BENGALURU: The growing consumption of supplements and nutraceuticals is raising concerns among doctors. Dr Shaibya Saldanha, a consultant gynecologist said, “Many of these supplements have multiple ingredients in unclear doses. We often do not know if they are actually addressing the needs of the patient”.
She said that multivitamins are frequently prescribed for symptoms like fatigue, “If a patient has a specific deficiency, they require a targeted dose. In multivitamins, the quantity is often too low to make a real difference”. Dr Saldanha cautioned against unnecessary medication,
“When a patient feels weak, they are often asked to take a multivitamin. But in reality, short-term illness does not create a vitamin deficiency. There is often no need for it.”
However, experts say the issue cannot be viewed in isolation from India’s nutritional realities. Sylvia Karpagam, public health doctor and researcher said, “The problem is also because of insufficient nutrition from the diets”. She pointed out that anaemia in India is rarely due to iron deficiency alone.
“To make haemoglobin, the body needs vitamin B12, folate, zinc, vitamin A and good quality protein. Without protein, you cannot even form haemoglobin,” she said. Multiple deficiencies often go undiagnosed, particularly among women.
Karpagam also questioned the tendency to blame patients for self-medication. “We need to ask why people are going over the counter. Are symptoms being taken seriously? Are patients being overburdened with tests?” she asked.
Dr. Veena Shatrugna, a Bengaluru based Clinical Nutritionist said, “A single pill cannot replace or match the nourishment of a balanced diet. People either lack access to a nutritious diet or choose to restrict their intake for lifestyle reasons. In both these cases, have caused an increase in supplements use, and the market is capitalising on this.”
While supplements may help in diagnosed deficiencies, experts stress that they cannot replace a balanced diet, and should be used only when necessary and for a limited duration.