HEALTHSoaring sales of supplements have scientists asking questionsCombining fortified foods and large doses of vitamin tablets could be too much of a good thing, cautions a group of scientists.By Susan J. Landers, amednews staff. June 19, 2006. Washington -- The millions of Americans who take a multivitamin and mineral pill each day aren't basing that decision on scientific evidence because there isn't any, according to a panel of nutritionists, biostatisticians and epidemiologists who met at the National Institutes of Health in mid-May to review the data on the safety and efficacy of such supplements for generally healthy people. Plus, multivitamin users even might be causing themselves harm by unknowingly exceeding the upper safe limits of some vitamins, said the independent panel that gathered evidence from experts and members of the public for two days before compiling their findings in a report released May 17. When all is said and done, according to the panel, there is little to support or reject widely held convictions that multivitamin tablets are important for good health. They recommended that researchers mount vigorous studies to fill that void and that Congress expand the Food and Drug Administration's authority to tighten control over manufacturers. "Half of American adults are taking multivitamins and minerals, and the bottom line is that we don't know for sure that they're benefiting from them. In fact, we're concerned that some people may be getting too much of certain nutrients," said panel Chair J. Michael McGinnis, MD, senior scholar with the Institute of Medicine. Annual sales of supplements total about $23 billion, a substantial portion of which is spent on vitamins and minerals. Their increasing popularity often leads to confusion in physicians' offices over the pros and cons of their use by patients. [...]Full text of American Medical News content is available to AMA members and paid subscribers.
Copyright 2006 American Medical Association. All rights reserved.
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