Use Of Other Dietary Supplements Research Articles

Management of Fatigue in Adult Survivors of Cancer: ASCO-Society for Integrative Oncology Guideline Update.

To update the ASCO guideline on the management of cancer-related fatigue (CRF) in adult survivors of cancer. A multidisciplinary panel of medical oncology, geriatric oncology, internal medicine, psychology, psychiatry, exercise oncology, integrative medicine, behavioral oncology, nursing, and advocacy experts was convened. Guideline development involved a systematic literature review of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published in 2013-2023. The evidence base consisted of 113 RCTs. Exercise, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and mindfulness-based programs led to improvements in CRF both during and after the completion of cancer treatment. Tai chi, qigong, and American ginseng showed benefits during treatment, whereas yoga, acupressure, and moxibustion helped to manage CRF after completion of treatment. Use of other dietary supplements did not improve CRF during or after cancer treatment. In patients at the end of life, CBT and corticosteroids showed benefits. Certainty and quality of evidence were low to moderate for CRF management interventions. Clinicians should recommend exercise, CBT, mindfulness-based programs, and tai chi or qigong to reduce the severity of fatigue during cancer treatment. Psychoeducation and American ginseng may be recommended in adults undergoing cancer treatment. For survivors after completion of treatment, clinicians should recommend exercise, CBT, and mindfulness-based programs; in particular, CBT and mindfulness-based programs have shown efficacy for managing moderate to severe fatigue after treatment. Yoga, acupressure, and moxibustion may also be recommended. Patients at the end of life may be offered CBT and corticosteroids. Clinicians should not recommend L-carnitine, antidepressants, wakefulness agents, or routinely recommend psychostimulants to manage symptoms of CRF. There is insufficient evidence to make recommendations for or against other psychosocial, integrative, or pharmacological interventions for the management of fatigue.Additional information is available at www.asco.org/survivorship-guidelines.

Protein supplements consumption: a comparative study between the city centre and the suburbs of Palermo, Italy.

BackgroundProtein supplements are extensively used among commercial gym users and athletes. Although demographic information amongst such consumption has been poorly investigated. The aim of this study is to compare protein supplement consumption in commercial gym users, both from the city centre and the suburbs of Palermo, Italy.MethodsA face-to-face questionnaire has been administered to 561 subjects. 207 from the city centre (CC) and 354 from the suburbs (SB) of Palermo, Italy. Protein supplement consumption, frequency of use and association with other dietary supplements has been investigated. Subsequently frequency distribution has been used for demographic assessment.Results30% of commercial gym users from the CC and 28.8% from the SB use protein supplements. The majority of these subjects are men (69.5% from the CC and 93.1 from the SB). Frequency of use differs from the two areas showing a mode of 7 days per week consumption for the CC while a mode of 5 days per week consumption is showed for the SB. Interestingly, the association between protein supplements and other dietary supplements also differs between CC and SB. A combined use between proteins, amino acids and creatine is showed in the CC whilst proteins and amino acids or creatine are used alone in the SB.ConclusionsA considerable number of commercial gym users take protein supplements alone or combined (mainly creatine and amino-acids). Demographic differences are shown between frequency of use and combined use of other dietary supplements. We emphasize on the importance of the dissemination of scientifically based information about supplementation in this environment.

Cod liver oil, other dietary supplements and survival among cancer patients with solid tumours

The effect of various dietary supplements on chronic diseases and mortality has been widely studied, but few convincing results have emerged from studies in well-nourished populations. In Norway, both cod liver oil and other dietary supplements are frequently used. In the Norwegian Women and Cancer cohort study, we explored if supplement use before diagnosis affected survival of cancer patients with solid tumours. We performed Cox proportional hazards analyses, adjusting for age at diagnosis, smoking and stage. Cod liver oil was the most frequently used dietary supplement, followed by multivitamins and minerals. Whole year daily use of cod liver oil was associated with lower risk of death in patients with solid tumours [RR = 0.77 (95% CI 0.61-0.97)] and in lung cancer patients [RR=0.56 (95% CI 0.34-0.92)]. Also daily and occasional use of other dietary supplements decreased the risk of death among lung cancer patients [RR = 0.70 (95% CI 0.49-0.99) and 0.55 (95% CI 0.31-0.97)]. More research is needed to clarify the association; meanwhile adjustment for dietary supplement use should be performed in survival analyses of lung cancer patients.

Use of herbal therapies by adults seen in an ambulatory care research setting: an exploratory survey.

To identify and characterize patterns of use of herbal products among patients participating in selected research clinics. Survey of three National Institutes of Health (NIH) ambulatory care research clinics. Convenience sample of 490 adult patients (168 male, 322 female) attending rheumatology, liver, and endocrinology/metabolic research clinics. Of the patients surveyed, 16.7%: (n = 82) reported using herbs. There were no significant sociodemographic differences between herb and nonherb users. Indications for herb use differed among the disease groups; patients in the endocrine and rheumatology clinics were taking herbs predominantly for "energy" or "wellness"; those attending the liver clinic tended to use herbal therapies as treatment for their disease. Mean and median monthly expenditure for herbal products was $30 and $10, respectively. There was a significant positive correlation between number of herbs used and use of other dietary supplements (p < 0.0001). One in six patients in ambulatory clinical research settings may be taking herbal products in addition to prescribed treatment. This figure is lower than in the general population, possibly because the patients may stop using herbs when participating in a research project. Although empirical evidence on the beneficial or adverse effects of herb therapy alone or in combination with drug therapies is limited, clinical researchers should be aware of the potential for confounding clinical trial results.