Many studies are reported in the news that have lots of hype, make grand, conclusive statements, and have substantial flaws. It is up to us to determine what we should believe by looking at the details and validity.

Some of the information that was incomplete in the study, “Dietary Supplements and Mortality Rate in Older Women” include

• study participants were not asked how much of any specific vitamin or supplement was consumed, the form of the supplement, or the quality of the supplement consumed.
• there was no verification of the accuracy of answers provided by the women in the study
• none of the women were asked why they were taking specific supplements
• no causative analysis was done on the cause of death of the women participants

Steve Mister, president and CEO of the Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN) had advice for people when it comes to examining this study:

“Consumers continue to look for the best way to live long and healthy lives, and as much as we would like for science to give us answers, the fact is that science is not black and white. But even more concerning is the recent drive to combine political agendas with what should be pure science.”

It is in your best interest to avoid the news hype surrounding these studies, and determine for yourself the validity of the research. Make an appointment with me to help you simplify the findings into accessible information that we can use to determine the best wellness approach for you.

You might have heard an alarming news report last month: “Dietary Supplements and Mortality Rate in Older Women,” a study published in the American Medical Association’s Archives of Internal Medicine, concluded that multivitamins and some dietary supplements may have an adverse effect on life expectancy in older women.

News like this would be alarming to anyone, particularly because so many of us regularly take multivitamins and dietary supplements to help prevent disease and maintain wellness. Before we believe everything we hear on the news, it’s important to examine the facts, avoid the hype and frenzy of such stories, and examine the details with a trusted professional like myself to determine the validity of sweeping statements.

Let’s first examine the study: it is an analysis of data retrieved from 38,772 postmenopausal Caucasian women whose average age was 62. The women filled out 3 surveys over a period of 19 years, first in 1986, then in 1997 and 2004. In the surveys, the women were asked questions about lifestyle, diet, supplement use, weight, smoking, hormone replacement therapy, and whether or not the women had diabetes or heart disease.

Many research scientists and health professionals believe the study is seriously flawed in methodology, analysis, and conclusions that are made. Possibly the only conclusion that can be securely stated is that there is a slight statistical association based on a limited set of data, and a simple association does not reflect causation. Even the authors of the study state, “it is not advisable to make a causal statement of excessive risk based on these observational data…” We must take this into account while determining our own conclusions.

Next week: learn more about the flaws of this study, and find out how you can read between the lines to make your own decisions.