Britons are taking more health supplements than ever before, often because of advice from social media influencers, a survey has found.
Nearly three-quarters of people take at least one supplement and a quarter are using three or more supplements, according to the survey by Bupa.
Nepal flash flood: Hundreds feared trapped in tunnels
As the death toll from last week’s flash flood in the Himalayas rises above 900, rescuers are trying to reach over 600 workers thought to be trapped in tunnels and underground areas at hydropower projects in the region.
Tunnel rescue operations
Urgent operations are underway to reach the hundreds of workers believed to be trapped in tunnels across six hydropower projects. Many are thought to be inside the Upper Trishuli 1, Trishuli 3A, and Trishuli 3B sites.
Rescuers intensified their efforts on Monday, using controlled blasts to create holes in the hillsides and gain access to tunnels at the major electricity sites. Some survivors had previously been rescued from tunnels on Friday and Saturday, officials said.
Thousands still missing
- Six days later, at least 939 people have died, say authorities in Nepal.
- Some 11,379 people have been rescued, meanwhile.
- An estimated 3,925 others remained missing on Monday.
- That includes 33 Britons and some 639 hydropower workers.
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Wall of mud triggers catastrophe
Last Wednesday morning, a glacial collapse near the Nepal-Tibet border triggered a wall of water, mud and other debris, which caused “catastrophic impacts downstream”.
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90,000 affected
- The Red Cross has estimated that over 90,000 people are likely to have been affected by the disaster.
- Officials in Nepal have said many bodies recovered so far were “in a state of decomposition and are no longer identifiable”.
- In Tibet, the official death toll is 16 with 546 others reported missing, per Chinese state media.
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The UK is providing £5m to help Nepal with response efforts, and a rapid response team consisting of specially trained crisis response staff arrived on Saturday to help support British nationals.
However, people waiting for news on missing loved ones say they are “losing faith”.
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Cyprus ferry capsize: at least eight dead and 18 missing
At least eight people have died and 18 others remain missing after a passenger ferry carrying 267 people capsized and sank off the coast of Northern Cyprus on Sunday.
The ship’s captain and crew are among several individuals who have been arrested.
What happened?
The privately owned ferry, , had been scheduled to travel from the popular holiday resort of Kyrenia in Northern Cyprus to the town of Tasucu in Turkey on Saturday, but poor weather conditions delayed its journey.
- The vessel left Kyrenia around 12.30pm local time (10.30am BST) on Sunday.
- Two waves hit the boat before it capsized, local officials told the media.
- The boat began taking on water as the captain struggled to recover.
- Some passengers wearing life jackets climbed atop the boat’s upturned hull.
- Rescue operations began involving coastguard boats and helicopters.
- The ferry has since completely sunk, reportedly to a depth of 514m (1,686ft).
Survivors’ recall sinking
“The vessel had been moving very badly. It was constantly lifting out of the water and slamming back down. It was shaking violently.”
Efe Multici, a survivor of the incident, told : “Three or four minutes later, the ferry leapt high into the air, then came crashing down. The front left side burst open and water started pouring in.”
Hunt for black box
Authorities are trying to recover the black box recorder from the vessel, which sank about four miles from shore, to establish what happened. Filo Denizcilik, the company which operates , said it is “deeply saddened by the tragic accident”.
Local officials said the ship’s captain, seven crew members, and another man were arrested on Monday, while warrants have been issued for an additional seven people as an investigation continues.
A ‘great disaster’
Every aspect of this incident will be investigated. Even the slightest negligence will be revealed. Whoever is responsible, whether they are guilty or not, will not be spared. It is the responsibility of our state to fully illuminate all aspects of this great disaster, as well as to our people and families who have lost and their families.
Ünal Üstel, prime minister of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus
Eight dead, more missing
- Eight people were confirmed to have died as of Monday afternoon.
- Meanwhile, 19 people were being treated at hospitals.
- Rescuers are still searching for 18 others, including young children.
- A three-day period of national mourning has been announced.
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Parents of ill children need paid leave, commissioner says
Parents with seriously ill or disabled children should be entitled to paid leave, the children’s commissioner has said.
Dame Rachel de Souza said parents should not have to choose between “holding down a job and being by their child’s bedside”.
The commissoiner said parents have told her of the “impossible choices” they made “splitting time between caring for their seriously ill and disabled children and trying to hold down a job”.
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What changes are being demanded?
The commissioner called for
12 weeks
of paid leave for parents of children with disabilities or serious mental or physical health conditions.
90 %
This paid leave should be at 90 per cent of normal pay to ease the pressure from lost earnings, she added.
