Claim stating Holland & Barrett ABC-Z Multi-Vitamins are harmful is misleading. Check the facts.

Holland & Barrett, a health food retailer, was founded in 1870 in England. Its ABC-Z Multi-vitamins and Minerals supplements contain 23 essential vitamins and minerals in each tablet to support overall health and immunity. 

However, people have raised questions on the safety of the ingredients of the product. A claim suggests that these multi-vitamins are harmful for humans and leads to many critical health issues including heart and kidney. 

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Fact Check- 

Let’s check the safety of each of the ingredients mentioned in the viral video. 

Calcium Carbonate: Calcium carbonate is a widely used ingredient in foods, medicines, and supplements, including multivitamins and calcium pills. It is a form of calcium that your body can use to help keep bones strong and support other functions. In the United States, the FDA considers calcium carbonate safe as a food additive and supplement ingredient. A maximum dose of 8 to 10 g per day of calcium carbonate can be administered for short-term use as suggested by the FDA. But, long-term use of over 2 grams can lead to adverse effects such as hypercalcemia, renal calculi, hypophosphatemia, and nephrotoxicity, especially in individuals with chronic kidney disease

However, taking very large amounts for a long time can cause side effects such as high calcium levels, kidney stones, or digestive issues. Doctors usually recommend taking it with food to help the body absorb it better. People with certain health problems, like kidney disease, should be careful and talk to a doctor before using it.

Holland & Barrett contains 200mg of Calcium which is way below the safe limit set by the FDA. 

DL-Alpha-Tocopheryl Acetate: DL-alpha-tocopheryl acetate is a synthetic form of vitamin E commonly used in dietary supplements and multivitamins. After ingestion, the human body converts it to the active form of vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol), which acts as an antioxidant and supports cellular health. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and other regulatory bodies regard vitamin E (including DL-alpha-tocopheryl acetate) as safe for use in foods and supplements when taken at recommended levels

It was found that high doses of alpha-tocopherol supplements can cause hemorrhage and interrupt blood coagulation in animals, and in vitro data suggest that high doses inhibit platelet aggregation. The Food and Nutrition Board (FNB) at the Institute of Medicine of The National Academies had set Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs) for Vitamin E (Alpha-Tocopherol) which can be seen below. 

As per the information available on Holland & Barrett website, ABC-Z Multi-Vitamins and Minerals contains only 12gm of Vitamin E which is below the recommended levels. 

Sodium Selenite: Sodium Selenite is a form of Selenium. Other forms of selenium are selenomethionine, selenium-enriched yeast, and sodium selenate. The human body can absorb most of the selenium from all these forms. Selenium is often included in multivitamin, mineral tablets, and in supplements that combine selenium with vitamin E or other nutrients. The doses of selenium in multivitamin/mineral supplements vary, but many contain 55 mcg. The amount of selenium is often higher in supplements with fewer ingredients.

Sodium Selenite is also approved by the European Union to be used in the manufacture of food supplements. 

According to other sources, the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) for adults aged 19 years and above is 55 micrograms per day, while the tolerable upper intake level (UL) is 400 µg per day. Pregnant women require slightly more selenium, with an RDA of 60 µg per day, but the UL remains 400 µg per day. For lactating women, the RDA increases to 70 µg per day, with the same UL of 400 µg per day. In children aged 1 to 8 years, the recommended intake ranges from 20 to 30 µg per day, while the safe upper limit ranges from 90 to 150 µg per day. For children aged 9 to 13 years, the RDA is 40 µg per day, and the UL is 280 µg per day.

Consuming sodium Selenite within these ranges is considered safe. ABC-Z Multi-Vitamins and Minerals of Holland & Barrett contains only 55 µg of sodium selenite. 

Silicon Dioxide: Silicon dioxide also known as Silica, is a common anti-caking and processing agent used in food supplements. It is poorly absorbed by the body when eaten, and most of it passes through without causing harm. Scientific evaluations have found no clear evidence of harmful effects from eating silicon dioxide at the amounts people normally consume from food and additives. In animal studies, even very high doses did not cause toxic effects, reproductive problems, or cancer, and there was no sign of genotoxicity. However, researchers also noted that the available data have limitations and that long-term studies are missing. 

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) reviewed the safety of silicon dioxide. After carefully studying exposure levels, scientific data, and previous safety studies, EFSA concluded that silicon dioxide does not pose a safety risk to people of any age group when used in foods at the approved levels. The review also looked specifically at infants below 16 weeks of age and found that the use of silicon dioxide in infant foods is also safe at current exposure levels.

Conclusion: 

Fact Crescendo found the claim to be misleading. All the ingredients of Holland & Barrett ABC-Z multi-vitamins mentioned in the viral video are approved and safe when consumed within the recommended value.