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State of the Science Conference Discusses Multivitamins and Mineral Supplements
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Brief Description:
An estimated one-third of American adults take multivitamin and mineral supplements for chronic disease prevention. Yet scientists attending a recent State of the Science Conference at the National Institutes of Health concluded that more vigorous scientific research will be needed to determine whether these over the counter supplements are, in fact, doing any good in that regard.
Transcript:
Akinso: An estimated one-third of American adults take multivitamin and mineral supplements for chronic disease prevention. Yet scientists attending a recent State of the Science Conference at the National Institutes of Health concluded that more vigorous scientific research will be needed to determine whether these over the counter supplements are, in fact, doing any good in that regard. Dr. J. Michael McGinnis, panel chair discussed the findings.
McGinnis: With respect to the health effects and what the science tells us about the health effects, overall we find that the available data are insufficient to make a firm recommendation for or against their use in the general population. There is promising information from one well-designed trial to suggest that antioxidants and zinc may slow the progression of age related macular degeneration. From trials of simple and paired nutrients, there is indication that calcium and vitamin D have a beneficial effect on mineral density and fracture risk in postmenopausal women. The panel reaffirms previous recommendations of expert panels for the consumption of folic acid supplements by women of childbearing age for the prevention of neural tube defects in their offspring.
Akinso: According to Dr. McGinnis, as more and more Americans seek strategies for maintaining good health and preventing disease and as the marketplace offers an increasing number of products to fill that desire, it is important that consumers have the best possible information to inform their choices. Full text of the panel's draft state-of-the-science statement is available at http://consensus.nih.gov. This is Wally Akinso at the National Institute of Health Bethesda, Maryland.
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