BBC 26 Apr 2011 10:02 a.m. - On BBC World
More than half of the population consumes some supplements, but they may be causing more harm than good, says a study.
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is estimated that more than half of the world population use or have used dietary supplements , also called nutrition.
Most of these consumers, as a study in the U.S., take them because "they are good for health."
But now new research on these products, which include one or more ingredients of vitamins, minerals, herbs or amino acids alone or in combination, reveals that they may be causing more problems than benefits.
And it is not a direct physical risk, but could be causing the consumer "an illusion" that it is not vulnerable to health problems, says Dr. Wen-Bin Chiou, who led the research at the National University Sun Yat-Sen, Taiwan.
And this illusion, he says, could lead to health risk behaviors. Invulnerability
Dr. Wen-Bin decided to investigate whether the use of dietary supplements was resulting in the consumer what he calls "ironic consequences" in health.
all started, the researcher says, noting one of his colleagues eating a very unhealthy food and excusing their behavior simply because they "had taken a multivitamin supplement that morning."
The researcher, who published their study in Psychological Science, decided to conduct a series of experiments to determine whether consumption of supplements was really "giving permission to the consumer to carry out health risk behaviors."
A group of volunteers was divided in two: half were instructed to consume a multivitamin supplement and half received a placebo. But in reality, all participants were taking a placebo.
continued registration of volunteers while carrying out their daily activities.
The results showed that participants who thought they had taken the supplement were "invulnerable" to health risks and this led to commit themselves in risky behaviors.
For example, these individuals expressed less desire to carry out exercise routines and more desire for hedonistic activities, for example, when presented with several dining options, chose a buffet instead of organic food, or walking unless thought the group was taking the placebo.
Behaviors
risk "People who rely on the use of dietary supplements to protect their health may be paying a hidden price: the curse of having a permit self-indulgence" says Dr. Wen-Bin.
scientist recommends that "after taking dietary supplements in the morning, these guys should take a thorough check to see its illusory invulnerability is activated that subsequently leads to risky behavior to health."
According to the researcher, studies show that the prevalence of dietary supplement use is increasing.
In fact, figures from the global market for these products, valued at about U.S. $ 55,000 million per year show a sales increase of 5% per annum and an increase of 39% in the last decade.
However, as noted by Dr. Wen-Bin, the increased use of supplements "does not seem to be correlated with an improvement in public health."
"In other words, he adds, people taking dietary supplements may have the mistaken idea that is not vulnerable to health problems and could be making bad decisions as far as welfare is concerned."
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