Millions of Americans take a daily multivitamin with the hopes of improving their health or preventing disease. In fact, more than half of the adult population in this country takes a multivitamin/multimineral (MVM) supplement. But questions remain about multivitamins: Can they really make you healthier? Can they protect against disease? In order to address the confusion and controversy surrounding these issues, a panel of experts was brought together by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Office of Dietary Supplements to examine whether or not multivitamin use can help prevent chronic diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, and eye diseases.
Details of the Report
The 13-member panel of scientific, clinical, dietary, and research experts reviewed the current research on multivitamin use in preventing chronic disease, listened to research presentations and public testimony, then released a consensus report to the public about their findings. The findings relate to the generally healthy population of adults. (The panel did not review issues related to pregnant women or children, nor did they review issues related to herbs or other supplements.) Look at the full consensus report.
Here are some of the conclusions of the conference panel:
- The panel could not recommend for or against the use of multivitamin use to prevent chronic disease due to a lack of quality research on the topic.
- The panel concluded that there is encouraging evidence that use of calcium along with vitamin D reduces the risk of fractures in postmenopausal women; that there is some evidence that the use of antioxidants and zinc can help slow the progression of the eye disease known as "age-related macular degeneration"; and there is a possible benefit of selenium and vitamin E in cancer prevention in some populations.
- The panel cautioned that there are some studies that have also shown an increase in cancer with the use of certain supplements in certain populations of people.
- There are multiple safety issues that concerned the panel regarding the use of MVM. Some prominent concerns are:
- 1. There are potential adverse effects of supplements that are not well known or understood and include the risk of supplements having adverse interactions with over-the-counter and prescription medications.
- 2. Consumers might be getting a much larger percentage of a specific vitamin or mineral than what is listed on the label, since manufacturers are only required to list the minimum potential amount that is in the product. This means that some people who take a MVM might be getting just the right amount of some nutrients in their diet and too much of others. The panel warned that taking too much of a vitamin or mineral can raise the incidence of adverse effects.
- 3. Because supplements are not fully regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), they could have contaminants in them. In addition, manufacturers of supplements do not have to prove that the supplements are absorbed properly and deliver what the package says it will.
Further Research Needed
While the conference did not provide specific answers that the public is looking for, it did begin the difficult task of looking at what we do know and what we don't know about vitamin use. In addition, the panel recommended several areas of research to further our knowledge in this area, which include but are not limited to the following:
- Create better study designs for research trials in order to further the knowledge of the impact of MVM use in the prevention of chronic disease.
- Reports shared during the conference suggest that many Americans might be deficient in a number of vitamins and minerals. And while vitamin and mineral deficiency was not the focus of this conference, the panelists stated that "very little is known about the amount of total nutrients that Americans consume from diet and supplements" and recommended further research on this issue.
- Find better ways to relate research information and scientific findings to the general public and to healthcare professionals so that they understand what is known at this point in time.
The panel also called for increased regulation by the FDA over the supplement industry so that consumers can be better informed about what they are actually buying and what effects the product may or may not have in the body and towards a person's health. |
