[How to answer my patients' questions regarding dietary supplements?]

Area of Science:

• Nutrition Science
• Public Health
• Evidence-Based Medicine

Background:

• Dietary supplements (DS) are widely used by nearly a third of the Swiss population.
• DS are marketed to complement diets with vitamins, minerals, and other substances.
• DS can be sold without rigorous proof of efficacy or clinical safety.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review scientific evidence on the health benefits of DS.
• To assess DS impact on cardiovascular diseases, cancer, mortality, immunity, and performance.
• To inform recommendations on the routine use of DS in healthy adults.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review of scientific literature.
• Analysis of evidence regarding DS efficacy and safety.
• Evaluation of studies on specific health outcomes.

Main Results:

• Scientific evidence for health benefits of DS is often mixed.
• Benefits of DS for cardiovascular health, cancer, and immunity appear limited.
• No significant advantages were found for physical or cognitive performance.

Conclusions:

• The health benefits of dietary supplements are minimal to nonexistent for healthy adults.
• Routine supplementation is not supported by current scientific evidence.
• Further research may be needed, but current data do not support widespread use.