At a National Institutes of Health (NIH) State-of-the-Science Conference on the use of multivitamin and mineral supplement use in chronic disease prevention, experts presented interesting information about who is using vitamin and mineral supplements and why. The following is a summary of information that was presented.
Who Takes Dietary Supplements?
More than half of the adult population in the United States uses a multivitamin/multimineral (MVM) supplement according to research presented by Cheryl Rock, PhD, RD, a professor at the University of San Diego. Here are some of the specific findings that she presented (gathered from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 1999-2000 data and from other sources) regarding who uses MVM supplements:
- 52 percent of adults report taking a dietary supplement in the past month, and 35 percent report regular use of a MVM product. These percentages have increased over the years. According to 2005 data, as many as 80 percent of adults might be taking an MVM supplement.
- Use of MVM products are more common among people age 60 and older.
- Current smokers are less likely to take an MVM supplement. Former smokers are more likely to use supplements.
- People who take MVM supplements are more likely to have been diagnosed with a disease. For instance, one study showed that nearly half of cancer patients started taking supplements after their diagnosis.
- People who take MVM supplements are more likely to be on a particular diet.
- People who take MVM supplements believe that they are in good health.
Why do People Take Supplements?
There are a variety of reasons that people take dietary supplements, according to research presented by Johanna Dwyer, D.Sc., RD, a Senior Nutrition Scientist at the Office of Dietary Supplements at the NIH. The most common reasons that people give for taking supplements include the following:
- They believe that supplements help prevent health issues. Nearly 70 percent of people surveyed believed that vitamins and minerals are effective in preventing disease.
- They believe that supplements make them feel better and give them more energy. Nearly 40 percent of MVM supplement users say that supplements do improve their energy and feeling of well-being.
- There are specific health issues. More than 50 percent believe that supplements that have been tailored for specific conditions such as heart or bone conditions are important to their health regimen.
- They want to treat health issues. One in three MVM supplement users believe that these supplements can actually treat disease.
Dr. Dwyer went on to report that the use of supplements for specific conditions such as cancer, menopause, pain, depression, and others has doubled in the last five years. Women in menopause have significantly increased their use of supplements since 2002 when concerns were released about the safety of estrogen therapy.
Whether or not MVM supplements actually do what consumers believe they do is a point of great interest, concern, and debate in the general population and in the scientific community. |
