People who consume multiple dietary supplements — such as multivitamins and magnesium tablets — should read the labels to avoid taking more than the recommended doses of the substances, a German food-sector group warns.
The German Federation for Food Law and Food Science (BLL), whose membership includes some 90 associations representing agriculture and the food industry, said that occasionally exceeding recommended doses was normally no problem. Doing so regularly, however, could be.
People who are uncertain about what is safe should consult a doctor, pharmacist or dietitian.
Dietary supplements aren’t medications and can’t replace balanced meals — they merely supplement them, the BLL pointed out. They are useful for people unable to consume enough of an essential vitamin or mineral via food, and for pregnant women, vegans and vegetarians.