Vitamin Overdose a Concern

A surprising number of Americans--particularly children--are using nutritional supplements, some at dangerously high dosage levels, according to a recent federal survey.

Researchers from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the National Center for Health Statistics reported that as many as 36% of those adults surveyed take some kind of over-the-counter vitamin, mineral or fluoride compound.

Women were the most likely supplement users and 41% of those females queried in the study reported consuming the products, compared with only 31% of the males.

The results, published in the center’s Advance Data journal last year, showed that an even higher percentage of children are using supplements than adults. For instance, 47% of those aged between three and four years old reported vitamin usage. This compares with 40% of the five- to six-year-olds.

The data indicated that income levels were a factor in dietary supplement consumption. The number of children taking vitamins or minerals rose to as many as 50% in those households earning $40,000 or more annually. Only 23% of the children in homes with yearly income of $7,000 or less reported supplement use.

Data from the survey will be used as part of the federal government’s on-going monitoring of the nation’s nutritional status.

A note of concern was expressed by the researchers, however. It found that many people are taking megadoses of these compounds, some of which can be toxic. Of those women consuming Vitamin E supplements, for instance, 5% reported ingesting levels 35 times above the recommended daily allowance.

“Millions of Americans continue to take vitamin and mineral supplements, sometimes far beyond the (U.S.) Recommended Dietary Allowances,” the report stated.

Supplement Recall--Despite gains in public acceptance, the dietary supplement industry continues to be rocked from the L-tryptophan scandal. Just days ago the FDA issued another warning against buying or consuming the capsules.

The most recent action was targeted against a particular company, Nutricology Inc., of San Leandro, Calif. The FDA move was precipitated when the firm was described as “slow” to recall its line of L-tryptophan products.

The compound has been linked with 1,143 cases of eosinophilia-myalgia syndrome, a blood and muscle disorder, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Illnesses have been reported in all 50 states. As many as nine deaths are believed to have been linked to the supplements, and one of these fatalities has been confirmed as “clearly associated with the taking of L-tryptophan,” according to the FDA.

More than 330 manufacturers, repackers and distributors have cooperated with the government’s “urgent recall.” However, Nutricology has refused to furnish any proof that it is removing its products from sale. Several items are involved in the current action and some are also sold under the firm’s Allergy Research Group label.

The targets of the FDA’s warning include:

* Allergy Research Group 500 milligram L-tryptophan with 100 capsules to the bottle.

* Nutricology and Allergy Research brands of 350 milligram Tryptophan P.R.N. with 30 capsules to a bottle.

* Nutricology and Allergy Research brand of 750 milligram Free Aminos and Free Aminos without Cystine and Cysteine. Both are packaged in 100-capsule bottles.

* Free Aminos powder in 50- and 100-gram bottles also under both labels.

L-tryptophan is an essential amino acid that is normally ingested as a constituent of dietary protein, according to the Public Health Letter, published by the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services.

“(The) supplements are used for disorders such as insomnia, depression and premenstrual syndrome,” the health letter stated.

Public health investigators have not been able to link the outbreak of illnesses and deaths to any specific lot, brand, manufacturer or supplier of L-tryptophan, according to the FDA warning.

“Extensive laboratory analyses of products have not been able to identify a specific chemical or microbial contaminant responsible for the outbreak,” the agency announced.

Supplements & Seniors--A different perspective on nutritional supplement use appeared in a recent medical journal. The focus of the study, printed in the Journal of Nutrition for the Elderly, was the extent of vitamin and mineral consumption among Southern California seniors.

The author, Nancy Cotugna, interviewed 195 residents of senior housing projects. She found that 58.5% of the subjects reported using over-the-counter vitamins or minerals. Heavy users, or those consuming more than four different such products daily, accounted for 19.4% of the survey.

On average, the seniors queried reported spending 1% of their monthly income on supplements. Some, in fact, spent up to 6% of the their income on these products.

The National Council Against Health Fraud, a Loma Linda, Calif.-based group, in commenting on the study was highly critical of supplement usage among seniors.

“Unnecessary supplement usage is one of the most widespread forms of soft-core quackery (i.e. that which costs only money), and the elderly are the most common targets of all forms of quackery,” the council stated. “Misbeliefs are the root causes of the success (of the supplement industry).”

Some of the reasons given for vitamin and mineral use in this age group were, “supplementation is necessary,” “food processing destroys nutrients,” and “health foods are healthier.”