Announcements Archive

 

2024

2023

  • Dr. Stefan Pasiakos selected to lead NIH Office of Dietary Supplements
    June 1, 2023
    Dr. Robert Eisinger, Acting Director, NIH Division of Program Coordination, Planning, and Strategic Initiatives, announced the selection of Stefan M. Pasiakos, Ph.D., FACSM, as director of NIH’s Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS). Dr. Pasiakos is currently a Research Physiologist and Chief of the Military Performance Division at the United States Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine (USARIEM), where he leads a diverse research program and scientific team to develop evidence-based solutions to limit musculoskeletal injuries, accelerate return to duty, and optimize physical and behavioral performance in military training and operational environments. He will begin his new role as the ODS Director on July 16, 2023.

2022

  • NIH study confirms benefit of supplements for slowing age-related macular degeneration
    June 2, 2022
    The Age-Related Eye Disease Studies (AREDS and AREDS2) established that dietary supplements can slow progression of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the most common cause of blindness in older Americans. In a new report, scientists analyzed 10 years of AREDS2 data. They show that the AREDS2 formula, which substituted antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin for beta-carotene, not only reduces risk of lung cancer due to beta-carotene, but is also more effective at reducing risk of AMD progression, compared to the original formula. The study was funded by the National Eye Institute (NEI) Intramural program and through contracts supported by the NIH Office of Dietary Office of Dietary Supplements, the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, the National Institute on Aging, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, and the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.  A report on the study was published in JAMA Ophthalmology.

2020

  • Diet may help preserve cognitive function
    April 14, 2020
    According to a recent analysis of data from two major eye disease studies, adherence to the Mediterranean diet – high in vegetables, whole grains, fish, and olive oil – correlates with higher cognitive function. Researchers at the National Eye Institute (NEI), part of the National Institutes of Health, led the analysis of data from the Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS) and AREDS2. They published their results today in the Alzheimer’s and Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer's Association. The AREDS and AREDS2 studies were supported by the NEI Intramural Research Program and contracts NOI-EY-0-2127 (AREDS), HHS-N-260-2005-00007-C (AREDS2), and N01-EY-5-0007 (AREDS2). Additional research funds were provided by the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, the National Institute on Aging, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, and the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.

2019

  • NIH funding bolsters rare diseases research collaborations
    October 7, 2019
    The National Institutes of Health has awarded approximately $31 million in grants in fiscal year 2019 to 20 teams of scientists, clinicians, patients, families and patient advocates to study a wide range of rare diseases. An additional $7 million has been awarded to a separate data coordinating center to support these research efforts. The grants, which support consortia that together form the Rare Diseases Clinical Research Network (RDCRN), are aimed at fostering collaborative research among scientists to better understand how rare diseases progress and to develop improved approaches for diagnosis and treatment. This is the fourth five-year funding cycle for the RDCRN, which is supported by multiple NIH Institutes and Centers and led by NIH’s National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS) and the NCATS Office of Rare Diseases Research. In addition to NCATS, other NIH funding support comes from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, the National Institute of Mental Health and the Office of Dietary Supplements.
  • NIH-funded trial finds vitamin D does not prevent type 2 diabetes in people at high risk
    June 7, 2019
    Taking a daily vitamin D supplement does not prevent type 2 diabetes in adults at high risk, according to results from a study funded by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), part of the National Institutes of Health. The Vitamin D and Type 2 Diabetes (D2d) study enrolled 2,423 adults and was conducted at 22 sites across the United States.  These findings were published in the New England Journal of Medicine and presented at the 79th Scientific Sessions of the American Diabetes Association in San Francisco. 
  • The Human Microbiome Project expands the toolbox for studying host and microbiome interactions
    May 29, 2019
    Results from three long-term studies following host and microbiome characteristics during pregnancy and preterm birth, inflammatory bowel disease, and prediabetes have expanded our understanding of how humans and microbes interact and the resulting consequences for our health. The studies were funded as part of a second phase of the National Institutes of Health's Human Microbiome Project (HMP). Key findings, datasets and new techniques developed over the course of this phase were published in a series of research articles in the Nature family of journals.   

