Adult Full Spectrum Multivitamin/Multimineral Supplement Users Have a Lower Prevalence of Vitamin and Mineral Deficiencies
Julia Bird
The FASEB Journal April 2015 vol. 29 no. 1 Supplement 586.2
Introduction: Many Americans consume inadequate intakes of micronutrients, yet it is still commonly believed that clinical nutrient deficiencies are rare in the US. Using biochemical nutrient status data from NHANES 2003-2006, we determined the proportion of the US adult population deficient in one of more of the following nutrients: vitamins A, B6, B12,C, D, E, folate, iron or iodine.
Methods: We defined three categories of dietary supplement (DS) use: no DS use, use of full-spectrum multivitamin/multimineral supplements (FSMV) containing 蠅12 vitamins and 6-14 minerals, and use of any DS other than a FSMV. Adults age 19y and over were included, and pregnant or breastfeeding women were included as a single category (total n=14310). Standard age and gender-based cutoffs for deficiencies established by the WHO, CDC, and other previously published reports were used. Data analysis accounted for the complex survey design and were weighted to the representative US population.
Results: Overall, 33.7% of US adults were deficient in 蠅1 vitamin/mineral.
Men age 19 to 50y had the lowest prevalence of deficiency (28.1% deficient) while women aged 19 to 50y, and pregnant or breastfeeding women had the highest prevalence (42.5% and 47.6% deficient).
Among DS non-users, 31.1% were deficient in 1,
11.2% were deficient in 2, and
3.6% were deficient in 蠅3 vitamins or minerals.
In contrast, 22.9%, 5.4% and 1.8% of DS users and 12.1%, 1.8% and 0.5% of FSMV users had either 1, 2, or 蠅3 deficiencies, respectively.
Conclusion: The prevalence of any vitamin or mineral deficiency is high in the US population, especially among women of childbearing age. Users of DS, especially FSMV, had a lower prevalence of any vitamin or mineral deficiency compared to non-users.
