Objective:
This study examined associations between multiple dietary supplement (DS) categories and medical conditions diagnosed by health professionals.
Design:
Cross-sectional.
Participants:
A stratified random sample of United States service members (SMs) from all military services (n=26,680).
Setting:
Volunteers completed an on-line questionnaire on DS use and demographic/lifestyle factors. Medical diagnoses were obtained from a comprehensive military electronic medical surveillance system and grouped into 24 clinically-diagnosed medical conditions (CDMCs).
Results:
After adjustment for demographic/lifestyle factors (logistic regression), higher risk was found for 92% (22/24) of CDMCs among individual vitamins/minerals users, 58% (14/24) of CDMCs among herbal users, 50% (12/24) of CDMCs among any DS users, and 46% (11/24) of CDMCs among multivitamins/multiminerals (MVM) users. Among protein/amino acid (AA) users, risk was lower in 25% (6/24) of CDMCs. For combination products, risk was higher in 13% (3/24) of CDMCs and lower in 8% (2/24). The greater the number of CDMCs, the higher the prevalence of DS use in most DS categories except proteins/AA where prevalence decreased.
Conclusions:
Users in many DS categories had a greater number of CDMCs, but protein/AA users had fewer CDMCs; results for combination products were mixed. These data indicate those with certain CDMCs were also users in some DS categories, especially individual vitamins/minerals, herbals, and MVM. Data are consistent with the use of DSs to enhance health, especially in those with CDMCs. Protein/AA and combination product users were more likely to be younger, more physically active men, factors that likely reduced CDMCs.