New research published in the International Journal for Vitamin and Nutrition Research found that long-term daily supplement users had a “better cardiometabolic health profile” than people who chose not to take a nutritional supplement.
The study, published March 2021, uses the acronym LTMDS to denote consumers who were long term multiple daily supplement users.
The outcomes (improvement areas) included total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, glucose, insulin, the prevalence of elevated hemoglobin and diabetes.
The study was conducted by two experts from the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging, Tufts University in Boston.
The study, though small, offers a unique insight that cannot be found in other studies: a 30 year perspective.
Long-term study… plus
The study has its roots in an earlier study, published in 2007, which took a cross sectional snapshot of 287 LTMDS consumers. At the time that data was gathered the participants had been LTMDS users for as long as 20 years.
The present study looked at data from 235 members of that same group another 10 years further on. After issues with incomplete compliance with lab tests and a few other exclusions the researchers were left with a sample of 156 LTMDS users with at least a 30-year history.
“Multiple dietary supplement use” was defined as using at least two supplements a day. The five most popular supplements observed in the data set were multivitamin/mineral, calcium, Omega-3 EFA, Vitamin C, and various herbal products.
The researchers noted that the study had significant limitations. Namely that it was small in scope and that is was only an observational study (as opposed to the higher standard randomized controlled trial).
Notwithstanding the limitations, the study still provides useful data that can be considered along with the substantial evidence that already exists relative to benefits of long-term supplement use.
Other similar studies
For example, the researchers specifically mentioned the 2007–2010 National Health and Examination Survey that found that participants who used multiple dietary supplements had better cardiometabolic health profiles than did the general population.
“Our findings suggest that dietary supplement use, particularly use of multiple daily supplements, may provide cardiometabolic benefit, consistent with the earlier observations in the LTMDS cohort,” the researchers wrote.
“Our findings also support evidence from earlier observational studies on dietary supplement use and cardiometabolic risk, although it is beyond the scope of this paper to compare our present findings against all of the evidence for and against a role of dietary supplement use in cardiometabolic risk.”
If you want to become a “LTMDS consumer” and benefit from the health advantages it confers, Optimal Health Systems offers many convenient formulas and packages to help make well-rounded supplementing easy. Click links below to learn more.
• Optimal Vitamin/Mineral
• Opti-Pak
• Complete Nutrition Plus
• DNE Package
• Daily Nutrient Essential Pak
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Source: International Journal for Vitamin and Nutrition Research /PubMed.gov.