Good News Doesn't Always Make the Headlines

I’d like to take a few moments of your time to provide some perspective on recent media attention to supplementation. It can be challenging to know what to trust, and we urge you to critically read articles about health and vitamins before assuming their validity – just as you would for any other reports from the Internet, a newspaper, or the evening news.

Each year, hundreds of positive studies about nutrients and supplementation are published, the vast majority of which never make the news. Some examples of recently published clinical studies that have shown positive health outcomes include:

• Calcium and vitamin D for osteoporosis prevention
• Folic acid for preventing progression of cervical dysplasia, which are pre-cancerous changes in the cells that line the cervix
• Omega-3 fatty acids for reducing the risk of sudden death in people with existing heart disease
• Vitamins C and E , beta-carotene, and zinc for reducing the risk of age-related macular degeneration
• A study from the Netherlands that showed positive metabolic effects in obese men taking resveratrol for as little as 30 days

That’s good news, but it’s really only a very small part of it. And focusing on the positive contributions of dietary supplements is not only good for the people who use them; it's also good for all of us. The U.S. Lewin Group, a health care consulting firm, actually estimated the United States could save $24 billion over five years if elderly Americans used a few basic nutritional supplements.

We're very committed to contributing to a broader understanding of nutrition and supplementation.

• The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism study from February 2011: “A resveratrol and polyphenol blend suppresses the oxidative and inflammatory stress response to a high-fat, high-carbohydrate meal.”
• A vitamin D intervention study published in August 2011 in the International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition: “Effects of Vitamin D supplementation on 25(OH)vitamin D, HDL cholesterol and other cardiovascular risk markers in subjects with elevated waist circumference.”

We salute your ongoing commitment to incorporating nutritional and other health products on your journey to a longer and healthier life.

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