2018

  • Study links frequent red meat consumption to high levels of chemical associated with heart disease
    December 10, 2018

    Researchers have identified another reason to limit red meat consumption: high levels of a gut-generated chemical called trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO), that also is linked to heart disease. Scientists found that people who eat a diet rich in red meat have triple the TMAO levels of those who eat a diet rich in either white meat or mostly plant-based proteins, but discontinuation of red meat eventually lowers those TMAO levels. The study was supported by grants from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, the Office of Dietary Supplements, and the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. The study was also supported by UCSF Clinical and Translational Science Unit. 

  • Will supplements help your workout or diet routine? New resources from NIH cut the confusion on dietary supplements.
    January 24, 2018
    The new year is a time to set new goals, and for many people this means losing weight and improving fitness. Although these goals are best met with a nutritious diet and regular physical activity, many people may turn to dietary supplements for a boost to their routines. To help cut the confusion, the Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS) at the National Institutes of Health has two new resources to help people understand what is known about the effectiveness and safety of many ingredients in dietary supplements promoted for fitness and weight loss.

2015

  • NIH awards nearly $35 million to research botanical dietary supplements and other natural products through innovative research centers program
    September 9, 2015
    Five research centers will focus on the safety of natural products, on how they work within the body, and on the development of cutting-edge research technologies. The centers, jointly funded by the National Institutes of Health’s Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS) and the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), include three Botanical Dietary Supplements Research Centers and two Centers for Advancing Natural Products Innovation and Technology.
  • Study Shows No Benefit of Omega-3 Supplements for Cognitive Decline
    August 25, 2015
    While some research suggests that a diet high in omega-3 fatty acids from fish can protect brain health, a large clinical trial by researchers at the National Institutes of Health found that supplements of omega-3 fatty acids from fish oil did not slow cognitive decline in older persons. With 4,000 patients (average age 72 years) followed over a five-year period, the study is one of the largest and longest of its kind.
  • Nearly 1 in 7 Hispanic/Latino Adults Has Some Hearing Loss
    May 28, 2015
    In the largest study to date of hearing loss among Hispanic/Latino adults in the United States, researchers have found that nearly 1 in 7 has hearing loss, a number similar to the general population prevalence. NIH-funded research points to factors related to environment, cultural subgroup, and certain medical conditions.

2013

  • NIH Launches Dietary Supplement Label Database
    June 17, 2013
    Researchers, as well as health care providers and consumers, can now see the ingredients listed on the labels of about 17,000 dietary supplements by looking them up on a website. The Dietary Supplement Label Database, free of charge and hosted by the National Institutes of Health, is available at www.dsld.nlm.nih.gov.
  • NIH study provides clarity on supplements for protection against blinding eye disease
    May 6, 2013
    Adding omega-3 fatty acids did not improve a combination of nutritional supplements commonly recommended for treating age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a major cause of vision loss among older Americans, according to a study from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The plant-derived antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin also had no overall effect on AMD when added to the combination; however, they were safer than the related antioxidant beta-carotene, according to the study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

2011

  • CARDS Updated with NIH Data
    June 13, 2011
    The Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) is pleased to announce the completion of an update to the Computer Access to Research on Dietary Supplements (CARDS) database. This update added projects funded by the NIH during fiscal year 2009. CARDS now contains 10,653 records of federally funded research projects on dietary supplements.
  • NIH Study Addresses Concerns about High Folate Levels
    June 8, 2011
    Taking folic acid supplements or eating fortified grain products is unlikely to worsen problems related to low levels of vitamin B12, according to researchers at the National Institutes of Health and five other institutions in the United States, Ireland and Norway.

2010

  • New NIST Dietary Supplement Reference Materials could be 'Berry' Usefulexternal link disclaimer
    November 9, 2010
    Scientists at NIST, in collaboration with ODS and the FDA, have developed standard reference materials™ (SRMs) to help accurately measure organic acids in dietary supplements made with Vaccinium berries.
  • Botanical Research Centers Announced
    August 31, 2010
    Studies of the safety, effectiveness, and biological action of botanical products are major focuses for the five dietary supplement research centers selected to be jointly funded by the Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS) and the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM), two components of the National Institutes of Health. The NIH's National Cancer Institute is co-supporting two of the five centers.
  • National Institutes of Health-Sponsored Workshop Provides Guidelines for Soy Research
    May 20, 2010
    Participants in a workshop sponsored by the National Institutes of Health have developed guidelines on designing and evaluating clinical research studies investigating soy, representing the first guidelines of their kind in the field of soy research. The guidelines are published in the June 2010 issue of The Journal of Nutrition.
  • CARDS Updated with NIH Data
    March 5, 2010
    The Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) is pleased to announce the completion of an update to the Computer Access to Research on Dietary Supplements (CARDS) database. This update added projects funded by the NIH during fiscal year 2008. CARDS now contains 9852 records of federally funded research projects on dietary supplements.
  • Preventive Medicine 2010: Annual Meeting of American College of Preventive Medicine
    February 17–20, 2010
    ODS had an exhibit booth at this conference.

