The C.A.M. Report
Complementary and Alternative Medicine: Fair, Balanced, and to the Point
  • About this web log

    This blog ran from 2006 to 2016 and was intended as an objective and dispassionate source of information on the latest CAM research. Since my background is in pharmacy and allopathic medicine, I view all CAM as advancing through the development pipeline to eventually become integrated into mainstream medical practice. Some will succeed while others fail. But all are treated fairly here.

  • About the author

    John Russo, Jr., PharmD, is president of The MedCom Resource, Inc. Previously, he was senior vice president of medical communications at www.Vicus.com, a complementary and alternative medicine website.

  • Common sense considerations

    The material on this weblog is for informational purposes. It is not medical advice or counsel. Be smart, consult your health professional before using CAM.

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  • Recent Comments

    Increasing popularity of dietary supplements

    Dietary supplement use has steadily increased since the 1970s.

    Researchers at the National Institutes of Health estimated dietary supplement use based on the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2003–2006, a nationally representative survey.

    First, the details.

    • Dietary supplement use was analyzed for the US population (at least 1 year of age).
    • Supplement use was measured through a questionnaire and reported by 49% of the US population (44% of males, 53% of females).

    And, the results.

    • Multivitamin-multi-mineral use was the most frequently reported dietary supplement (33%).
    • Most people reported taking only 1 dietary supplement and did so daily.
    • Lowest users
      • Obese adults.
    • Highest users of dietary supplements:
      • Non-Hispanic whites
      • Older adults
      • More than a high-school education
    • Prevalence of use:
      • 28% to 30% used dietary supplements containing vitamins B-6, B-12, C, A, and E.
      • 18% to 19% used iron, selenium, and chromium.
      • 26% to 27% used zinc- and magnesium-containing supplements.
    • Botanical supplement use was more common in older of adults (20%) vs younger (lowest in 1–13 year age) groups.
    • About half the population and 70% of adults older than 70 years use dietary supplements.
    • One-third use multivitamin-multi-mineral dietary supplements.

    The bottom line?

    The authors concluded, “Given the widespread use of supplements, data should be included with nutrient intakes from foods to correctly determine total nutrient exposure.”

    OK, but it’s also one more reason for healthcare professionals to include questions about supplement use in the drug history.

    11/2/11 21:29 JR

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