User:Sgbroberg/sandbox

>Deficient intake
While it may seem that most individuals today do not have vitamin deficiencies, especially in developed countries, this simply is not true. A 2012 survey of U.S. adults conducted by the National Institute of Health found that over 90% of individuals who reportedly did not use dietary supplements regularly were found to have inadequate levels of some of the essential vitamins, including vitamins D and E. These recent findings indicate the necessity for further research into vitamin-enhanced foods, and for government marketing and subsidies to promote the health of the general public, not just those who can afford dietary supplements and wholesome foods.

>Excess intake
The phenomenon of excess vitamin intake is referred to as hypertoxicity. Additionally, a study completed by researchers at the NIH in 2012 found that US adults (>19 years) who used dietary supplements regularly were more likely to have higher vitamin/mineral intake through their food alone than US adults who did not use dietary supplements regularly, greatly increasing their risk of vitamin toxicity. They found that American males who used supplements had, through food, significantly higher levels of vitamins A, E, and K than American males who didn’t use supplements, and that American females who used supplements had, through food, significantly higher levels of vitamins A, C, D, and E than American females who didn’t use supplements. Concerningly, they also found that “about 7% of adult supplement users exceed[ed] the [upper limit] for folic acid and 5% of adults older than age 50 years exceed[ed] the vitamin A [upper limit]”.

>Government regulation
Though supplements may not definitively state that they can treat or prevent specific diseases, they are legally allowed to make general health claims, often which are incredibly manipulative and misleading of the consumer. These marketing allowances have led to most US adults who use vitamins reporting that they were “using dietary supplements to maintain or improve overall health and … prevent disease, increase energy, improve mental health, [and] achieve weight loss”. Following approval, regulation only decreases, with only 1% of adverse effects being correctly reported and categorized to allow for proper review by the US Food and Drug Association (FDA).

>Current medical usage
While medical doctors are incredibly knowledgeable about pharmaceutical medications, they are often less up-to-date on dietary supplement research, largely in part because this research tends to be inconclusive or poorly designed. This can result in clinicians ignoring vitamin/mineral supplements altogether. However, this can lead to a host of problems, including ignorance of patient hypertoxicity, supplement-and-medication interactions, and issues resulting from unknowingly spiked supplement pills. Therefore, it is imperative that current and future health professionals “acknowledge patient use of these products and … recognize their potential to either help or harm patients”. It is recommended that clinicians keep up to date with recent literature regarding dietary supplements and always discuss usage patterns with patients.