To the Editor: Ms Graat and colleagues1 found that multivitamin supplements did not prevent acute respiratory tract infections in healthy elderly persons. The authors used a multivitamin and trace-element preparation that contained recommended daily allowances (RDAs) of vitamins but only 25% to 50% of the RDAs for minerals. The RDAs, however, are intended to prevent nutritional deficiency, and may be too low to produce further benefits.2 - 3 Other studies, using nutrients in amounts based on physiological dose-response curves and immune responses, have found beneficial effects.4 - 5
I believe that most older individuals would benefit from the regular use of a multivitamin and mineral supplement that is based on the evidence of dose-response curves rather than the theoretical RDAs.
Country-Specific Mortality and Growth Failure in Infancy and Yound Children and Association With Material Stature
Use interactive graphics and maps to view and sort country-specific infant and early dhildhood mortality and growth failure data and their association with maternal
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