Other reforms proposed
- De Souza said unpaid carer’s leave should be extended from five to 10 days a year.
- She also backed the introduction of “Hugh’s Law”, which proposes paid leave for parents of seriously or terminally ill children.
- Paid leave must be part of wider NHS and children’s social care reform, the commissioner added.
- The Government is consulting on paid leave for unpaid carers and parents in these circumstances.
We should never force parents to choose between holding down a job and being by their child’s bedside.
De Souza said reform is needed to better support children and families who are “stuck” in hospital due to a lack of support.
A recent report by the commissioner found hundreds of children are in hospital unnecessarily on any given day as they do not have the right support to go home.
The NHS does recommend some supplements: Adults are advised to take vitamin D for six months over winter, as we cannot make enough of it when sunlight is weaker. Pregnant women and those trying to conceive should take vitamin D all year round, as well as folic acid.
But some others have little good evidence to support them – yet still have strong adherents online. Here are four widely used supplements that you probably can safely do without.
The turmeric myth
The yellow spice turmeric, widely used in cooking, has gained the reputation of a superfood. Its key ingredient, curcumin, is claimed to be anti-inflammatory and even to have anti-cancer effects.
But many of the original studies these claims were based on have been retracted due to concerns that they were flawed, the reported in June.
It is also implausible that curcumin could have much effect on the body because it is poorly soluble and is mainly excreted. A study of men taking the supplement found it was barely detectable in their blood.
Special formulations of curcumin designed to boost absorption may even have caused liver injury, according to the US National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.
“These high-bioavailability forms of purified curcumin were linked to several cases of liver injury and mentioned as a possible cause of outbreaks of acute hepatitis with jaundice in Italy,” the institute said.
Limited research on lion’s mane
Lion’s mane mushrooms may be consumed in the form of fashionable coffees, but these fungi are also sold as powders and capsules.
In mushroom form, lion’s mane is a large white fungus with long dangling fronds. In traditional Chinese medicine, it is used for relieving stress and improving mood.
Today lion’s mane is sometimes claimed to be a cognitive enhancer. This stems from the fact that it contains two groups of compounds, called erinacines and hericenones, which boost a molecule in the brain called BDNF that supports brain cells.
But experts say the research doesn’t support the claims made about it. “The research is really limited at the moment,” said Dr Ellen Smith, a nutritional researcher at Northumbria University. “There needs to be a lot more evidence before we can start making the kinds of claims that we’re seeing.”
Fishy claims about fish oil
Fish, especially oily fish like salmon, mackerel and sardines, has long been thought to be good for us because of its omega-3 fatty acids. Many studies have shown that people who eat more fish tend to have better health and live longer – with omega-3 assumed to be the reason.
Omega-3 is a key component of brain cell membranes and has been said to protect the heart in some way, perhaps by lowering blood pressure or levels of harmful fats in the blood called triglycerides.
But when it was tested in randomised trials – the best kind of medical evidence – the results were disappointing.
Cochrane reviews, which combine evidence from multiple trials, found omega-3 supplements have little, if any, benefit for lifespan or the heart or brain.
“The most trustworthy studies consistently showed little or no effect of long-chain omega-3 fats on cardiovascular health,” said Dr Lee Hooper, a nutrition expert at the University of East Anglia, who led one of the Cochrane reviews.
Mixed results for multivitamins
A daily tablet containing all the main vitamins and minerals is one of the most popular supplements – taken by four in ten people who take any supplement, according to the Food Standards Agency.
It is also among the least controversial. Many people see it as a sort of insurance policy, assuming it would make up any deficits in their diet.
But the NHS does not recommend that most adults take this kind of supplement. Randomised trials have shown they don’t make any difference to how long people live, nor to common conditions like heart disease or cancer.
The use of some vitamin supplements, including vitamins A and E, has even been linked with a slightly higher death rate in some trials. The explanation remains a mystery.
However, a large trial from 2022 – part-funded by the manufacturer of a multivitamin and mineral pill – found that people taking their supplement did somewhat better on memory tests than those taking a dummy pill.
The trial was large, involving about 3,500 people. But the effect was modest, roughly equivalent to the typical decline in memory abilities over three years of ageing.
Bupa’s poll of 8,000 people in the UK found that people are increasingly getting their health information from influencers on platforms like TikTok and Instagram.
“The sheer volume of health information available brings significant opportunities, but also makes it harder to distinguish trustworthy sources,” said Dr Caroline Wood, head of customer intelligence for Bupa Global, India & UK.
But the NHS says: “Most people should get all the nutrients they need by having a varied and balanced diet.”