Washington, D.C., July 10, 2018—In response to a new meta-analysis, “Association of Multivitamin and Mineral Supplementation and Risk of Cardiovascular Disease,” published online July 10 in Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes, the Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN), the leading trade association for the dietary supplement and functional food industry, issued the following statement:
Statement by Duffy MacKay, N.D., senior vice president, scientific & regulatory affairs, CRN:
“The multivitamin, the most widely-used dietary supplement, has a critical place in promoting and preserving good health, and the findings of this new meta-analysis do not discount the multivitamin’s many benefits. 73 percent of Americans take a multivitamin as part of a healthy lifestyle. Government research has repeatedly demonstrated serious nutrient shortfalls among the U.S. population—a majority of Americans fail to achieve recommended levels of essential nutrients through food alone, and this ‘hidden hunger’ is especially prevalent among low-income Americans. A daily multivitamin is an affordable and convenient way to combat insufficient nutrient levels among all economic classes—for less than a dime a day, consumers can assure they are getting the recommended levels of nutrients essential to everyday life, activity, and body function.
CRN stresses that multivitamins fill nutrient gaps in our less-than-perfect diets and support a host of other physiological functions, but they are not intended to serve as magic bullets for the prevention of serious diseases. Cardiovascular disease in particular is multifactorial; it has many contributing causes, and a cardiovascular disease diagnosis should lead to comprehensive treatment. Consumers need to pursue a lifetime of many healthy habits to maintain a healthy heart. We encourage consumers with, or at risk of, cardiovascular disease to consult their healthcare practitioners about their dietary supplement use as well as their diets and daily activity levels.”
Note to Editor: The Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN), founded in 1973, is a Washington, D.C.-based trade association representing 150+ dietary supplement and functional food manufacturers, ingredient suppliers, and companies providing services to those manufacturers and suppliers. In addition to complying with a host of federal and state regulations governing dietary supplements and food in the areas of manufacturing, marketing, quality control and safety, our manufacturer and supplier members also agree to adhere to additional voluntary guidelines as well as to CRN’s Code of Ethics. Visit www.crnusa.org. Follow us on Twitter @CRN_Supplements and LinkedIn.