2009

  • CARDS Updated with USDA Data
    October 4, 2009
    The Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) is pleased to announce the completion of an update to the Computer Access to Research on Dietary Supplements (CARDS) database. This update added projects funded by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) during fiscal year 2007. CARDS now contains 9026 records of federally funded research projects on dietary supplements.
  • NIST Releases Vitamin D Standard Reference Materialexternal link disclaimer
    July 14, 2009
    Scientists at NIST, in collaboration with ODS, have developed a new reference sample for vitamin D in blood serum to help laboratories validate the accuracy of their test methods.
  • Letter to editor: The intention to treat principle, and the potential impact of excluding data from the analysis of clinical trial data.external link disclaimer
    June 1, 2009
    Christopher T. Sempos and Mary Frances Picciano. Letter to editor: The intention to treat principle, and the potential impact of excluding data from the analysis of clinical trial data. Journal of Nutrition 139(6):1204, June 2009.
  • Botanical Research Centers Program RFA
    April 30, 2009
    ODS and NCCAM plan to continue the Botanical Research Center Program for another five-year period with NCI's participation. The purpose of this program is to promote collaborative interdisciplinary study of botanicals, particularly those found as ingredients in dietary supplements.
  • Dietary Supplement Ingredient Database (DSID) Now Available
    April 20, 2009
    The Dietary Supplement Ingredient Database (DSID) will help researchers improve estimates of the U.S. population's total nutrient intakes. The database provides statistical estimates—based on chemical analysis—of the nutrient content of selected ingredients in dietary supplements, compared with label-reported ingredient levels.

2008

  • CARDS Updated with USDA Data
    November 21, 2008
    The Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) is pleased to announce the completion of an update to the Computer Access to Research on Dietary Supplements (CARDS) database. This update added projects funded by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) during fiscal year 2006. CARDS now contains 7760 records of federally funded research projects on dietary supplements.
  • Ginkgo Evaluation of Memory (GEM) Study Fails To Show Benefit in Preventing Dementia in the Elderly
    November 18, 2008
    The dietary supplement Ginkgo biloba was found to be ineffective in reducing the development of dementia and Alzheimer's disease in older people, according to a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. This research was co-funded by five components of the National Institutes of Health (NIH): National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM); National Institute on Aging (NIA); National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute; National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, and the Office of Dietary Supplements.
  • Key Gaps Remain in Understanding Health Effects of Vitamin D
    August 12, 2008
    An in-depth review of current research on the health effects of vitamin D is being published as the proceedings of the NIH conference, "Vitamin D and Health in the 21st Century: An Update", which will appear in an August 2008 supplement to the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
  • ODS/NLM Partner to Pilot Dietary Supplement Label Database (DSLD)
    August 1, 2008
    On August 1, 2008, the National Institutes of Health's Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS) and the National Library of Medicine (NLM), the world's largest medical library, announced the award of a contract to Abt Associates, Cambridge, MA, for a pilot study to determine the feasibility of developing a Web-based database to catalogue the labels of all dietary supplements sold in the United States.
  • Trainee Travel Award Announcement
    May 29, 2008
    Office of Dietary Supplements, National Institutes of Health, announces Trainee Travel Awards to attend the 2008 Rutgers University International Training Program on Natural Products August 11-15, 2008, at Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey
  • CARDS Updated with NIH and USDA Data
    January 14, 2008
    The Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) is pleased to announce the completion of an update to the Computer Access to Research on Dietary Supplements (CARDS) database. This update added projects funded by the Institutes and Centers of the NIH during fiscal year 2006, as well as projects funded by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) during fiscal year 2005. CARDS now contains 7509 records of federally funded research projects on dietary supplements.

