JAMA Researchers Recommend Vitamin Supplements

 

After 30 years of viewing the use of vitamin supplements as unnecessary, the American medical establishment has reversed itself and is beginning to recommend that all Americans need to supplement to remain healthy.

In a research review published in a recent issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) (287, 23:3116-26, 2002), two Harvard researchers reported finding a link between inadequate intakes of certain vitamins and the increased risk for chronic conditions such as coronary heart disease, cancer and osteoporosis. 

The researchers–Kathleen Fairfield, M.D., and Robert Fletcher, M.D.--searched MEDLINE (a database of 11 million indexed journal citations) for English-language articles published between 1966 and 2002 that pertained to vitamins and chronic disease.

Narrowing the search down to those nutrients that were considered "clinically important," the researchers honed in on data surrounding nine vitamins and their links to chronic disease.

Folic acid and B12 (cobalamin) were found to be necessary for homocysteine metabolism and for reducing the risk of coronary heart disease. Vitamin E decreased the risk of prostate cancer, and vitamin D taken with calcium decreased the occurrence of bone fractures.

However, it was found that taking excessive amounts of fat-soluble vitamins such as vitamin A may lead to more problems than solutions.

They also found that the elderly, vegans, alcohol-dependent individuals, and those suffering from vitamin malabsorption were at especially high risk for inadequate vitamin intake.

In a letter accompanying the research review, Fairfield and Fletcher reported that suboptimal intake of vitamins should be seen as a risk factor for chronic diseases, especially in the elderly.

In addition, they said most people do not consume an optimal amount of all vitamins through diet alone. "Pending strong evidence of effectiveness from randomized trials, it appears prudent for all adults to take vitamin supplements," the authors wrote.

"Physicians should make specific efforts to learn about their patients' use of vitamins to ensure that they are taking the vitamins they should."

<BACK