Sir—On July 28, 2002, the Italian Health Ministry published a statement in the Gazzetta Ufficiale, ordering that all dietary supplements containing bioflavonoids should be labelled: “Not to be taken during pregnancy”. This precautionary decision was taken because of the possibility of an increased risk of severe diseases during the first year of life due to prenatal exposure to bioflavonoids. The scientific basis for this association was provided by reports that suggested a relation between dietary flavonoids and infant leukaemia. However, the discussion sections of these reports highlighted a large number of questions (epidemiological, molecular, and medical) that should be addressed and that make the relation between bioflavonoids and infant leukaemia very weak. Moreover, there is evidence that dietary bioflavonoids afford protection from cancer owing to their antioxidant properties.
AVOIDANCE OF BIOFLAVONOID SUPPLEMENTS DURING PREGNANCY
CLEMENTI, MAURIZIO;
2003
Abstract
Sir—On July 28, 2002, the Italian Health Ministry published a statement in the Gazzetta Ufficiale, ordering that all dietary supplements containing bioflavonoids should be labelled: “Not to be taken during pregnancy”. This precautionary decision was taken because of the possibility of an increased risk of severe diseases during the first year of life due to prenatal exposure to bioflavonoids. The scientific basis for this association was provided by reports that suggested a relation between dietary flavonoids and infant leukaemia. However, the discussion sections of these reports highlighted a large number of questions (epidemiological, molecular, and medical) that should be addressed and that make the relation between bioflavonoids and infant leukaemia very weak. Moreover, there is evidence that dietary bioflavonoids afford protection from cancer owing to their antioxidant properties.Pubblicazioni consigliate
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