06.01.07
A new study commissioned by the Dietary Supplement Education Alliance (DSEA) shows that over the next five years, appropriate use of select dietary supplements would improve the health of key populations and save the nation more than $24 billion in healthcare costs. The study updated research conducted by The Lewin Group in 2004 and 2005 that included a systematic literature review of the most rigorous scientific research available. Key study findings include: appropriate use of calcium with vitamin D for the Medicare population shows potential avoidance of approximately 776,000 hospitalizations for hip fractures over five years, as well as avoidance of stays in skilled nursing facilities for some proportion of patients; if just 11.3 million of the 44 million American women who are of childbearing age and not taking folic acid began taking 400 mcg of folic acid on a daily basis, neural tube defects could be prevented in 600 babies, saving as much as $344,700,000 in the first year; the estimate of the potential five-year savings in healthcare expenditures resulting from a reduction in the occurrence of coronary heart disease (CHD) among the population over age 65 through daily intake of approximately 1800 mg of omega 3 is $3.2 billion; and through daily intake of 6-10 mg of lutein with zeaxanthin, it is estimated that $3.6 billion could be saved over five years by helping people with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) avoid dependency.