Vitamins and supplements are used by millions of Brits and Americans in their quest for optimal health and are a multi-billion pound industry.
However, experts warn that taking certain combinations of them can be dangerous.
Potential harm when mixing popular vitamin pills ranges from deficiencies to possible uncontrolled bleeding and even organ damage.
The riskiest combination is taking red yeast rice extract and niacin, which are said to help lower cholesterol.
Todd Sontag, a family medicine specialist at Orlando Health Physician Associates in Florida, warned that both products together could potentially cause liver damage.
Furthermore, Mr. Sontag explained, the supposed heart health benefits of taking the supplements are not rooted in good evidence.
“Doubling does not increase the benefits and may be harmful to the liver,” he told the wellness website The healthy one.
This risk increases if other cholesterol-lowering substances, such as statins, are added to the mixture.
In Britain and the US, the vitamin industry is estimated to be worth billions, which are taken by people in the hope of improving their health
There have been cases where clinicians have encountered patients who suffered serious liver damage from taking red yeast rice extract supplements documented earlier.
Another combination of supplements to look out for are omega-3 fish oil pills and ginkgo supplements.
The former is a known nutrient for improving heart health, while the former is said to help prevent dementia, although the NHS says the evidence for this is limited.
However, in combination they can stimulate blood flow to potentially dangerous levels, meaning serious injuries can lead to extreme blood loss.
For this reason, Dr. Tod Cooperman, president of a New York-based company that tests health and nutrition products, recommends spreading omega-3 and ginkgo intake at least two hours apart, rather than at the same time.
A common risk when taking different vitamins or supplements at the same time is that they counteract each other, so you may experience a vitamin or mineral deficiency.
Taking magnesium and calcium supplements at the same time is an example of this.
Magnesium helps the body convert the food we eat into energy, while calcium intake is crucial for bone health.
Although the substances in vitamins and supplements may have a wide range of health benefits, experts warn that some combinations may be ineffective or even dangerous.
But if both supplements are taken at the same time, the body absorbs only part of each, and the rest is excreted.
To maximize intake, experts recommend waiting two hours between taking each supplement to stop this competition.
A similar interaction also occurs with potassium, a mineral essential for good heart health, and calcium, as well as with zinc and copper.
The former helps create new cells, process food and heal wounds.
However, the NHS warns that too much zinc can disrupt the absorption of copper – a mineral we need for blood cell production and supporting bone health.
If we don’t get enough copper, we can suffer from anemia and weakening of the bones, health care warns. Again, experts recommend staggering supplement doses by two hours to reduce this risk.
A large number of vitamins that are absorbed with fat during digestion, medically known as fat-soluble vitamins, should also not be taken together.
The NHS says that most people should get all the nutrients they need by eating a varied and balanced diet
This includes vitamins A, D, E and K and if you need to take supplements of these, make sure you space them out for a few hours during the day to maximize absorption.
Those who enjoy a brew may also want to avoid taking iron supplements at the same time, experts say.
Iron is a crucial nutrient in making red blood cells that transport oxygen throughout the body.
However, if iron supplements are taken with a cup of black or green tea, they can bind to tannins, the plant compounds found in tea, instead of being absorbed by the body.
This interaction only occurs when both tea and iron supplements are taken directly together.
It’s also a good idea to be careful when combining sleep-enhancing substances like melatonin and herbal supplements like valerian, ashwagandha, kava, and St. John’s wort.
Although they shouldn’t have hams on their own, a combination can lead to unexpected drowsiness that can be dangerous.
While not technically a combination of supplements, experts are also keen to highlight the dangers of taking certain health supplements with certain medications.
The most important of these are St. John’s wort and antidepressants.
Both can increase levels of serotonin, a “feel good” hormone, in the body to dangerous levels leading to a condition called serotonin syndrome.
This can cause confusion, agitation, twitching, sweating, chills and diarrhea, but in severe cases can lead to potentially dangerous seizures and an irregular heartbeat.
Finally, iron supplements can interfere with the action of some antibiotics, a class of drugs used to treat infections, causing them to stop working.
Those prescribed these medications should be careful when taking them together, experts said.
The NHS says that most people should get all the nutrients they need by eating a varied and balanced diet.