April 12, 2008

Can Dietary Supplements Save You Money?

It’s cheap, painless—and can reduce this country’s healthcare spending by $24 billion over five years.What am I talking about?It’s not the latest medical invention or drug.Nope, it’s supplements.According to exciting research from the Lewin Group, spending just a few cents a day on some key nutritional supplements can significantly decrease chronic illness—as well as healthcare costs.Using strict criteria, the Lewin Group analyzed scientific studies on nutritional supplements, then used our government’s own accounting techniques to determine their economic impact.They looked only at Medicare recipients and women of childbearing age, and only at supplements that have been proven to help beyond any scientific doubt:1. Calcium and vitamin D for osteoporosis2. Folic acid for prevention of birth defects3. Omega-3 fatty acids for heart disease4. Lutein and zeaxanthin for prevention of major age-related blindness, or macular degenerationLet’s start with calcium and vitamin D.First, the Lewin Group study used older research. Newer studies suggest that higher doses of vitamin D3 (1,000 to 2,000 IU daily), may be even more helpful.But even with that older data, the researchers found that giving older people 1,200 mg of calcium and 400 IU of vitamin D a day would decrease bone loss and hip fractures. They estimated […]

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