Dietary Supplement Ingredient Database (DSID) and the Application of Analytically Based Estimates of Ingredient Amount to Intake Calculations

Authors: ANDREWS, KAREN - University Of Maryland; GUSEV, PAVEL - University Of Maryland; MCNEAL, MALIKAH - University Of Maryland; SAVARALA, SUSHMA - University Of Maryland; DANG, PHUONG-TAN - University Of Maryland; OH, LAURA - University Of Maryland; ATKINSON, RENATA - University Of Maryland; Pehrsson, Pamela; DWYER, JOHANNA - National Institutes Of Health (NIH); SALDANHA, LEILA - National Institutes Of Health (NIH); BETZ, JOSEPH - National Institutes Of Health (NIH); COSTELLO, REBECCA - National Institutes Of Health (NIH); DOUGLASS, LARRY - Consultant

Submitted to: Journal of Nutrition
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/19/2018
Publication Date: 8/3/2018
Citation: Andrews, K.W., Gusev, P.A., Mcneal, M., Savarala, S., Dang, P., Oh, L., Atkinson, R., Pehrsson, P.R., Dwyer, J.T., Saldanha, L.G., Betz, J.M., Costello, R., Douglass, L.W. 2018. Dietary Supplement Ingredient Database (DSID) and the Application of Analytically Based Estimates of Ingredient Amount to Intake Calculations. Journal of Nutrition. https://doi.org/10/1093.jn/nxy092.

Interpretive Summary: In this manuscript, we describe the purpose of the Dietary Supplement Ingredient Database (DSID), the statistical methodology underlying online calculators of analytically verified supplement content estimates, and the application and significance of DSID label adjustments in nutritional epidemiology. During dietary supplement (DS) manufacturing, many ingredients are added at higher than declared label amounts, but overages are not standardized among manufacturers. As a result, researchers may underestimate nutrient intakes from DS. The DSID provides statistical tools based on the results of chemical analysis to convert label claims into analytically predicted ingredient amounts. These adjustments to labels are linked to DS products reported in NHANES We illustrate the differences between analytically based estimates and labeled content for vitamin D, calcium, iodine, caffeine and omega-3 fatty acids and their potential impact on the accuracy of intake assessments in large surveys. Analytical overages >20% of label levels are predicted for several nutrients in 50-99% of multivitamin/mineral products (MVM) reported in NHANES: for iodine and selenium in adult MVM; for iodine, vitamins D and E in children’s MVM, and for iodine, chromium and potassium in non-prescription prenatal MVM. Predicted 10-20% overages for calcium can be applied to most MVM products and >10% overages for folic acid in the vast majority of adult and children’s MVM. Tables summarizing the numbers of NHANES DS products with ingredient overages and below label content illustrate the importance of DSID adjustments to labels for accurate intake calculations. In conclusion, we estimate that the majority of MVM products reported in NHANES have significant overages for several ingredients. It is important to account for non-labeled additional nutrient exposure from DS to better evaluate nutritional status in the United States.

Technical Abstract: In this manuscript, we describe the purpose of the Dietary Supplement Ingredient Database (DSID), the statistical methodology underlying online calculators of analytically verified supplement content estimates, and the application and significance of DSID label adjustments in nutritional epidemiology. During dietary supplement (DS) manufacturing, many ingredients are added at higher than declared label amounts, but overages are not standardized among manufacturers. As a result, researchers may underestimate nutrient intakes from DS. The DSID provides statistical tools based on the results of chemical analysis to convert label claims into analytically predicted ingredient amounts. These adjustments to labels are linked to DS products reported in NHANES We illustrate the differences between analytically based estimates and labeled content for vitamin D, calcium, iodine, caffeine and omega-3 fatty acids and their potential impact on the accuracy of intake assessments in large surveys. Analytical overages >20% of label levels are predicted for several nutrients in 50-99% of multivitamin/mineral products (MVM) reported in NHANES: for iodine and selenium in adult MVM; for iodine, vitamins D and E in children’s MVM, and for iodine, chromium and potassium in non-prescription prenatal MVM. Predicted 10-20% overages for calcium can be applied to most MVM products and >10% overages for folic acid in the vast majority of adult and children’s MVM. Tables summarizing the numbers of NHANES DS products with ingredient overages and below label content illustrate the importance of DSID adjustments to labels for accurate intake calculations. In conclusion, we estimate that the majority of MVM products reported in NHANES have significant overages for several ingredients. It is important to account for non-labeled additional nutrient exposure from DS to better evaluate nutritional status in the United States.