helped him find the right type of magnesium for his body. Yaranov takes magnesium glycinate, which promotes better sleep than other forms of magnesium because of the presence of glycine, an amino acid with calming qualities. Prior to taking it, he tried magnesium oxide, citrate, and salts, but they either didn't improve his levels or upset his stomach. That "eventually will feed into cardiovascular health," as poor sleep negatively impacts the heart, he said. He also works out five days a week and sweats a lot, which can deplete the body's magnesium levels. Vitamin D may prevent heart disease Vitamin D is associated with a lower risk of heart attack in adults over 60. While more research is needed on the exact benefits vitamin D has on the heart, many researchers and clinicians believe there's no harm in supplementing with vitamin D, especially when it has other proven perks such as helping the body absorb calcium and boosting the immune system. (While it's technically possible to overdose on vitamin D, it usually happens when people take more than their recommended value of vitamin D supplements.) Vitamin D can be found through sun exposure and foods such as fatty fish and milk. Yaranov said he spends "a long time indoors," which can contribute to vitamin D deficiency. When he learned his levels were low, he added vitamin D to his list of daily supplements. Read the original article on Business Insider
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Can you hack aging with NAD supplements?
Walk down the supplement aisle at your local drugstore and you'll likely spot bottles of NAD (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide) pills, powders, or liquids that promise to slow down aging. The global market for these products hit $535.53 million in 2022. But do NAD supplements really work? 'I get asked about NAD supplements occasionally by patients,' says Dr. Nicholas Dragolea, a London-based GP with an interest in longevity and functional health at My Longevity Centre in the United Kingdom. 'My answer usually is that there isn't enough medical evidence to support taking it.' [ Related: Does drinking collagen actually do anything? ] What is NAD and why the hype? NAD is a molecule your body makes from nutrients in your diet like tryptophan and niacin. It's involved in hundreds of different processes in the body—from metabolism, to brain health, to DNA repair—making it critical for overall human health, explains Daniel Craighead, an assistant professor in the School of Kinesiology at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities. 'NAD levels tend to go down as we get older,' he says. 'Therefore, the thought is that if we can restore NAD through dietary supplements, we may be able to reverse a lot of the signs and symptoms of aging.' [ Related: Is there any truth to anti-aging schemes? ] What do studies show? In 2023, Craighead and his colleagues reviewed research on oral NAD precursors and their effects on healthy aging and age-related chronic diseases. (Rather than NAD itself, many supplements contain NAD precursors like nicotinamide riboside and nicotinamide mononucleotide, which are more stable and are converted to NAD by the body). Lab studies in cells and mice showed promising results, supporting the theory that NAD promotes healthy aging and helps with DNA repair. But human studies paint a more mixed picture. 'So far, most of the studies in people are relatively short, lasting weeks to months, and done in small groups of only a couple dozen people,' says Craighead. 'These human studies have shown that NAD+ precursors are safe and boost NAD+ levels, but significant improvements in health generally haven't been observed.' The best evidence we have is that these NAD precursors may decrease inflammation, adds Craighead. For example, a study published in 2019 found that three weeks of nicotinamide riboside supplementation reduced blood markers of inflammation by 50% to 70% in older men. Chronic inflammation is a hallmark of aging and age-related diseases, making this a promising result. Another review, published in 2024, noted potential benefits for age-related and neurological conditions like Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease, but cautioned that further clinical trials must be performed. One of the studies included in the review showed that oral nicotinamide riboside supplements increased brain NAD levels and altered brain metabolism in individuals with Parkinson's disease. The supplements also reduced inflammatory cytokines—proteins that act as messengers in the immune system—in the blood and cerebrospinal fluid (a fluid that surrounds and protects the brain and spinal cord) of participants. In another 2004 study, patients with Alzheimer's disease who took NAD supplements showed improvements in cognitive functions, such as verbal fluency and abstract reasoning. What do doctors say? Some clinicians report anecdotal benefits. 