--- title: "Use of dietary supplements among US adults with asthma. | Sutter Health" description: "Use of dietary supplements is popular in US adults with asthma, similar to the general adult population. Take this into account in clinical care and studies." url: "https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/dietary-supplements-adults-asthma-1055312968" --- 1. [Home](https://www.sutterhealth.org/) / 2. [Research](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research) / 3. [Research publications](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications) / 4. Use of dietary supplements among US adults with asthma. # Use of dietary supplements among US adults with asthma. Ma J & Xiao L. _Nutr Dietary Suppl. 2011(3):9—18._ 2011-01-12 ## Abstract Background: Little is known about dietary supplement use among people with asthma, especially on a national level. We examined the prevalence and type of supplement use and demographic and health-related characteristics of users among US adults with asthma. Methods: Data from the 2005–2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were analyzed. Asthma was defined by self-report of ever receiving a diagnosis and still having asthma currently. Dietary supplements were collected by direct inspection of products where possible (88% of the time), and were transcribed by trained nutritionists. Multivariate logistic procedure was performed to determine independent associations of supplement use with participant characteristics. Results: The prevalence of using a dietary supplement in the past month was similar between adults with asthma (50.2%, 8.6 million) and those without asthma (54%, 104.3 million). Among asthmatic adults, multivitamins/multiminerals (40.1%) were the most commonly used supplements, followed by vitamin B12 (23.3%), vitamin C (19.9%), calcium (15.2%), vitamin E (14.7), folic acid (12.7%), vitamin B6(11.2%), thiamin (10.8%), niacin (10.8%), B complex vitamins (10.4%), and riboflavin (10.3%). Asthma adults who were supplement users tended to be older (50.2 ± 19.2 versus 45.2 ± 18.0 years for supplement users versus nonusers, respectively, P = 0.009), white/Hispanic, women, and had excellent/very good self-reported health. Forty-three percent of supplement users took only one supplement. Middle-aged and older asthma adults were more likely to use multiple supplements concurrently. Conclusion: Use of dietary supplements is popular in US adults with asthma, similar to the general adult population. It is important to take supplement use into account in clinical care for asthma patients and in the design and analysis in epidemiological and intervention studies of nutrition and asthma. [PubMed abstract](http://tinyurl.com/oqq5owl) ## Research topics - [Asthma](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?query=%22%5C%22Asthma%5C%22%22) - [Disease Management](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?query=%22%5C%22Disease+Management%5C%22%22) - [Food and Nutrition](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?query=%22%5C%22Food+and+Nutrition%5C%22%22) ## Related publications [View all publications](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?verticalKey=research_publication) - Publication ### [DASH for asthma: a pilot study of the DASH diet in not-well-controlled adult asthma.](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/pilot-study-of-dash-diet-in-uncontrolled-asthma-1055312757) Ma J, Strub P, Lavori PW, Buist AS, Camargo CA Jr, Nadeau KC, Wilson SR, Xiao L. Contemp Clin Trials. 35(2):55-67. doi: 10.1016/j.cct.2013.04.008. Epub 2013 May 3. 2013 Jul 01 - Publication ### [Pilot randomised trial of a healthy eating behavioural intervention in uncontrolled asthma.](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/pilot-trial-healthy-eating-uncontrolled-asthma-1055312944) Ma J, Strub P, Lv N, Xiao L, Camargo CA Jr, Buist AS, Lavori PW, Wilson SR, Nadeau KC, Rosas LG. Eur Respir J. pii: ERJ-00591-2015. doi: 10.1183/13993003.00591-2015. \[Epub ahead of print\] 2015 Oct 22 - Publication ### [Acceptability and feasibility of the 'DASH for Asthma' intervention in a randomized controlled trial pilot study.](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/feasibility-dash-for-asthma-intervention-study-1055312344) Blonstein AC, Lv N, Camargo CA, Wilson SR, Buist AS, Rosas LG, Strub P, Ma J. Public Health Nutr. 2015 Dec 10:1-11. \[Epub ahead of print\] 2015 Dec 10 - Publication ### [Festival foods in the immigrant diet.](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/festival-foods-in-the-immigrant-diet-1055312568) Azar KM, Chen E, Holland AT, Palaniappan LP J Immigr Minor Health. 15(5):953-60. doi: 10.1007/s10903-012-9705-4 2013 Oct 15 - Publication ### [Dietary pattern and asthma: a systematic review and meta-analysis.](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/dietary-pattern-and-asthma-a-systematic-review-1055312669) Lv N, Xiao L, Ma J. J Asthma Allergy. 7:105-21. doi: 10.2147/JAA.S49960. eCollection 2014. 2014 Aug 12 [View all publications](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?verticalKey=research_publication) ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"MedicalOrganization","name":"Sutter Health","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/#medicalorganization","url":"https://www.sutterhealth.org","logo":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/static/images/sutter-health-logo.svg","address":{"@type":"PostalAddress","streetAddress":"2200 River Plaza Drive","addressLocality":"Sacramento","addressRegion":"CA","postalCode":"95833","addressCountry":"US"},"areaServed":{"@type":"AdministrativeArea","name":"California"},"sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/SutterHealth","https://www.instagram.com/sutterhealth/","https://x.com/SutterHealth","https://www.youtube.com/sutterhealth","https://www.linkedin.com/company/sutter-health","https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sutter_Health"]} ``` ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/dietary-supplements-adults-asthma-1055312968#breadcrumblist","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Research","item":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Research publications","item":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":4,"name":"Use of dietary supplements among US adults with asthma."}]} ``` ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"MedicalScholarlyArticle","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/dietary-supplements-adults-asthma-1055312968#medicalscholarlyarticle","name":"Use of dietary supplements among US adults with asthma.","headline":"Use of dietary supplements among US adults with asthma.","abstract":"Background: Little is known about dietary supplement use among people with asthma, especially on a national level. We examined the prevalence and type of supplement use and demographic and health-related characteristics of users among US adults with asthma. Methods: Data from the 2005–2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were analyzed. Asthma was defined by self-report of ever receiving a diagnosis and still having asthma currently. Dietary supplements were collected by direct inspection of products where possible (88% of the time), and were transcribed by trained nutritionists. Multivariate logistic procedure was performed to determine independent associations of supplement use with participant characteristics. Results: The prevalence of using a dietary supplement in the past month was similar between adults with asthma (50.2%, 8.6 million) and those without asthma (54%, 104.3 million). Among asthmatic adults, multivitamins/multiminerals (40.1%) were the most commonly used supplements, followed by vitamin B12 (23.3%), vitamin C (19.9%), calcium (15.2%), vitamin E (14.7), folic acid (12.7%), vitamin B6(11.2%), thiamin (10.8%), niacin (10.8%), B complex vitamins (10.4%), and riboflavin (10.3%). Asthma adults who were supplement users tended to be older (50.2 ± 19.2 versus 45.2 ± 18.0 years for supplement users versus nonusers, respectively, P = 0.009), white/Hispanic, women, and had excellent/very good self-reported health. Forty-three percent of supplement users took only one supplement. Middle-aged and older asthma adults were more likely to use multiple supplements concurrently. Conclusion: Use of dietary supplements is popular in US adults with asthma, similar to the general adult population. It is important to take supplement use into account in clinical care for asthma patients and in the design and analysis in epidemiological and intervention studies of nutrition and asthma.","description":"Use of dietary supplements is popular in US adults with asthma, similar to the general adult population. 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