Release 3 of the U.S. Dietary Supplement Ingredient Database (DSID): Omega‐3 (n‐3) Fatty Acid and Non‐prescription Prenatal Multivitamin/mineral (MVM) Supplements

Abstract

Release 3 of the Dietary Supplement Ingredient Database (http://dsid.usda.nih.gov) reports analytically-based estimates for ingredient content and variability for n-3 dietary supplements and non-prescription prenatal multivitamin/mineral (MVM) products. Products obtained from a national sampling (retail and internet) of multiple lots of 84 n-3 fatty acid dietary supplements (fish oil, flaxseed oil, fish/plant blends) were chemically analyzed by 2 independent labs for their fatty acid content. 85% of products had labeled amounts for one or more of the major n-3 fatty acids: alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Analytical results were compared to labeled quantity per day and statistically evaluated by regression. Predicted % differences from label were within 5.4% of label levels, with EPA and DHA slightly below label and ALA slightly above label. Predicted % differences from label were also statistically determined for 10 vitamins and 10 minerals in 71 non-prescription prenatal MVMs purchased in a national sampling. At the most commonly labeled levels, mean predictions for 11 ingredients were 0-10% above label, 3 ingredients were between 0 and 10% below label, 3 were 10-20% above label and 3 were >20% above label. A pilot study of prescription prenatal MVMs is planned. Funding: ARS/USDA & ODS/NIH Y1CN501006