Inasmuch as a number of alternative treatments and preventions of Meniere’s Disease specify the use of over the counter vitamins, minerals, and supplements (VMSs); and because a small (but frequent) number of posters on this website have questioned both the safety and efficacy of VMS consumption, the following report will be cogent. Dietary Supplement Use Among U.S. Adults More Prevalent Than Previously Thought, Says New Published Review —Users Take Supplements to Improve Overall Health, Fill Nutrient Gaps— http://crnusa.org/CRNPR14-PublishedReviewConsumerSurveysJACN_04022014.html The article in part states (I’ve added the bold typeface): The review article noted that overall supplement use as reported by respondents to the CRN surveys in 2007–2011 ranged from 64 to 69 percent. “Regular” use of dietary supplements ranged from 48 to 53 percent—levels equivalent to the overall prevalence reported in NHANES. The CRN surveys asked regular users whether they used a variety of products or only a multivitamin. Over the five-year period, the percentage of regular users who reported they used a variety of supplements increased, while the percentage that said they used only a multivitamin declined. By 2011, the last of the five years, twice as many regular users said they used a variety of products, compared to those who used only a multivitamin. The primary reasons given for using dietary supplements were “overall health and wellness” and “to fill nutrient gaps in the diet.” In agreement with other research cited in a recent review, the CRN surveys documented the fact that users of dietary supplements are more likely than nonusers to adopt a variety of healthy habits. “What the data tells us,” said Judy Blatman, senior vice president, communications, CRN, and one of the study’s co-authors, “is that dietary supplement usage is a mainstream practice, and, contrary to some assertions, supplement users do not use these products as a license to slack off on eating right or exercising, but instead are health conscious individuals trying to do all the right things to be healthy. They are more likely than nonusers to try to eat a balanced diet, visit their doctor regularly, get a good night’s sleep, exercise regularly, and maintain a healthy weight.” Dr. Dickinson observed, “The CRN data and NHANES data both indicate that half to two-thirds of American adults use dietary supplements and that their motivation comes from a desire to stay healthy. The evidence suggests that supplement use is viewed as one component of an overall wellness strategy.” It is a statistical and cultural error to presume that American VMS users are ignorant or slothful people in poor health. And clearly, many tens of millions of Americans are now chronic users of VMS, for the goals and purposes stated above. The lack of reported adverse outcomes (toxicities, etc.) for the great large number of VMS users is significant. –John of Ohio
