Only a wee bit of good

JOHN ROLFE CONNED by celebrity-driven spin, the “worried well” are literally flushing away hundreds of millions of dollars a year on vitamins that do no good and may even be harmful.

Spending on supplements has grown at 11 per cent annually over the past five years as brands such as Swisse and Blackmores reap the benefits of celebrity-led marketing campaigns featuring the likes of actress Nicole Kidman and model Rachael Finch.

Industry research firm Ibisworld estimates this financial year, Australians will spend $1.85 billion on vitamins.

The Federal Government says there is no evidence most Australians get any benefit from taking supplements.

Analysis by the Cairns Post finds Tasmanians fork out the most on vitamins and supplements – about $110 a person annually – while Northern Territorians spend the least, at $32 per capita. Victorians lay out $79, but their spending is estimated to be rising fastest.

“Unless you have a medically diagnosed deficiency and have been advised by a qualified medical doctor to take a pharmaceutical-grade supplement, then you are likely wasting your money,” said Macquarie University Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences honorary research fellow Dr Rachael Dunlop.

“While most supplements will do no more than create expensive urine, some can actually cause harm.”

Dr Dunlop said a recent University of Adelaide study found many approved supplements contained ingredients not listed on the label, including heavy metals, pharmaceutical drugs and “bizarre toxins like toad venom”.

“Supplements like these can cause direct harm as well as interacting with other medications people might be taking, to have serious side effects,” she said.

The Federal Government’s Health Direct site says “there is no evidence that supplements of vitamins and minerals make any difference to the health of most people”.