CHFA on multivitamins
This article was originally published in The Tan Sheet
Executive Summary
The Canadian Health Food Association is using a recently published meta-analysis of multivitamin use and the prevention of birth defects to promote multivitamin compliance as a way to reduce healthcare costs, according to a Sept. 1 release from the trade group. "Research continues to show that multivitamins are a simple, cost-effective way to support improved immune function and help prevent chronic disease," CHFA President Valerie Bell says in the release. The study in the August Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology of Canada finds use of folic-acid containing prenatal multivitamins was associated with a decreased risk for several congenital anomalies, not only neural tube defects, according to Y. Ingrid Goh, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toronto, Canada, et al. The authors suggest reconsidering the current approach of recommending only folic acid in light of their research. In May, a panel convened by NIH determined current data was "insufficient" to make a conclusive recommendation for or against the use of multivitamins in the prevention of chronic diseases (1"The Tan Sheet" May 22, 2006, p. 6)...
The Canadian Health Food Association is using a recently published meta-analysis of multivitamin use and the prevention of birth defects to promote multivitamin compliance as a way to reduce healthcare costs, according to a Sept. 1 release from the trade group. "Research continues to show that multivitamins are a simple, cost-effective way to support improved immune function and help prevent chronic disease," CHFA President Valerie Bell says in the release. The study in the August Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology of Canada finds use of folic-acid containing prenatal multivitamins was associated with a decreased risk for several congenital anomalies, not only neural tube defects, according to Y. Ingrid Goh, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toronto, Canada, et al. The authors suggest reconsidering the current approach of recommending only folic acid in light of their research. In May, a panel convened by NIH determined current data was "insufficient" to make a conclusive recommendation for or against the use of multivitamins in the prevention of chronic diseases (1 (Also see "More Multivitamin Research Needed To Show Disease Prevention – NIH Panel" - Pink Sheet, 22 May, 2006.) p. 6).... |