英國食品標準局（FSA）8日說，有些維他命和礦物質長期吃太多，可能適得其反，危害健康。
FSA說，大部分營養補充劑的安全無虞，但是號稱有平衡血糖值作用的啶甲酸鉻（chromium picolinat）可能致癌，FSA已考慮禁用。除啶甲酸鉻外，其他種類的鉻每天攝取10毫克以下，無損健康。
【本報綜合報道】許多人因為追求健康體魄而每天服用不同種類的維他命和礦物質補充劑；但英國的獨立監察機構「食物標準局」周四發出警告，指長時間服用大劑量的維他命及礦物質補充劑，會令服用者出現情緒低落、反胃、肝臟受損，更甚是致癌。保健食品業者對此大為不滿，指為「小題大做」。
食物標準局引用四年研究的結果警告說，有多種維他命及礦物質補充劑弊多於利。該局促請人們立即減少服用維他命C、鈣質及鐵質的補充劑。它還首次為多種補充劑定出每日攝取的安全劑量，而且為六種補充劑發出強烈警告，還要求把運動員及減肥人士常用的覉啶甲酸鉻（chromium picolinate）列為禁藥。
胡蘿蔔素增患肺癌機會
該局指出，研究顯示覉啶甲酸鉻會破壞DNA而導致癌症發生，另有兩宗腎衰竭的報告。此外，被發出強烈警告的是：beta胡蘿蔔素（beta carotene）、煙豑酸（nicotinic acid）、鋅、鎂、磷和維他命B6。該局亦提出攝取過量維他命C、鈣質及鐵質的暫時性副作用，指會引致胃痛及腹瀉。
該局主席克雷布斯說，41%的婦女及30%的男人每日都要服用一顆維他命丸，相信可以延年益壽，但他指出當中隱藏危機。克雷布斯特別提出的是beta胡蘿蔔素，指它會增加吸煙者或非吸煙者的患肺癌機會；煙豑酸就會導致肝臟受損及皮膚發紅；鋅會引起貧血及骨骼脆弱；鎂就會導致神經紊亂、情緒低落及疲憊。他說，磷質會引起體內的鈣質流失，從而導致胃痛、骨骼脆弱及腹瀉。另外，該局又建議維他命C的每日最大攝取量為一千毫克，這與一般製造商建議的三千毫克相差很大。
礦物質過多有損健康
對於該局的警告，英國健康食品業界立即提出強烈反應。一些保健食品店的東主指摘這項警告是小題大做，業界計劃要求該局提出確實的科學證據。全國健康食品店協會大為憤怒，要求食物標準局證明有人服用了健康食品而喪生。
代表健康食品製造商的「可靠營養協會」的顧問奧塔韋指出，大部分人不必為警告而擔心，因為大部分產品都合乎指引。
2003 Sing Pao Newspaper Co. Ltd. All rights
會造成危害DNA 致死的突變 及不孕
Popular Fitness Supplement Builds Mutation Not Muscle
A popular sports supplement, chromium picolinate, can damage DNA and cause lethal mutations and sterility, according to new research outlined in an article published in a Spring 2003 issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (paper #6646), and authored by Dr. John Vincent, chemistry professor in UA's College of Arts and Sciences.
The finding may increase doubts about the safety of this supplement, which currently boasts annual sales of about $500 million. Chromium picolinate has become a mainstay among fitness and bodybuilding gurus for purportedly reducing fat mass and increasing lean body mass. However, recent studies have linked the supplement with higher rates of DNA damage and other health problems that could lead to cancer.
Dr. Janis O'Donnell, professor of biological sciences in UA's College of Arts and Sciences, also was involved in the research along with Dion D. Hepburn, graduate student in chemistry; Jiarong Xiao, graduate student in biological sciences; and Sharell Bindom, chemistry undergraduate student.
Seeking to resolve the debate, Vincent and colleagues tested the effects of chromium picolinate on the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster. When the scientists examined the first two generations of offspring from male flies feeding on chromium picolinate-containing media, they observed fewer male progeny and increased numbers of sterile females. These effects must result from increased numbers of inherited deleterious mutations because the offspring had never been exposed to chromium picolinate.
Vincent suggests, "In light of chromium picolinate's extreme popularity, the supplement should be further evaluated to test its safety or lack thereof."
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