Warning over 'dangerous' vitamins

Supplements containing as much as 12.5 times the recommended safe upper limit of popular vitamins and minerals are being sold online, Which? has warned.

- JOSIE CLARKE Press Association reporter [e-mail]

Which? looked at Vitamin D, Vitamin A, Vitamin B6 and Zinc supplements listed for sale on marketplaces including AliExpress, Amazon, eBay, Superdrug, Temu and TikTok Shop.

The NHS recommends 10 micrograms (µg) of Vitamin D per day, although adults can safely take up to 100µg.

However, Superdrug Marketplace, TikTok shop and eBay all listed 10,000 IU (250µg) vitamin D3 supplements for sale, which were immediately withdrawn.

On AliExpress, Which? found two different vitamin D3 supplements in 50,000 IU, or 1,250µg doses - 12.5 times the recommended daily dose.

According to the NHS, a dose of 10,000 IU can put users at greater risk of hypercalcaemia, which can have wide-ranging consequences, including weakening bones and kidney failure.

Which? also found Vitamin D supplements for children for sale which contained far more than the recommended dose of 2,000 IU or 50µg for one to 10-year-olds.

The NHS advises consuming no more than 1500µg of Vitamin A a day, but Etsy, TikTok shop and eBay all sold 25,000 IU or 7,500µg vitamin A supplements.