The National Institutes of Health (NIH) recently held a State of the Science Conference on Multivitamin/Mineral (MVM) Supplements and Chronic Disease Prevention. As many of you are aware, the committee's position statement has received some attention in the media and has been subject to confusing and mixed interpretation. Shaklee would like to take this opportunity to clarify the conference findings and share with you the basic tenets of MVM use that have been a part of Shaklee's heritage since its inception.

Any recommendations by the panel that influence consumers to modify or reduce MVM usage would be a setback to consumer health. In fact, the Chairperson of the committee indicated during a press conference that if you are already taking a multivitamin, then you should continue taking it. Here are some points that support this position:

Multivitamin/Mineral Supplements are a safe, effective, and reliable means of filling nutrition gaps and ensuring adequate intake of a variety of nutrients-an affordable nutritional insurance policy.
According to the 2005 USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans, intakes of vitamins A, C and E, along with calcium and magnesium are especially low in the diets of Americans.
Generous intakes of antioxidant vitamins have been associated with reduced risk of some chronic diseases, in the same way that generous intakes of fruits and vegetables have been associated with similar health benefits.
The March of Dimes and the Centers for Disease Control encourage women of child-bearing age to take a multivitamin with folic acid daily as part of a healthy diet and a healthy lifestyle practice to reduce the risk of neural tube birth defects.
The Alpha Tocopherol, Beta Carotene Cancer Prevention Trial (ATBC) which suggested a protective effect of vitamin E in the prevention of colorectal and prostate cancer.
Studies showing selenium intake associated with protective effects on total mortality and incidence of lung, colorectal, and prostate cancers.
The Women's Health Initiative Study (WHI) which showed an increase in hip bone density and trend toward reduced hip fracture rate in those supplementing with calcium and vitamin D.
The Supplémentation en Vitamines et Minéraux Antioxydants Study (SUVIMAX) that documented a reduced cancer risks in subjects supplementing with vitamin C, vitamin E, beta carotene, selenium, and zinc.
The Age Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS) which showed a decrease in the risk of advanced age-related macular degeneration with supplementation of antioxidants and zinc.
A study of women taking Shaklee Vita-Lea showed a rate of bone density improvement that was 2 to 3 times greater than that found for subjects on a calcium/vitamin D supplement alone.
Another study of Vita-Lea that yielded significant increases within the normal range for serum vitamin B12, vitamin C, and folate suggesting that even those consuming dietitian designed meals might still benefit from MVM supplementation such as Vita-Lea.
We at Shaklee recognize the multivitamin is not a substitute for other healthy lifestyle choices like eating right, exercising regularly and visiting your doctor. But a multivitamin, used daily and consistently over the long-term, and combined with other smart lifestyle choices, will provide important benefits for optimal health.

The best advice is to eat your fruits and vegetables, take your vitamins, and try to adopt other healthy lifestyle habits that Shaklee has been promoting for 50 years. For decades we have promoted Vita-Lea as the foundation to your nutritional insurance program because the benefits of bridging nutritional gaps in the diet are indisputable.

Shaklee Health Sciences