Friday, August 8, 2014

One in Three Mixing Supplements with Drugs

In a recent study published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, researchers analyzed data on 9,950 adults from the NHANES. In this nationally representative sample of adults, 34.3 percent reported using dietary supplements and prescription medications together. Furthermore, adults diagnosed with a medical condition were 2.5 times more likely to mix supplements with drugs than those without a medical condition. The researchers found that multivitamins with added ingredients were the most commonly used supplements, followed by antacids and multivitamins with added botanical ingredients. Multivitamins may contain a wide range of vitamins and minerals and include additional ingredients such as fish oil and herbs such as ginkgo. Drugs for heart conditions and hormones were the most common medications mixed with supplements. Concomitant Dietary Supplement and Prescription Medication Use Is Prevalent among US Adults with Doctor-Informed Medical Conditions Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics; Emily K. Farina, PhD, RD, Krista G. Austin, PhD, Harris R. Lieberman, PhD, Accepted 23 January 2014. published online 07 April 2014.