Use Of Vitamin-mineral Supplements Research Articles

Use of vitamin-mineral supplements by female physicians in the United States

Rates of vitamin-mineral supplement use by US female physicians are unknown but are of particular interest for several epidemiologic and clinical reasons. The objective was to determine rates of and variations in vitamin-mineral supplement use among US female physicians. We used data from the Women Physicians' Health Study, a large (n = 4501) national, randomly sampled mail survey of female physicians aged 30-70 y. Half of the physicians took a multivitamin-mineral supplement; 35.5% of these did so regularly. However, </=33% took any supplement other than calcium and <20% did so regularly. Regular vitamin-mineral supplement use increased with age, and antioxidant intake was higher in those at high risk of heart disease. Those with a history of osteoporosis were nearly 3 times as likely as those with no history to take supplemental calcium regularly. Those who took any supplement regularly also consumed more fruit and vegetables daily than did occasional users or nonusers (P: < 0.0001). Regular users of any supplement also consumed less fat than did occasional users or nonusers (P: < 0.01). Additionally, vegetarians were more likely than were nonvegetarians to regularly consume any supplement (59.9% compared with 46.3%; P: < 0.001) and those who regularly consumed any supplement were more likely to comply with US Preventive Services Task Force guidelines than were those who were occasional users or nonusers (72.4% compared with 66.5% and 60.2%; P: < 0.0001). Female physicians, particularly those who were especially health conscious or at higher risk of heart disease or osteoporosis, used supplements at rates at least equal to those of women in the general population.

Veterinary nutrition of large psittacines

Nutritional disorders are seen in large psittacines (Amazon and African grey parrots, cockatoos, and macawsl, mostly because of their diets, which contain primarily seeds and nuts. Too much fat in seeds and nuts may lead to obesity and secondary deficiencies of protein and other essential nutrients, such as calcium, vitamin A, and iodine. Other problems arise from inappropriate pelleted diet formulations and excessive or inappropriate use of vitamin-mineral supplements. Nutrients most likely to be fed in toxic quantities are vitamins A and D 3 . Diagnosis is made by nutritional assessment of the patient through dietary history, examination, laboratory analyses, radiology, and diet evaluation. Nutritional disorders are corrected through appropriate changes in diet. Large psittacines may be neophobic, and gradual diet changes can be challenging for owners.

Vitamin-mineral supplement use among preschool children in the United States.

To estimate the prevalence of recent supplement use in a national sample of preschool children and to examine the relationship of maternal and child characteristics, past maternal supplement use practices, familial, health services, and child health factors associated with supplement use. We used data on 8285 preschool children whose mothers were interviewed for the 1991 Longitudinal Follow-up to the 1988 National Maternal and Infant Health Survey. Data collection was conducted either by telephone or personal interview. The sample is representative of the estimated 3. 8 million US born children in 1988 and alive in 1991. The outcome measures are whether the child was given any vitamin and mineral supplements at least 3 days a week in the 30 days before the interview and the type of supplement received. Statistical techniques included bivariate and weighted multiple logistic regression analysis. More than half of all US 3-year-olds (54.4%) were given some vitamin and mineral supplement. The most common supplements consumed were multivitamin-mineral with iron (59% of supplement users) and multivitamin-mineral without iron (26.4%). Children who received any supplements tended to have mothers who are non-Hispanic White, older, more educated, married, insured, receiving care from a private health care provider, have greater household income, and took supplements during pregnancy. Child health characteristics associated with supplement use included first birth order and having eating problems or poor appetites. More than half of US preschool children used vitamin and mineral supplements. The sociodemographic and health predictors identified for supplement use suggest that groups at risk for nonuse are likely the same groups whose circumstances may predispose a need for supplementation.

Self-reported use of Vitamin Mineral Supplements in a Pilot Study with Elderly Participants

LEARNING OUTCOME: To identify the frequency of vitamin/mineral supplement use among eldelrly participants.As more studies are conducted regarding nutrient intake and dietary habits of the elderly, findings may reveal the need for modification of current recommendations. This pilot study was conducted to evalute nutrient intake of elderly participants. The Block Food Frequency Questionnaire, Short Version, which addresses dietary intake and vitamin/mineral usage, was administered to thirty, free-living, urban elderly men(12) and women (18), ages 60-99; mean age 70.57. Of the 30 participants, 21 (70%) reported taking supplements. Nine of 12 males (75%) and 12 of 18 females (66.7%) reported using a supplement. Based on educational level, 20% of those with 17+years, 36.7% of those with 12-16 years, and 16.7% with 12 or less years of education took a supplement. The type of supplements taken were: One-a-day type-15(71%), of which 4 took only this; Calcium-11 (52.4%); Vitamin C-8(38.1%); Vitamin E -(33.3%):Zinc or Theragran-type vitamin-2(9.5%); Iron, Magnesium, Vitamin B69 Vitamin B120 Beta-carotene, Vitamin B19 or Vitamin A-1 (4.8%). To summarize, a greater percentage of the male then female participants took vitamins. Those with some college education were more likely to take supplements than those who did not go to college. The top four ingested supplements identified in this study agree with those reported in other studies. Further investigation with the elderly of the comparison of dietary analysis with supplement use, the reason(s) for taking the supplements, and the source of information about perceived need for supplements, would provide a more complete picture of supplementation by this population

Serum ferritin in children and adolescents. Results from population surveys in 1979 and 1986 comprising 1312 individuals

