Nutritional SupplementsSpecifically Vitamins

Megan DonahueUnit 4 AssignmentKaplan University

Who should take them?Pregnant womenNursing mothersStrict vegetariansVegansPeople with food allergies or

intolerancesSenior citizensPeople with cancer, kidney diseases,

cardiovascular issues or bone disease

WARNING!!!!Nutritional supplements may

cause drug interactions (www.nccam.nih.gov, 2012)

◦ St. John’s wort, an herb, interacts with prescription antidepressants, and may not cause the desired affects (www.nccam.nih.gov. 2012)

Nutritional supplements may not be as “natural” as you think (www.nccam.nih.gov, 2012)

◦ Supplements have been found to have hidden ingredients, drugs or other materials, instead of what is listed on the label (www.nccam.nih.gov, 2012)

WHAT SHOULD YOU DO?Talk to your doctor

◦ Ask if they could recommend something or refer you to someone based on maybe a lack of nutrition.

◦ You may ask to see a nutritionist/dietician to look at your daily intake of food.

◦ Tell your doctor if you are already taking something, it maybe affecting your prescription medication

WHAT SHOULD YOU DO?Ask yourself…

◦ What are the potential health benefits of the supplement product? What is the product supposed to do?

Will it help me to eat, sleep, move bowels, help joint pain?

◦ What are the potential benefits for me? What is it supposed to do? What may be

the results? What in the vitamin is going to help? Is it

Calcium for bones? Is it vitamin B6 for energy? Will there be side effects to any medication I am on?

WHAT SHOULD YOU DO?

◦Ask yourself…◦ What are the risks in taking this

product? Are there any side effects to taking it?

◦ What is the proper dose to take? Do I need to take the whole dosage?

What happens if I take too much?◦ How, when, and how long should I

take it? Do I need to be on this forever? Or just

for a short period of time?

WHAT CAN YOU DO?Eat healthier

A lot of the foods we eat, provide us with the nutrition our bodies need!

WHAT CAN YOU DO?Be active

REGULATIONFood and Drug Administration

(FDA)◦They monitor the product once it is out

on the market.◦It is up to the manufacture to maintain

the products identity, purity, strength, and composition (www.nih.gov, 2011). IF they don’t….THEN…

◦The FDA takes action and removes the product from the market or works with the manufacture to recall the product (www.nih.gov, 2011)

REGULATIONFDA also monitors the

information on the supplement’s label and package insert to make sure the it’s not misleading (www.nih.gov, 2011)

Federal Trade Commission (FTC) monitors the advertising on supplemental products to make sure they are truthful (www.nih.gov, 2011)

Supplements and the Elderly(Olivera & Palacios, 2012)

Puerto Rico◦An increase of use of nutritional supplements

in the elderly population◦Cross-sectional study of 130 subjects◦Ages: 60+◦Data: collected from a validated questionnaire

Objective: to find out the what supplements were used in the population and if there were health risks associated with it and medications

Supplements and the Elderlycontinued

RESULTS: ◦ 63% of the subjects were women◦ The most common supplements used

Multivitamin and calcium◦ Non-vitamin/non-mineral used

Garlic, chondroitin, glucosamine, and ginger

◦ Conditions most related to usage Hypertension and arthritis

◦ Number of health risks 8 possible due to using the non-vitamin/non-

mineral with anticoagulants and antidiabetics

RECOMMEND9 Nutrients (Jaret, n.d.)

B12◦Creating red blood cells and DNA◦Fish, meat, poultry, eggs, milk and

milk productsFolate/Folic Acid

◦Lots of fruits and vegetables◦Fortified breakfast cereals

RECOMMEND9 Nutrients

Calcium◦Building and maintaining strong

bones◦Dairy products, kale, broccoli (great

in smoothies)Vitamin D

◦Helps the body to absorb calcium, maintain bone density and prevent osteoporosis

◦Cereals, milk, salmon, eggs and tuna

RECOMMEND9 Nutrients

Potassium◦Vital for cell function, reduce high blood

pressure and risk of kidney stones◦Bananas, prunes, plums and potatoes

with skinMagnesium

◦Aides the immune system, helps the heart and bones

◦Fresh fruits and vegetables, unprocessed foods, whole grains, beans, and seeds

RECOMMEND9 Nutrients

Fiber◦Helps food to move in digestive tract,

protects against heart disease◦Whole grains, nuts, seeds, fruits and

vegetablesOmega-3 Fats

◦May reduce symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis, slow down age-related macular degeneration

◦2 servings of fish a week: salmon, tuna, sardine or mackerel

◦Soybeans, walnuts, flaxseed and canola oil

RECOMMEND9 Nutrients

Water

RESEARCH

The following sites have research information on dietary supplements◦Office of Dietary Supplements

http://ods.od.nih.gov/

◦National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine http://nccam.nih.gov/

◦National Library of Medicine http://www.nlm.nih.gov/

◦NIH Health Information http://health.nih.gov/

CONCLUSIONThank you for allowing me to

speak to you.I hope I have taught you

something new.I hope you will share with

someone else what you have learned.

REFERENCES www.webmd.com . (2014). The Truth Behind the Top 10

Dietary Supplements. Retrieved from http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/truth-behind-top-10-dietary-supplements?page=2

www.nccam.nih.gov. (2012). Safe Use of Dietary Supplements

www.nih.gov. (2011). Dietary Supplements: What you need to know

Olivera, EJ., & Palacios, C. (2012). Use of Supplements in Puerto Rican older adults residing in an elderly project. University of Puerto Rico Medical Sciences Campus. Retrieved from the Kaplan Library

Vitamin picture: Dreamstime.com Jaret, P. (n.d.). Older Adults: 9 Nutrients You May Be Missing.

Retrieved from http://www.webmd.com/healthy-aging/nutrition-world-2/missing-nutrients