Nutrition expert, Patrick Holford, has added his support to Ireland’s Save Our Supplements campaign as organisers have also issued a warning to UK brands and manufacturers about future implications.
Health Stores Ireland, the coordinator of the Save Our Supplements campaign, has confirmed a sharp rise in support for its petition against proposed EU restrictions on vitamin and mineral supplements following a statement issued by nutritionist and author, Patrick Holford, to his 30,000 followers.
Holford’s post warned that consumers across Ireland and the wider EU face losing access to effective doses of essential nutrients, including vitamin D and magnesium, under proposed harmonised MPLs being considered at EU level. He argued that the restrictions would push safe, evidence-based intakes of nutrients, such as magnesium and B6, well below levels supported by decades of research into safe upper levels, first established in the UK and later adopted across the EU.
Holford highlighted magnesium, noting that average intakes today sit well below the levels our ancestors are estimated to have consumed, and that the nutrient plays a recognised role in supporting sleep, muscle function, anxiety, blood pressure and heart health. He also pointed to B6, zinc, manganese and vitamin D as nutrients facing similarly restrictive limits under the proposals. The campaign’s petition, which had gathered close to 1,200 new signatures in a single 24-hour period earlier this week, has now surpassed 25,000 signatures overall and organisers have now targeted 50,000 signatures.
Health Stores Ireland President, Erica Murray, said the response reflects the strength of public feeling: “Politicians are finally beginning to take notice and there have been some promising replies to hundreds of emails landing on their desks. There are several scheduled parliamentary questions facing the Minister for Health and the campaign group are hoping for a hearing at one of the Oireachtas special committees in September.”
At the same time, Health Stores Ireland has also issued a warning to UK brand holders and manufacturers, cautioning that the proposed EU limits would have serious implications for their ability to export supplement products into Ireland and the wider EU market. Organisers noted that UK regulation is widely expected to move in step with the EU’s approach in the coming years, in line with the current government’s post-Brexit policy direction, meaning UK companies could face the same restrictions domestically even if they successfully navigate export requirements in the short term.
The campaign is coordinated by Health Stores Ireland with support from a sub-committee including Hannah Dare (Organico), Finn Murray (The Hopsack) and Matt Ronan (Evolv). The campaign continues to lobby TDs and MEPs and is urging members of the public across Ireland and the EU to sign the petition at saveoursupplements.ie.
