Supplement users 'more likely to be well-nourished'
People who take nutritional supplements are more likely to have the necessary quantities of vitamins and minerals than those who do not, research has shown.
Researchers at the US Department of Agriculture in Beltsville, Maryland analysed data on 4,384 men and women aged 51 or above.
Approximately 40 per cent of the people claimed to take daily supplements and the researchers found that a substantial proportion did not get enough vitamins and minerals from their diet.
Rhonda Sebastian, a member of the US Department of Agriculture, said: "These widespread inadequacies should be considered when developing recommendations for supplement use for clients in this age group," Reuters news agency reports.
In contrast, 80 per cent of supplement users got enough vitamin A, B6, B12, C and E from a combination of diet and supplements, as well as sufficient levels of folate, iron and zinc.
The researchers, who have published their findings in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, noted that those consumers who took supplements tended to be the same ones who took more care over the content of their daily diet.
People who take nutritional supplements are more likely to have the necessary quantities of vitamins and minerals than those who do not, research has shown.
