(P17-007-25) Dietary Supplement Use Is Associated With Serum Nutrient Biomarkers Among Postmenopausal Women: Results From a Controlled Feeding Study

Objectives: The objectives of the study were to determine whether users of dietary supplements had higher serum concentrations of corresponding biomarkers and determine whether those using multiple sources of the nutrient as dietary supplements had incrementally higher serum nutrient concentrations.

Methods: Participants from the Women’s Health Initiative were enrolled in a 2-week controlled feeding study (n = 153) aimed at discovering robust and novel biomarkers of dietary intake. Women consumed an individualized menu of habitual diet and maintained intake of usual dietary supplements. Serum vitamin B12, lutein + zeaxanthin, and phospholipid fatty acids were measured at the end of the 2-week feeding period. Multiple linear regression of dietary supplement use, and participant characteristics on log-transformed serum biomarker concentrations was used to evaluate the association. One-way analysis of variance determined whether there were significant differences in mean serum biomarkers based on the number of sources of a nutrient consumed via dietary supplement.

Results: In multiple linear regression models (n = 152), users of any source of vitamin B12 from dietary supplements had geometric mean serum concentration of vitamin B12 that were 58% higher than non-users (p < 0.001). Users of fish or flaxseed oil had geometric mean serum phospholipid DHA+EPA that were 38-46% higher than non-users (p < 0.0001). Use of lutein + zeaxanthin containing dietary supplements was not associated with serum lutein + zeaxanthin (p = 0.72). Users of two sources of a vitamin B12 containing dietary supplement and two sources of a lutein + zeaxanthin containing dietary supplement had higher serum biomarkers than users of only a multivitamin containing vitamin B12 and lutein + zeaxanthin and users of neither (p < 0.0001 for both).

Conclusions: The use of vitamin B12 containing dietary supplements and omega-3 fatty acid containing dietary supplements was associated with higher serum biomarkers among postmenopausal women.

Funding Sources: Funded by NCI and NHLBI.