Iron stores were assessed by measurement of serum ferritin in a population survey comprising 436 randomly selected urban Danish schoolchildren (219 boys, 217 girls) 7 to 17 years old. Median ferritin values were similar in boys and girls 7 to 13 years old, while 14- to 17-year-old boys had significantly higher values than girls of similar age (p < 0.0001). Boys had stable median ferritin values from 7 to 15 years of age, after which a significant rise was found from 16 to 17 years of age (p < 0.01). Girls had unchanged median ferritin values from 7 to 11 years of age, after which a significant decrease was found from 12 to 17 years of age (p < 0.01). The frequencies of low ferritin values < 16 micrograms/l (indicating absent iron stores) were: Children 7 to 11 years, 1.0%. Boys 12 to 15 years, 4.5%; 16 to 17 years, 0%. Girls 12 to 15 years, 7.6%; 16 to 17 years, 16.7%. Ferritin levels in the reported 1986 survey were significantly higher than those obtained in a similar survey in the same area in 1979. The results indicate an overall increase in iron stores in Danish schoolchildren and adolescents during 1979-1986, possibly due to an increase in the consumption of meat, and in the use of vitamin-mineral supplements containing iron.

Vitamin-mineral supplement use and nutritional status of athletes.

Dietary, anthropometric, and chronic disease risk factors (CDRF) including blood lipids and blood pressure (BP), were measured in 91 vitamin-mineral supplement users (SU) and nonusers (NU) representing a wide range of athletic interests. Supplements were used by 46 (51%) subjects; 100% of female athletes and 51% of male athletes used supplements while none of a group of 15 control female subjects currently used supplements. Both dietary intake and energy expenditure were measured using 7-day records. Adiposity was determined from body weight, body mass index, and skinfolds. Total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, serum ferritin, hemoglobin, hematocrit, zinc, copper, and vitamin C were based on 12-hour fasting blood samples. Dietary intake (excluding supplements) for SU tended to be greater than NU for vitamin C, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, B6, B12, folate, calcium, iron and magnesium. Plasma vitamin C levels were significantly higher among SU than NU of both gender groups (p < 0.05). Although SU may exhibit additional healthy lifestyle practices, lipid profiles for many of these athletes were unfavorable with regard to CDRF.

Relationship between age and serum vitamin A in children aged 4-11 y

The association between age and serum vitamin A concentrations in children was examined by using total serum vitamin A values from the second National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES II) and serum retinol values for Mexican Americans from the Hispanic HANES. Analyses included multivariate strategies to identify confounders of serum vitamin A. After the effect of the use of vitamin-mineral supplements on total serum vitamin A values was controlled for, the data indicated that younger children (aged 4-5 y) have lower serum vitamin A concentrations than do older children (aged 9-11 y) regardless of whether the measure was total serum vitamin A or serum retinol. This relationship was systematic across the distribution of values and suggested that the difference may be due to normal physiological events. A different interpretive criterion may be needed for younger and older children when serum vitamin A is used to indicate vitamin A status.

Vitamin-mineral supplement use: Association with dietary intake and iron status of adults

Although vitamin-mineral supplement use is increasing in the United States, few researchers have examined whether supplement users have better nutritional status than do nonusers. Data from 10,515 persons examined in the second National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES II) were used to compare mean dietary intakes of several nutrients and food groups, hemoglobin, mean corpuscular volume, transferrin saturation, erythrocyte protoporphyrin, and serum ferritin between regular supplement users and nonusers aged 16 to 74 years. Prevalences of impaired iron status also were compared between user groups. Users consumed more vitamin C and ate fruits and vegetables more frequently than did nonusers in all age/sex groups. No significant differences in mean iron status indicators were observed except in the 65 to 74 year age/sex groups: transferrin saturation among men and mean corpuscular volume, erythrocyte protoporphyrin, and serum ferritin among women. In each case, users had higher values than nonusers in this age group. Prevalences of impaired iron status did not differ between users and nonusers in any age/sex group. In general, iron status was not associated with supplement use. J Am Diet Assoc 88:808, 1988.

Ethnic and racial differences in serum vitamin A levels of children aged 4–11 years

Interpretation of differences in serum vitamin A levels observed between Hispanic and non-Hispanic children may be complicated by confounding environmental factors. Data from the Mexican-American portion of the Hispanic Health and Nutrition Examination Survey and the second National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were used to explore these differences in 4-11-y-old Mexican Americans and non-Hispanic blacks and whites before and after accounting for vitamin-mineral supplement use and poverty status. Initial differences in mean serum vitamin A levels and prevalences less than 20 micrograms/dL (0.70 mumol/L) or less than 25 micrograms/dL (0.87 mumol/L) among the three ethnic or racial groups were reduced or eliminated after accounting for the two descriptive variables. These results support the hypothesis that differences in serum vitamin A levels between Mexican-American and non-Hispanic children in the United States are due more to environmental factors than to ethnicity.

Nutritional status of white college students in Virginia

The nutritional status of the fifty men, fifty-three women, and forty-seven women taking oral contraceptives--all white--between the ages of seventeen and twenty-two years--as reflected by height-weight measurements, hemoglobin-hematocrit values, and dietary records, was similar or slightly better than reported by other investigators. Low hemoglobin values were observed in 2 to 4 per cent of these students, and low hematocrits, in 8 to 17 per cent. Similar hemoglobin and hematocrit values were observed in all women, regardless of whether they were taking oral contraceptives. Exercise patterns; use of vitamin-mineral supplements, "pot," alcoholic beverages, special diets; whether subjects ate alone; where subjects ate; snacking; number of meals consumed daily; whether subjects had ever been diagnosed as being anemic; and what subjects thought of their food habits did not affect hemoglobin or hematocrit. Iron intakes of many of the women students were below the allowance.