'My patients see huge improvements in energy when I start them on injections of daily low dose NAD,' says Dr. Heather Hinshelwood, the co-owner and chief of medicine of Fraum Health, a provider of restorative medicine, chiropractic, and proactive wellness care on Hilton Head Island in South Carolina. 'I have dementia patients who start having better cognition than their spouses,' she adds. But many experts remain cautious.'There is no high-quality evidence that NAD supplementation has any health benefit,' says Dr. David S. Seres, a professor of medicine at the Institute of Human Nutrition at Columbia University Medical Center in New York. 'Without strong evidence from well-done randomized trials, we recommend against taking any dietary supplements.' Are they safe? So far, human studies indicate that NAD supplements are generally safe. But Dr. Seres warns that safety assumptions based on weak evidence can be dangerous. Take vitamin E and selenium: Early research showed that men with prostate cancer had low levels of vitamin E and selenium. But a clinical trial involving 35,000 men later found that men who took vitamin E were more likely to develop prostate cancer compared to men on placebo. 'You cannot assume that supplements are effective or safe based on the kind of evidence used to make claims such as 'supports energy' or 'supports healthy aging,'' says Seres. [ Related: 7 things you can do to actually prevent wrinkles ] Bottom line For now, NAD supplements are not a proven tool for healthy aging. 'Longer studies with more participants are needed,' says Craighead. If you still want to try taking NAD, just note that not all supplements contain what their labels claim. A 2024 analysis found that many nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) products contained far less of the active ingredient than advertised, Craighead says, 'so consumers may be wasting money on supplements that contain no NMN.' This story is part of Popular Science's Ask Us Anything series, where we answer your most outlandish, mind-burning questions, from the ordinary to the off-the-wall. Have something you've always wanted to know? Ask us.
Vogue Arabia
2 days ago
- Health
- Vogue Arabia
Are we Overdosing on Health and Beauty Supplements?
There was a time when grocery lists entailed bread, milk, green vegetables, chicken, and eggs. Now, however, the average shopping cart is a curated arsenal of biohacking essentials — collagen and biotin gummies, pre- and probiotic gut-health drinks, melatonin melts, protein powders, and a plethora of vitamin and mineral capsules that promise a healthy life ahead. But are we going overdoing it to the point where it can be unhealthy? Here's what the experts have to say. Why supplements? Designed to fill the nutritional gaps, supplements are meant to assist or 'supplement' one's diet. 'The food we consume may not contain all the essential nutritional elements required,' says Eshanka Wahi, culinary nutritionist, wellness coach, and founder of Eat Clean With Eshanka. 'Supplements are a great source of nutrients that can help improve your overall health and may reduce the risk of some health conditions.' According to Kripa Jalan, nutritionist and founder of Burgers To Beast and CEO of The Primary RX, supplements work by providing your body with vitamins, minerals, fatty acids, amino acids, or other botanical extracts in concentrated form. 'Depending on the formulation, they can help restore deficiencies (iron or B12), support biological functions (magnesium for sleep or omega-3s for inflammation), or promote certain outcomes (antioxidants for skin or probiotics for gut health).' Having said that, the expert also believes that for them to work, supplements need to be bioavailable, correctly dosed, and taken consistently. 'Randomly popping pills that are trending on Instagram won't cut it.' An overkill? Whether it's the rise in health awareness, a focus on wellness, or smart marketing strategies, the sudden surge of supplements is real. Evidently, they no longer play a supporting role. 'The boom reflects something beautiful — people are invested in their health,' says Jalan. 'But the downside is a 'more is better' mindset and market that thrives on that.' As an expert in the field, she has seen people treat supplements like wellness insurance, layering multiple pills without a clear purpose, or relying on them to do the job of whole foods, sleep, and stress management. The issue with the boom? Misguided belief. 'Many people are following it as a trend,' says Wahi. 'A lot of people take supplements and eat refined and overly processed foods — supplements aren't going to do any good to your body in such a case.' The dark side Consuming too many supplements can also prove to be harmful. According to Wahi, anything that is consumed in excess does not get absorbed by the body. 'Secondly, fat-soluble vitamins like A, D, E, and K can build up in your system and become toxic over time. Excess biotin can interfere with lab results and even cause skin breakouts — ironically opposite of what people are trying to achieve.'
