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European Union prepares ban on healthy doses of Vitamin B6

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European authorities have moved another step closer in an attempt to sharply limit the daily amounts of vitamin B6 that EU consumers are allowed to use in food supplements. Last Friday evening (10 February), the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) closed a public consultation that had been open for only a month.

The consultation sought comments on its proposal to lower the acceptable upper limit for vitamin B6, the maximum daily amount considered safe for long-term use from all sources (i.e. food and supplements), to a paltry 12.5 mg per day.

This proposed new level is half the level previously set by EFSA’s predecessor, the Scientific Committee on Food. It is also only one-eighth of the amount considered safe by the US National Academy of Medicine (100 mg/day).

In its response to the consultation, the Alliance for Natural Health (ANH) Europe pointed out gross irregularities in the scientific process followed by EFSA.

Scientific director, Robert Verkerk PhD, said,

“The Commission’s mandate to EFSA was to revise the level based on new science and methodologies. Instead, EFSA ignored new methodologies and used old, discredited or irrelevant science, including an old study on five beagle dogs conducted more than 45 years ago.

Dr Verkerk added,

“Not only that, EFSA wants to apply this new level to all forms of vitamin B6 to protect people from any risk of peripheral neuropathy, despite the fact that this has only been associated with one form – pyridoxine – and then only when megadoses of 1,000 mg have been taken for prolonged periods.”

ANH Europe claims that it would be legally disproportionate for EU member states or the European Commission to seek to reduce levels of all forms, especially the bioactive, coenzyme, pyridoxal 5′-phosphate form, on the basis of this reduced TUL.

Dr Nick van Ruiten, director of ANH Europe, expressed serious concern about EFSA’s proposal,

“This is part of a very slippery slope for free choice and self-care in the EU. Science has shown that higher doses of B6, B12, folic acid and omega-3 fatty acids lower the risk of cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s, and thousands of women are counting on being at higher risk.On B6 to relieve their PMS symptoms, EFSA’s proposal makes no sense. Especially given the vast amount of data on the safety of the vitamin, especially when used in coenzyme form.”

ANH Europe and other organisations that criticised EFSA’s proposal hope that the final EFSA opinion will be slightly modified. If not, this could soon lead national regulators to further lower their own limits. The European Commission has indicated its intention to push ahead with the harmonisation of vitamin and mineral levels in the EU, a plan that has been on the drawing board since the adoption of the EU Food Supplements Directive in 2002.

ANH Europe’s response to EFSA’s consultation can be downloaded below. END.

EFSA public consultation announcement on vitamin B6: https://connect.efsa.europa.eu/RM/s/publicconsultation2/a0l09000006qMHZ/pc0353

ANH Europe’s response to EFSA’s consultation can be downloaded from the following link: https://www.anhinternational.org/resources/documents/230210-anh-b6-consultation-response/

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European Union prepares ban on healthy doses of Vitamin B6 2

Press release from the Alliance for Natural Health Europe.

34 countries against the participation of Russia and Belarus in the Olympics in Paris

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white and brown concrete building under blue sky during daytime

Host France is among the 34 countries that have called on the International Olympic Committee to ban the participation of athletes from Russia and Belarus in the 2024 Paris Olympics, DPA reported. The USA, Great Britain and Australia are also among those who have declared against the participation of the Russian and Belarusian athletes.

In a joint statement yesterday, these countries argued that “Russia’s deliberate unprovoked and unjustified war (against Ukraine) was facilitated by the Belarusian government.”

Russian Sports Minister Oleg Matitsyn said earlier this month that it was “absolutely unacceptable” for foreign governments to try to influence the IOC.

The IOC itself confirmed last month that it intended to support sanctions against Russian and Belarusian officials ahead of the upcoming Olympics in the French capital, but added that it would consider the possibility of athletes from both countries competing under a neutral flag.

In a statement today, the 34 nations opposed to Russia and Belarus participating in the Games welcomed the IOC’s “adherence to existing sanctions” but said the proposal to participate under a neutral flag raised “many questions and concerns”.

This became clear after more than 30 countries were announced, which yesterday sent a letter to the IOC demanding sanctions. The backlash comes in response to the headquarters’ plans to allow athletes from Russia and Belarus to compete under a neutral flag. The list was announced by the BBC.

