status report - Office of Dietary Supplements - National Institutes of ...

• Morgan, S.L., Baggott, J.E. and Alarcon, G.S. (1997) Methotrexate in rheumatoid arthritis.
Folate supplementation should always be given. BioDrugs 8(3):164–175.
• Morgan, S.L., Baggott, J.E., Lee J.Y. and Alarcon, G.S. (1997) Folic acid prevents elevated
homocysteine (hcy) levels during methotrexate (MTX) therapy. Arthritis Rheum. 40:S53.
Vanadium Salts and Carbohydrate Metabolism, A Scientific Study
The ODS and the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases are
co-sponsoring a project at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine to study dose-response
patterns of vanadium, a trace element found in a number of spices and health food supplements.
Vanadium has been shown to mimic the action of insulin and has been used to treat
hyperglycemia in animals with diabetes. This study will obtain dose-response data in order to
assess the toxicity and safety of vanadium use in humans. Starting date: 1996.
Publications from this study:
• Aharon, Y., Mevorach, M., Rossetti, L. and Shamoon, H. (1998) Vanadyl sulfate does not
enhance insulin action in patients with type I diabetes. Diabetes Care 21:2194-2195.
• Aharon, Y., Mevorach, M. and Shamoon, H. (1997) Vanadyl sulfate does not enhance insulin
action in patients with IDDM. Diabetes 46(suppl 2):95A.
• Cohen, N., Halberstam, M., Shlimovich, P., Chang, C.J., Rossetti, L. and Shamoon, H.
(1996) Oral vanadyl sulfate improves hepatic and peripheral insulin sensitivity in NIDDM
but not in obese nondiabetic subjects. Diabetes 45:659–66.
PAST ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
Lutein and Zeaxanthin: Safety and Procedural Issues for Supplementation in Relation to the
Development of Macular Degeneration, A Workshop
The ODS co-sponsored a workshop initiated by the National Eye Institute that focused on
two carotenoids, lutein and zeaxanthin, that have a potential role in preventing and treating eye
diseases. Some of the topics that were evaluated were expected mechanisms of action, safe
dosage levels, and potential interactions with vitamins, minerals, and drugs. A major goal of the
workshop was to identify new directions for research. Workshop held: February 10, 1998,
Bethesda, MD.
Goal 5: Inform and educate scientists, health care providers and the public about the
benefits and risks of dietary supplements.
ACTIVITIES IN PROGRESS:
International Bibliographic Information on Dietary Supplements (IBIDS), A Database
The ODS completed a database to address the DSHEA mandate to "collect and compile
the results of scientific research relating to dietary supplements.” The purpose of the
International Bibliographic Information on Dietary Supplements (IBIDS) is to assist both
researchers and the general public in locating scientific literature on dietary supplements. IBIDS
contains published, international, scientific literature on dietary supplements from multiple
medical and scientific databases from 1985 to the present. Monographs, serials, reports, and
literature from the previous decade will be added to IBIDS during a second phase of
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