Dietary Supplements Can Save the U.S. Billions on CHD-Related Hospitalization Spending, Article Says

A new article published in the Journal of Dietary Supplements states that use of certain dietary supplements can help cut U.S. hospitalization costs related to coronary heart disease (CHD).

The article authors specifically analyzed the benefits to be seen if those at high risk of CHD-that is, U.S. adults over the age of 55 with CHD-take supplements at preventive levels. The authors estimate that if this high-risk group were to take omega-3 dietary supplements at preventive levels, it could save the U.S. economy as much as $2.06 billion in CHD-related hospitalization costs on average between 2013 and 2020. Meanwhile, if patients take preventive levels of B vitamins, such as folic acid, B6, and B12, the U.S. could save as much as $1.52 billion annually between 2013 and 2020.

According to the Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN; Washington, DC), data from the U.S. Medical Expenditure Panel Survey from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality show that costs for this high-risk CHD group for hospitalization and other treatment (not prevention) methods were $64 billion in 2012. With this scenario in mind, the Journal of Dietary Supplements authors recommend dietary supplements “as a means to help control rising societal healthcare costs.”

Based on data from Frost & Sullivan’s report, “Smart Prevention-Health Care Cost Savings Resulting from the Targeted Use of Dietary Supplements,” over this past year CRN has released data on a number of ways in which the use of dietary supplements can save healthcare costs. Read some of those below:

Overall Cost-Savings

Omega-3 and CHD

Lutein/Zeaxanthin and Eye Health

Jennifer Grebow
Editor-in-Chief
Nutritional Outlook magazine jennifer.grebow@ubm.com

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