EFFECTS OF A DIETARY SUPPLEMENT ON THE INCIDENCE OF ACUTE RESPIRATORY INFECTIONS IN SUSCEPTIBLE ADULTS: A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL.
BACKGROUND
although supplementation of specific micronutrients may improve immunologic factors, few studies about the combination of micronutrients with plant extracts on the occurrence of acute respiratory infections (ARI) have been published.


OBJECTIVE
to assess the effect of a nutritional supplement with micronutrients and plant extracts on the incidence of ARI in susceptible adults between January and April, 2012.


METHODS
a randomized, double-blind, parallel, placebo- controlled clinical trial was performed. Participants were adults susceptible to ARI who were healthy at the time of evaluation, signed informed consent forms and were not taking medication. They completed a medical history; weight, height, vital signs and laboratory analyses were assessed. Subjects were randomly assigned for consumption of the supplement or a placebo, for a 90 days period. Subjects made daily diary entries indicating the presence ARI symptoms. Those who became ill notified researchers and the attending physician confirmed the presence of an infection. Fisher's exact test was used to compare the proportion of ill subjects between groups. Relative risk and risk difference were also calculated (p < 0.05 significant).


RESULTS
of 59 included subjects, 45 (25 women) completed the study (21 in the supplemented group and 24 in the placebo group). There were no significant differences at baseline between groups. After the intervention, the supplemented group had a lower incidence of ARI compared with the placebo group (57.1% vs. 91.7%, p = 0.013, RR = 0.62, 95%CI 0.42, 0.92).


CONCLUSIONS
the consumption of a supplement with vitamins, minerals and plant extracts may decrease the incidence of ARI in susceptible adults.
Departamento de Nutrición. Omnilife. Guadalajara, Jalisco. Cuerpo Académico (CA) 454 "Alimentación y Nutrición en el Proceso Salud-Enfermedad". Laboratorio de Evaluación del Estado Nutricio. Departamento de Reproducción Humana, Crecimiento y Desarrollo Infantil. División de Disciplinas Clínicas. Centro Universitario de Ciencias de la Salud (CUCS). Universidad de Guadalajara (UdG). Guadalajara, Jalisco.. maria.bernal@omnilife.com.
María Fernanda
MF
Bernal-Orozco
Departamento de Nutrición. Omnilife. Guadalajara, Jalisco.. maria.bernal@omnilife.com.
Margarita
M
Posada-Falomir
Dirección Médica y de Nutrición. Omnilife. Guadalajara, Jalisco.. maria.bernal@omnilife.com.
Rafael
R
Ortega-Orozco
Departamento de Salud Ocupacional. Omnilife. Guadalajara, Jalisco (México).. maria.bernal@omnilife.com.
Elvia Elaonor
EE
Silva-Villanueva
Cuerpo Académico (CA) 454 "Alimentación y Nutrición en el Proceso Salud-Enfermedad". Laboratorio de Evaluación del Estado Nutricio. Departamento de Reproducción Humana, Crecimiento y Desarrollo Infantil. División de Disciplinas Clínicas. Centro Universitario de Ciencias de la Salud (CUCS). Universidad de Guadalajara (UdG). Guadalajara, Jalisco.. maria.bernal@omnilife.com.
Gabriela
G
Macedo-Ojeda
Cuerpo Académico (CA) 454 "Alimentación y Nutrición en el Proceso Salud-Enfermedad". Laboratorio de Evaluación del Estado Nutricio. Departamento de Reproducción Humana, Crecimiento y Desarrollo Infantil. División de Disciplinas Clínicas. Centro Universitario de Ciencias de la Salud (CUCS). Universidad de Guadalajara (UdG). Guadalajara, Jalisco.. maria.bernal@omnilife.com.
Yolanda Fabiola
YF
Márquez-Sandoval
Cuerpo Académico (CA) 454 "Alimentación y Nutrición en el Proceso Salud-Enfermedad". Laboratorio de Evaluación del Estado Nutricio. Departamento de Reproducción Humana, Crecimiento y Desarrollo Infantil. División de Disciplinas Clínicas. Centro Universitario de Ciencias de la Salud (CUCS). Universidad de Guadalajara (UdG). Guadalajara, Jalisco.. maria.bernal@omnilife.com.
Barbara
B
Vizmanos-Lamotte
D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers; D001837:Body Weights and Measures; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004198:Disease Susceptibility; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D009753:Nutritive Value; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D012307:Risk Factors; D055815:Young Adult
D015415:Biomarkers