Vitamins deficient

Investigation finds 'Wild West' wellness industry filled with dangerous products

- BY JACKIE ANNETT

The UK’s wellness industry brings in £171billion a year, offering millions of consumers healthier bodies and minds.

But the sector has been described as a “Wild West” filled with unsafe doses, ill-informed claims and ineffective products.

An investigation by Which? discovered vitamins on sale at 12.5 times the upper limit given by the NHS.

Joining forces with ITV's Tonight, the consumer organisation also found prescription-only supplements for sale online.

Oli Patrick, a physiologist and well-being expert, says: “Wellness is a Wild West of people telling people what wellness is. The bombardment of people who look perfect, sound perfect and allegedly feel perfect is really challenging for the average person, who just wants to feel a bit more well.”

One product contained 1,250 micrograms of Vitamin D per tablet - the safe daily amount recommended by the NHS is 100 micrograms.

Consistently taking too much Vitamin D can lead to increased blood pressure, weakened bones and kidney failure.

Shefalee Loth, of Which?, warns we could be wasting our money on unsafe supplements.