There is still no official decision on the case, with IOC President Thomas Bach saying that his organization is facing a big dilemma.

In addition, there was uncertainty about exactly which countries were on the list of those preparing to boycott the Olympics if the IOC did not comply with their request.

Opponents of Russia and Belarus include France, host of the 2024 Olympics and Paralympics, Japan, host of the 2021 Olympics, Italy, host of the 2026 Winter Olympics, and host USA at the 2028 Summer Olympics.

Australia had not signed the agreement, but a spokesman for the Australian Department of Sport told Reuters it was an administrative error and the government had agreed to ban the athletes.

It is also clear from the list that Bulgaria and Hungary are the only EU countries not among the signatories. Since there is no official information from either the BOK or the Ministry of Youth and Sports, who made such a decision and why.

Here are all the countries demanding sanctions against Russian and Belarusian athletes:

Austria, Belgium, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom, USA.

Photo by Frans van Heerden

Some facts about the origins and uses of Carnival

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Charlie W. Grease
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Some facts about the origins and uses of Carnival

Carnival, one of the most beloved and celebrated events in many cultures, has been around for several centuries. Its origin is rooted in ancient festivities that have undergone changes through the course of time and the influence of various cultures.

The roots of the carnival are found in ancient Roman Saturnalia celebrations, a festival of Saturn, the God of Seeding and Harvest. It was an annually celebrated event in mid-December that lasted for seven days with activities such as public banquets and carnival-style festivities. The use of masks and fancy costumes took place during the last day of the Saturnalia celebrations.

From Rome, the festivity spread across the Mediterranean region and was later adopted by the Catholic Church. The Church modified the festival and renamed it Carnival to connect it with the masses’ Catholic Christian beliefs. The carnival became a way to prepare for the period of fasting and introspection during Lent, a Catholic event where people prepare themselves spiritually before Easter.

By the 15th century, the procession of Carnival has gone through several changes, including a wider range of costumes and masks, as well as the addition of drums and music. In many countries such as Brazil and Trinidad, Carnival has been a source of cultural and national identity.

In Russia, during Soviet rule, all religious activities were limited and the Christian Lent, Carnival, and Maslenitsa (the Russian version of the Carnival) were banned. After the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, Maslenitsa and other religious festivals were restored and Carnival regained its old customs and traditions.

Today, Carnival is celebrated in many parts of the world, from South America to Europe, Africa, and the Caribbean. Masks, costumes, drums, parties, and parades remain part of the festivities in the celebration of Carnival, an event with a deep history and roots that continue to transcend through the ages.

Relics in 23 lead boxes were found in a cathedral in Mexico’s capital

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Photo by david carballar

Relics – The Metropolitan Cathedral was built over the course of centuries – in the period between 1573 and 1813, and it is not the first time that experts have found finds in the walls

Experts restoring the interior of the main Catholic cathedral in the capital of Mexico have discovered 23 lead boxes with religious inscriptions and relics such as small paintings, wooden or palm crosses, the Associated Press reported.

The texts on the boxes are dedicated to saints. A handwritten note was also left in one of them, which gives reason to believe that they were found in 1810, after which they were buried again.

The message said one of the boxes was found by masons and painters in 1810. The note asked anyone who found it to “pray for their souls”.

The finds were in niches carved into the walls at the base of the cathedral’s windproof lantern, which tops the dome. They were covered with clay slabs and hidden under plaster.

They were discovered at the end of December during restoration work. Mexico’s National Institute of Anthropology and History says they may have been placed there to provide divine protection for the cathedral or the city.

Once cataloged, the boxes and their contents will be returned to the niches and covered with plaster again.

The cathedral was built over centuries – between 1573 and 1813. One of the reasons it took so long is that almost immediately after construction began, the massive, heavy structure began to sink into the soft soil characteristic of the city.

It is not the first time that experts have found finds in the walls of this temple.

In 2008, researchers discovered a time capsule from 1791 placed atop the cathedral’s bell tower. Its purpose was to protect the building from lightning. The lead box was filled with religious artifacts, coins and parchments.

One of them – perfectly preserved, describes the contents of the capsule, including 23 medals, five coins and five small palm crosses. A sign informs that “everyone is for protection from the storms”, notes AP.

Scaling up good practices can boost sustainability of plastics

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