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Previous Volume 345:1819-1824 December 20, 2001 Number 25 Next

	Since this article has no abstract, we have provided an extract of the first 100 words of the full text and any section headings.

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This Journal feature begins with a case vignette highlighting a common clinical problem. Evidence supporting various strategies is then presented, followed by a review of formal guidelines, when they exist. The article ends with the authors' clinical recommendations.

A healthy 54-year-old, nonsmoking, omnivorous woman presenting for a routine examination asks about vitamin supplements. She expresses confusion about conflicting reports and recommendations. She currently uses no supplements.

The Clinical Problem

Medical teaching has been that, in generally healthy persons, nutritional needs can be readily met by diet alone. However, recent evidence shows that the use of folic acid supplements in early pregnancy can dramatically . . . [Full Text of this Article]

Strategies and Evidence

Folic Acid

Vitamin B₆

Vitamin B₁₂

Vitamin D

Vitamin A

Multivitamin Preparations

Vitamin E Supplements

Vitamin C Supplements

Areas of Uncertainty

Guidelines

Conclusions and Recommendations

Source Information

From the Departments of Nutrition and Epidemiology, Harvard School of Public Health, and the Channing Laboratory, Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women's Hospital — all in Boston.

Address reprint requests to Dr. Willett at the Department of Nutrition, Harvard School of Public Health, 655 Huntington Ave., Boston, MA 02115.

References

Related Letters:

What Vitamins Should I Be Taking?
Blackman B. T., Opie L. H., Tulchinsky T.H., Nizan-Kaluski D., Willett W. C., Stampfer M. J.
Extract | Full Text | PDF  
N Engl J Med 2002; 346:1914-1916, Jun 13, 2002. Correspondence

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