ARS | Publication request: Dietary Supplement Ingredient Database (DSID): Preliminary USDA studies on composition of adult multivitamin/mineral supplements

Submitted to: Journal of Food Composition and Analysis
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: July 13, 2007
Publication Date: August 3, 2007
Publisher's URL: http://doi:10.1016/j.fca.2007.07.009
Citation: Roseland, J.M., Holden, J.M., Andrews, K., Zhao, L., Schweitzer, A., Harnly, J.M., Wolf, W.R., Perry, C., Dwyer, J., Picciano, M., Betz, J., Saldanha, L., Yetley, E., Fisher, K., Sharpless, K. 2007. Dietary Supplement Ingredient Database (DSID): Preliminary USDA studies on composition of adult multivitamin/mineral supplements. Journal of Food Composition and Analysis. 21(1): S69-S77. Available: doi:10.1016/j.fca.2007.07.009.

Interpretive Summary: The Nutrient Data Laboratory (NDL), USDA, is collaborating with the Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS), the National Center for Health Statistics, and other government agencies to design and populate a Dietary Supplement Ingredient Database (DSID). Initially the DSID will be populated with multivitamin/mineral (MVM) products because they are the most commonly consumed supplements. Challenges associated with analysis of MVMs were investigated. These challenges included the identification of appropriate analytical methods, sample preparation protocols, and experienced laboratories; design of representative sampling strategies; identification of analytical priorities and categorization systems; and characterization of suitable reference materials. Pilot studies addressed many of these challenges with the analysis of 12 vitamins and 11 minerals in adult MVM supplement products. Statistical applications will be used to consider valid ways to apply the analytical results to make reasonable estimates of nutrient content for dietary supplements not analyzed. Reliable data on total nutrient intakes from supplements and foods are needed to evaluate the associations between dietary components and health. The data from this research will be available in the DSID, an analytically based, publicly available database, to provide better estimates of actual nutrient intake from supplements than databases that rely on label values alone.

Technical Abstract: The Nutrient Data Laboratory, USDA, is collaborating with the Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS), the National Center for Health Statistics, and other government agencies to design and populate a Dietary Supplement Ingredient Database (DSID). This analytically based, publicly available database will provide reliable estimates of vitamin and mineral content of dietary supplement products. Methods and Materials: The DSID will initially be populated with multivitamin/mineral (MVM) products because they are most commonly consumed supplements. Challenges associated with analysis of MVMs were identified and investigated. Results: Pilot studies addressed the identification of appropriate analytical methods, sample preparation protocols, and experienced laboratories for the analysis of 12 vitamins and 11 minerals in adult MVM supplement products was completed. Significance: Preliminary studies support the development of additional analytical studies that can be applied to the DSID. Total intakes from foods and supplements are needed to evaluate the associations between dietary components and health. The DSID will provide better estimates of actual nutrient intake from supplements than databases that rely on label values alone. Funding Disclosure: Interagency agreement ODS/NIH Y4-HV-0051.