Intake of selected nutritional supplements by African-American men.
OBJECTIVE
To measure the self-reported intake of vitamins, selenium, vitamin E, and saw palmetto supplements in African-American men.


METHODS
A correlational study was conducted of 198 African-American men, aged 40 to 70 years old, who attended a community-based free prostate cancer educational and screening program. The rates of supplement use were compared among demographic groups.


RESULTS
Just more than one half of the men (51%) took one or more of the supplements. Almost one half (46%) took multivitamin supplements. About 34% took vitamin E supplements, 6% took selenium supplements, and 7% took saw palmetto. Higher income men were more likely to take nutritional supplements. No statistically significant associations were found between supplement use and age, education, or marital status. Almost all use of selenium, vitamin E, and saw palmetto was among men who were already taking a multivitamin supplement.


CONCLUSIONS
The implications from the results of this study include the need to conduct an assessment of supplement intake as part of the health history.
Weinrich
Sally P
SP
School of Nursing, University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky 40292 , USA.
Hudson Priest
Julie
J
Moyad
Mark A
MA
Weinrich
Martin C
MC
D000328:Adult; D044383:Black People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000529:Complementary Therapies / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D019587:Dietary Supplements / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010936:Plant Extracts; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control; D012643:Selenium; D028024:Serenoa; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014815:Vitamins; D001741:Black or African American
D010936:Plant Extracts; D014815:Vitamins; D012643:Selenium; C040972:saw palmetto extract