In the midst of confusion lies opportunity: fostering quality science in dietary supplement research

Dietary supplement use pattern of U.S. adult population in the 2007-2008 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES)

Data from the 2007-2008 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) suggested that nearly half of U.S. adults aged 20 to 69 reported taking at least one dietary supplement in the past month. Logistic regression showed that the following factors were independently associated with a greater likelihood of supplement use: being female, older, white, having higher level of education, non-SNAP participation, and living in a food-secure household. To compare nutrient intakes between supplement users and non-supplement users, daily intakes of eight nutrients were examined. When considering nutrients from food, supplement users tended to consume greater amounts of vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, folic acid, calcium, and iron; meanwhile there was no association between supplement use and daily intakes of vitamin B12 and zinc from food sources only. Including nutrients from daily supplement use, supplement users consumed greater amounts of all eight nutrients.

Nutrition and dietary supplements in motor neuron disease

Compromised nutrition leading to weight loss is a common and significant problem in the amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patient population. The benefit of aggressive and early nutritional therapy can profoundly influence the disease course, quality of life, and survival. This article reviews the role of nutrition, both as sustenance and treatment for patients who have ALS. Self-medication with dietary supplements has become increasingly popular within this patient population. Despite their popularity, the efficacy of these compounds has been largely unsupported by formal clinical trials. Available data will be highlighted to provide a basis upon which to advise patients requesting guidance.

Dietary supplement use by American women: challenges in assessing patterns of use, motives and costs

The 1994 passage of Public Law 103-417, the Dietary Supplement and Health Education Act, resulted in an exponential increase in the number and variety of dietary supplements available for over-the-counter purchase. Surveys conducted on random samples of U.S. residents have shown that approximately half of all American women use dietary supplements regularly, but very little is known about the risks and benefits of long-term and widespread supplement use. To accurately evaluate the health effects of supplement use, it is important to characterize usage patterns, motivations and costs of supplement use. However, this is a considerable challenge because accurate supplement data are difficult to collect, product databases with consistent and reliable information are lacking and survey instruments or interview protocols currently in use may not capture information about product selection for specific health conditions, motivations for use, or out-of-pocket expenditures. Future research would benefit from collaborative efforts among governmental scientists, academic scientists and industry to improve dietary supplement data collection methods and develop appropriate tools for analysis.

Challenges and opportunities confronting the botanical dietary supplement industry

The intent of this review is to identify and characterize the scientific challenges confronting the botanical dietary supplements industry, explore opposing sides of some controversial issues, and outline an agenda for addressing the more acute problems. The issues posing the greatest challenge to the industry center on quality, safety, and benefit. A key conclusion is that development of the scientific base of the industry has not kept pace with the rapid expansion of the manufacturing and marketing components. Recommendations for addressing the existing challenges are offered.