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Vitamins and Supplements

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Interpreting Health Benefits and Risks

Abstract

Although many Americans take vitamins and supplements, there is little objective data available regarding their benefits and risks, and they are not tightly regulated by the FDA. Studies of multivitamins and anti-oxidant pills have not shown them to be effective in disease prevention. The benefits and risks of eye vitamins, fish oil, Vitamin E, and Folic Acid are also assessed. There continues to be confusion regarding the benefits and risks of supplement use. Information presented to doctors and patients tends to be misleading and difficult to interpret. This is due, in large part, to the use of relative risks rather than absolute values when communicating information on supplement benefits. In light of this situation, a unique graphic, functioning as a decision aid, has been developed to enable physicians and patients to jointly assess the benefits and risks of vitamin and supplement use. By characterizing the complexities of risk analysis in terms patients can understand, means they will be able to make well-informed decisions about their health.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    http://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/uspstf/uspsvita.htm.

  2. 2.

    http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/natural/938.html.

  3. 3.

    http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/805099.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Rifkin and Associates, Baltimore, MD, USA

    Erik Rifkin

  2. St. Agnes Hospital, Baltimore, MD, USA

    Andrew Lazris

Authors
  1. Erik Rifkin
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  2. Andrew Lazris
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© 2015 Springer International Publishing Switzerland

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Rifkin, E., Lazris, A. (2015). Vitamins and Supplements. In: Interpreting Health Benefits and Risks. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-11544-3_22

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-11544-3_22

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-11543-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-11544-3

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

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