On May 17, 2006, a panel conference of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) presented an independent report on the safety and effectiveness of multivitamin/minerals (MVMs). The panel made some recommendations regarding the use of certain supplements. However, the panel concluded that more rigorous research was needed before further recommendations could be made regarding MVM use to prevent chronic diseases.
The panel also found possible risks for the overconsumption of certain nutrients. "More than half of American adults are taking dietary supplements, the majority of which are MVMs, and the bottom line is that we don't know for sure that they're benefiting from them," says panel chairperson J. Michael McGinnis, M.D., M.P.P., Senior Scholar with the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences, in a news release. "In fact, we're concerned that some people may be getting too much of certain nutrients." Due to these safety concerns, the panel called for changes in the regulation of MVMs and dietary supplements by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
The panel recommended the use of certain supplements including calcium and vitamin D for postmenopausal women, antioxidants and zinc for age-related macular degeneration (an eye condition that can cause blindness), and folate for pregnant women to prevent neural tube birth defects. However, the panel did not find sufficient evidence to recommend beta carotene to the general healthy population.
Some experts argue that the panel did not sufficiently review all of the human studies that provide convincing evidence for the use of high quality supplements with the correct nutrients, formulations, and dose. They point out that the panel did not take into consideration specific supplement formulations. For examples, studies suggest that selenium (a micro mineral) may reduce the risk of cancer, fish oil may be as effective as lipid lowering drugs and can reduce the risk of heart disease and arthritis, coenzyme Q10 (coQ10) may have heart benefits and slow the progression of Parkinson's disease, and green tea bioflavonoids and lycopene carotenoids can reduce the risk of certain cancers (such as prostate).
The panel recommended future research including randomized, controlled trials of individual supplements to test their efficacy and safety in the prevention of chronic disease, as well as studies to determine possible interactions between MVMs and prescribed or over-the-counter drugs.
REFERENCES:
1. NIH State-of-the-Science Panel Urges More Informed Approach to Multivitamin/Mineral Use for Chronic Disease Prevention, NIH News, May 17, 2006:
http://www.nih.gov/news/pr/may2006/od-17.htm
Posted by Elaine Gavalas on October 25, 2006 02:43 PM
