Dietary Supplement Label Database (DSLD) Captures Dietary Supplements Used by Cancer Survivors: The Case of Fiber Supplements

Abstract

BackgroundMore than 50% of all U.S. adults consume dietary supplements (DS) contributing to an estimated $35 billion in sales in 2015. Among these are DS often recommended by oncology practitioners for the reduction of disease risks, including risk of colorectal cancer. The Dietary Supplement Label Database (DSLD) contains over 50,000 DS labels representing a large, and ever‐increasing, fraction of those sold in the U.S. Supplements touted as possessing anti‐cancer properties include multivitamins, botanical extracts, and isolated dietary components such as fiber.ObjectiveDescribe, for the specific case of dietary fiber supplements, how the oncology community (e.g., oncology health care professionals, researchers and patients) can use DSLD in assessing DS consumption hypothesized to affect cancer outcomes.DescriptionThe DSLD provides ready access to label data for dietary supplements sold in the U.S. using a web‐based interface.MethodWe searched DSLD for all products including the terms “fiber”, “colon cleanse” and “colon health” as either a product name, dietary ingredient, brand name, or label element.ResultsDSLD yielded a total of 4,873 products containing the search term “fiber” anywhere on the product label. A total of 181 products contained ingredients classified as “fiber” and 196 products contained “fiber” in the product name. 109 products contained “colon cleanse” anywhere on the product label; 58 contained “colon cleanse” on in the product name; and one contained “colon cleanse” in the dietary ingredient name. Finally, 235 products contained “colon health” anywhere on the label; and 5 contained “colon health” in the product name. DSLD can also be used in some cases to determine the type(s) of fiber claimed as present in each product, providing the potential for assessment of intake of soluble vs insoluble fiber.ConclusionDSLD serves as an online resource supplying a broad range of users, including the oncology community, with relevant DS information for research and clinical useSupport or Funding InformationOffice of Dietary Supplements and the National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.