Studies Show Little Benefit in Supplements

Introduction

• Americans spend over $30 billion annually on dietary supplements, averaging about $100 per person.
• Dietary supplements include vitamins, minerals, and herbal products.
• Many supplements are deemed unnecessary or of doubtful benefit.

Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994

• This act allowed the supplement industry to market products without proving safety or effectiveness to the FDA.
• Supplements can be promoted as supporting health without claims of preventing, treating, or curing diseases.
• Sales of supplements increased dramatically post-1994.

Regulation and Market Dynamics

• Many supplements continue to be sold despite research indicating they are no better than placebos.
• The government can only intervene if a product is proven mislabeled or dangerous after it's on the market.

Study Findings

• A study published in JAMA (October) indicated stable use of dietary supplements from 1999 to 2012.
• Directed by Elizabeth D. Kantor, an epidemiologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.
• 52% of adults used one or more supplements in 2012, based on data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.
• The survey included in-home interviews with 37,958 adults across a nationally representative sample.

Observations

• Despite extensive promotion, the percentage of supplement users was not higher than 52% in 2012.

Conclusion

• There is a significant industry and consumer reliance on supplements with little proven benefit.
• Public perceptions and marketing influence consumer behavior despite scientific evidence.