Multivitamin supplement endorsed by Yoo Jae-suk recalled over excessive levels of iodine

Korea Eundan's multivitamin supplement promoted by popular TV personality Yoo Jae-suk, as shown on the company’s official website. Captured from Korea Eundan homepage

A popular multivitamin supplement endorsed by TV personality Yoo Jae-suk has been recalled after health authorities found it contained more than twice the permitted level of iodine.

According to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety on Thursday, the Multivitamin All-In-One supplement by the health brand Korea Eundan was labeled as containing 60 micrograms of iodine. However, testing revealed 129.7 micrograms, which is 216 percent of the stated amount and well above the permitted tolerance range of 80 to 150 percent.

The recommended daily intake of iodine for adults is 150 micrograms.

While iodine is an essential mineral that plays a critical role in thyroid hormone production, excessive intake can lead to side effects such as hyperthyroidism. Symptoms of overconsumption include pain in the mouth, throat and abdomen, along with fever and vomiting.

Marketed as Korea’s No. 1 multivitamin and once ranked as the top-selling product in its category, the supplement gained popularity in part due to Yoo’s high-profile endorsement.

The product’s manufacturer, Korea Eundan, issued a statement on the same day acknowledging the issue.

“Through our own internal quality testing, we confirmed that the iodine content exceeded the labeled standard,” the company said. “We have halted sales of the product and are conducting a recall in accordance with applicable regulations.”

The ministry urged consumers to stop using the supplement immediately and return it to the place of purchase if they still have it in their possession.

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.