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Health foods have grown more and more popular as consumer become more aware of what they are consuming.

People with specific diets, such as vegans and vegetarians, are often recommended to try algae supplements if they are lacking nutrients. 

However, an Irish university has found that a number of these super food powders actually contain faecal bacteria. 

A study of eight samples of algae supplements was carried out at NUI Galway.

The study included Spirulina, Chlorella and Super Greens brand supplements.  

The faecal matter bacteria was also found to be resistant to certain types of antibiotics, according to the study published in today's Irish Medical Journal. 

All eight samples were found to contain the organisms enterococci, enterobacteriaceae, and clostridium, which can cause things like urinary tract infections and diarrhoea.

The research was carried out by experts in medicine and microbiology.

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OK, so we get that looking like Beyonce or Jennifer Lawrence probably doesn’t come easy – but WOW is LeAnn Rimes’s beauty regime intense.

In fact, the singer said she has to take 40 supplements and use a total of seven different lotions on her face… every day.

“I’m a big vitamin person,” she admitted. “I take like 20 pills in the morning and 20 at night — fish oil, prenatal vitamins, probiotics, biotin,” she added.

“I have an herbalist I work with who has put me on a bunch of different things. I’m very strict about making sure I take them.”

In the same Into The Gloss interview, LeAnn, who turns 33 later this month, also said that she suffers from her psoriasis – a condition which once was so bad that she wouldn't leave the house without wearing multiple pairs of tights.

“When they say beauty is way more than skin deep, it’s hard for people who have psoriasis to wrap their minds around that. Some people even think it’s contagious and want to stay away,” she revealed.

“I’ve had it under control for about ten years, so it’s been this liberating thing for me to be able to wear shorts and a bikini.

“People make so much fun of me and my bikinis, but I would walk around naked if I could because I was one big scab at one point!”

She furthermore delved into her “seven-product” face-care routine and regimented fitness schedule.

Ms Rimes, who has been married to her second husband Eddie Cibrian since 2011 also has a self-tanning machine for her house so that she’s always bronzed.

“My assistant, Kiki, and I love to spray-tan so much, so we finally bought a machine and started to spray each other,” she says.

“The machine is like $500, so we save so much money. We do it once or twice a week. It’s like a car wash.”

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Go into any health food shop and it’s hard not to be drawn in by all the miracles they promise on the back of their tubs of vitamins. But do we really need them if we have a healthy diet? We did some research.

Taking too many of some vitamins can cause health risks
Reports from the Mayo Clinic have found that taking 400 international units of vitamin E daily, could lead to increased health risks, including premature death. Also taking more than 100 milligrams of vitamin B6 can cause nerve damage. A report in the New York Times also stated that too much vitamin A may be associated with an increased risk of osteoporosis.

Supplements shouldn’t be used to replace actual food
Some people may feel like they don’t need to worry about what they eat, because they’re getting their vitamins from a little jar on the shelf. Remember, eating a diet with plenty of fruit and veg has been proven to protect against certain cancers. The same can’t be said for supplements.

Do you need them?
Some groups of people are recommended to take vitamins during certain stages in life. For example, pregnant women are encouraged to take folic acid and people over 50 are advised to take B12.

The moral of the story is, be careful what you’re putting into your body. If you think you’re lacking in something, go talk to your GP to find out for sure.

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According to experts, our fondness for popping vitamin tablets is having negative effects on our health.

Irish consumers spent a whopping €16million on vitamin supplements in 2012 and it seems that many needn’t have bothered.

Dr Mary Flynn, who works at the Food Safety Authority of Ireland, says that people who don’t have any mineral or vitamin deficiencies are harming themselves by getting in on the craze.

Now for the science bit – Richelle Flanagan, president of the Irish Nutrition and Dietetic Institute, claims: “Taking high levels of folic acid can mask an undiagnosed B12 deficiency, which is common among older people, and that it can interfere with cancer treatment. I’ve had cases where pregnant women were taking supplements with vitamin A in them, which can lead to birth defects.”

If your diet is fairly healthy and you are sticking to the trusty food pyramid you don’t need to spend a fortune on vitamin tablets.

Save your money and treat yourself to something nice. – you can never have too many shoes. 

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