Public health risks of advising against multivitamins

Related tags Folic acid Nutrition

The new dietary guidelines should not actively discourage the consumption of dietary supplements, says the CRN, as they are helpful in bridging nutrient gaps.

Dr Andrew Shao of the Council for Responsible Nutrition explains that the Dietary Guidance Advisory Committee, on which the new guidelines are based, discourages multivitamins on the basis of conflicting evidence that prevention of chronic disease.

This is misguided, he says, as there is unequivocal evidence that they will fill nutrient gaps.

He is concerned that there could be serious public health issues, for instance if women of child-bearing age avoid supplements and therefore miss out on adequate folic acid intake, which reduces the risk of neural tube defects.

Related topics Regulation

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