The media are raising the issue of the popularity of vitamin D, which is sold both as a medicinal product and in the form of dietary supplements. At the legislative level, requirements for dietary supplements are significantly lower than for medicines, which allows pharmaceutical manufacturers to profit from their effectiveness while exceeding the safe level of beneficial substances.
__________
For reference: Dietary supplements (food supplements) are natural or nature-identical substances, as well as probiotics. They are considered a type of food product. Depending on their properties, dietary supplements can be added to food or taken as a supplement to the diet.
Unlike medicines, whose quality is monitored at all stages of production and distribution in accordance with the requirements of Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP), the efficacy and safety of dietary supplements for the prevention and treatment of various diseases are not controlled.
Dietary supplements are freely sold without a doctor's prescription, which increases the dangers of their excessive consumption. Doctors warn that self-prescription and self-medication can lead to serious health problems. In particular, the uncontrolled intake of high doses of vitamin D3 in the form of a dietary supplement can lead to hypervitaminosis, which leads to hypercalcaemia (excess calcium), kidney damage, and even cardiac complications.
The Orda editorial team provided an example where an excessive amount of vitamin D3 in dietary supplements negatively affected a person's health. A woman was taking Detrimax Tetra 4000, which is registered as a dietary supplement but contains an elevated dose of vitamin D3 comparable to a medicinal product. After taking the product, she developed a rash and an allergic reaction, which led to a deterioration in her overall condition and kidney problems.
Despite the benefits of vitamin D, experts recommend being extremely cautious when consuming it. Endocrinologist Saniya Nurzhanova notes that vitamin D is important for bone health and the immune system, but its uncontrolled intake in high doses can be dangerous. The therapeutic dosage of vitamin D should be individually selected by a doctor.
PhD candidate Aigul Kudaibergenova, a neurologist, notes that hypervitaminosis D is rare and is usually caused by excessive doses of the vitamin due to the unwise use of dietary supplements. This is precisely why preparations with a high content of vitamin D should be prescribed and monitored by a doctor.
In 2015, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced the voluntary recall of GladesDrugs multivitamins due to excessive vitamin D content. In 2016, the agency recalled a supplement in which the vitamin D level was 75 times higher than recommended. Studies have shown that taking 60,000 international units (IU) of vitamin D per day for several months can cause intoxication of the body.
According to Kudaibergenova, excess vitamin D leads to an increase in calcium levels in the blood by leaching it from the bones. This can result in nausea, vomiting, skin itching, headache, diarrhoea, increased urination, heart rhythm disturbances, as well as the deposition of excess calcium in soft tissues, the liver, kidneys, lungs, heart, and blood vessels. In rare cases, this can lead to acute renal failure requiring haemodialysis.
The product Detrimax Tetra 4000 is registered as a dietary supplement, despite the fact that the daily dosage of cholecalciferol (D3) in it (1000 IU per day) significantly exceeds the permitted level for dietary supplements (up to 600 IU). This raises serious concerns, as dietary supplements are effectively classified as over-the-counter medicines.
In accordance with the sanitary and hygienic requirements of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), the maximum permissible daily doses of vitamin D for dietary supplements are 600 IU. These dosages are considered safe for virtually all adults and pose no risk of negative health consequences. The requirements also list the main sources of vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) as being of animal origin, for example, fish.
The registration of Detrimax as a dietary supplement was carried out in Armenia, which is a member of the EAEU, indicating imperfect regulation at the level of the Eurasian Economic Union. It appears that dietary supplements with a high content of active substances can bypass the strict registration standards for medicines, putting consumer health at risk.
Journalists contacted the Committee for Sanitary and Epidemiological Control of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Kazakhstan for clarification. It is noted that the agency is already taking measures to protect the health of citizens and monitors compliance with mandatory sanitary and hygienic standards for dietary supplements at the level of their registration in Kazakhstan.
However, it is now necessary to strengthen control over compliance with safety standards for dietary supplements sold in Kazakhstan that are registered in other EAEU countries, and to verify their compliance with sanitary and hygienic safety norms. The level of active substance in dietary supplements must not exceed the upper permissible level of consumption.
The FBRK editorial team wishes its readers good health. We strongly recommend being vigilant when consuming dietary supplements, not to overindulge in self-medication, and, where possible, not to purchase little-known preparations without a doctor's prescription.