Taking your daily multivitamins and supplements is taking on new meaning in today’s economy. According to Information Resources, Inc., a market research firm in Chicago, sales of vitamins rose nearly 8% during the last 3 months of 2008 compared with the same period in 2007. Some researchers speculate that as people lose their health insurance or deductibles increase, they are turning to more preventative or self-treatment options. Part of many daily regimens already include vitamins, herbs, supplements, and minerals but they take on new significance when people see them as an affordable option to unaffordable traditional treatments. For a healthy diet are fish oil capsules for example, more economical than buying fresh fish every day? Will echinacea and zinc (long touted as treatment for colds) replace OTC drugs? Need to tame heartburn? Is Aloe Vera juice as effective a soother as regular antacids?
A study prepared by Packaged Facts, A division of Market Research Group, LLC using data sets from Information Resources, Inc. examines the entire industry and finds it is “…poised for healthy growth, with sales forecast to climb 39% from 2007 to 2012 to reach $8.5 billion, following a major rebound in 2006-2007. “
But before you run out and stock up on everything from A to Z, you need to make sure you are informed about the pros and cons of nutritional supplements and how they can interact with prescribed medicines and other supplements. Nutritional supplements can be gender, disease, or even age specific. Sometimes referred to as “alternative therapies”, nutritional supplements and vitamins can be researched in authoritative resources in print and online. Several titles are available through the Capital Area District Library including: PDR* for nutritional supplements (*Physician’s Desk Reference), Desk reference to nature’s medicine, and Gale encyclopedia of alternative medicine. Online is the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine which is part of the National Institutes of Health.
Disclaimer: The above material is intended for informational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical diagnosis and advice.
