Taking supplements every day? You might be doing more harm than good - BBC News

This article, published by the BBC on 21 June 2026 deserves an analysis:

Points, such as kidney stones from excessive use of some nutrients are correct; however, excessive use itself rarely causes health problems, as most of them are ‘wasted’ through the intestine.

It is a well recognised fact that extensive use of fertilisers and pesticides in the western food industry, leaves food bereft of much its natural nutritional status. The pharmaceutical industry has repeatedly attempted to control and reduce the potency of some nutritional supplements, using some unverified or distorted data, knowing fully well that some nutrients are not only essential to the biology of every cell in the human body but their presence is often suboptimal in western nations - some authorities have described tin food as ‘dead’ food!

Conflating nutritional supplements with herbal medicines is unfair and unhelpful - indeed, some herbal medicines may exert a ‘toxic’ effect on a few susceptible individuals.

Finally, my own clinical observation is that, most people who take supplements to replenish nutrition in their body, a) often have to live with various underlying (and undiagnosed) factors which promote immune de-regulation and b) all the good nutrients in the world cannot reverse this inflammation (causes eg aeroallergens, food intolerances, pathogens and chemicals or metals) need effective management to see clear benefits in one’s health.