Health Canada warns against vitamin B and kava products

Vitamin B and kava kava-bearing products being sold in products manufactured under different brand names but ostensibly being the same product should not be consumed, Health Canada has said, due to lack of market authorization.

The products include the brand names Natural Choice Vitamin B-17, Natural Choice Kava Kava as well as Life Choice, Doctor's Choice, Your Choice and Healthy Choice.

Consumers were also warned off Natural Choice Lithium Orotate for the same reason – failing to possess an on-label eight-digit Drug Identification Number (DIN); Natural Product Number (NPN) or Homeopathic Medicine Number (DIN-HM).

Health Canada raised issues about the bitter apricot kernel- extract, amygdalin, in the vitamin B-17 products, which it said could release cyanide when ingested, and which could be lethal.

Kava is on Canada’s restricted substances list.