2007

2006

  • CARDS Updated with NIH and USDA Data
    December 18, 2006
    The Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) is pleased to announce the completion of an update to the Computer Access to Research on Dietary Supplements (CARDS) database. This update added projects funded by the Institutes and Centers of the NIH during fiscal year 2005, as well as projects funded by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) during fiscal year 2003. CARDS now contains 5923 records of federally funded research projects on dietary supplements.
  • ODS Surveys Dietary Supplement Education at Nation's Academic Institutions
    October 6, 2006
    The Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) is conducting a survey on dietary supplement education in the nation’s academic institutions between October-December 2006. Its purpose is to learn the extent to which any significant, focused instruction on dietary supplements and their role in health and disease is being provided to graduate and health-professional students in departments or schools of nutrition, food science, medicine, nursing, dentistry, pharmacology and pharmacy, kinesiology and exercise science, and complementary and alternative medicine.
  • Significant Advances in Dietary Supplement Research Released in Annual Bibliography (2005)
    September 21, 2006
    The Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) announces the release of the 2005 issue of the Annual Bibliography of Significant Advances in Dietary Supplement Research. This seventh issue of the Bibliography includes abstracts of 25 noteworthy dietary supplement research papers published in 2005, as judged by an international team of reviewers.
  • Panel Urges More Multivitamin Research
    May 26, 2006
  • NIH Holds State-of-the-Science Conference on Multivitamin/Mineral Supplements for Chronic Disease Prevention, May 15-17, 2006
    May 4, 2006
    In observational studies, MVM use has been associated with better health outcomes but there are few data available from randomized trials to provide more definitive evidence. As more and more Americans seek strategies for maintaining good health and preventing disease, and as the marketplace offers an increasing number of products to fill that desire, it is important that consumers have the best possible information to inform their choices. Toward that end, this conference is expected to delineate gaps in current knowledge and to provide guidance about how NIH can help to fill those gaps.
  • CARDS Updated with USDA and DOD Data
    April 27, 2006
    The Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) is pleased to announce the completion of an update to the Computer Access to Research on Dietary Supplements (CARDS) database. This update added projects funded by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) during fiscal years 2001 and 2002, as well as projects funded by the Department of Defense (DOD) during fiscal years 1999-2004. Also added during this update were 7 records for NIH during fiscal years 2000-2002 to complete the dataset for these years. CARDS now contains 4585 records of federally funded research projects on dietary supplements.
  • CARDS Updated with Fiscal Year 2004 Data
    January 12, 2006
    The Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) is pleased to announce the completion of an update to the Computer Access to Research on Dietary Supplements (CARDS) database. This update added projects funded by the NIH during fiscal year 2004. CARDS now contains 4047 records of federally funded research projects on dietary supplements.

2005

  • Annual Bibliography of Significant Advances in Dietary Supplement Research 2004
    October 24, 2005
    The Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) announces the release of the sixth issue of the Annual Bibliography of Significant Advances in Dietary Supplement Research. This publication presents significant research in the dietary supplement field for the year 2004.
  • CARDS Updated with Fiscal Year 2003 Data
    April 7, 2005
    The Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) is pleased to announce the completion of an update to the Computer Access to Research on Dietary Supplements (CARDS) database. This update added projects funded by the NIH during fiscal year 2003. CARDS now contains 3084 records of federally funded research projects on dietary supplements.
  • ODS and NCCAM Co-Fund Five Botanical Research Centers
    April 7, 2005
  • CARDS Updated with USDA Data
    January 27, 2005
    The Office of Dietary Supplements at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) is pleased to announce the completion of an update to the Computer Access to Research on Dietary Supplements (CARDS) database. This update added projects funded by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) during fiscal years 1999 and 2000. CARDS now contains information on 2224 federally funded research projects on dietary supplements.

2004

  • Annual Bibliography of Significant Advances in Dietary Supplement Research 2003
    October 8, 2004
    The Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) announces the release of the fifth issue of the Annual Bibliography of Significant Advances in Dietary Supplement Research. This publication presents significant research in the dietary supplement field for the year 2003.
  • IBIDS Database Celebrates Five Years with a New Look and New Features
    August 18, 2004
    The NIH Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Nutrition Information Center (FNIC) at the National Agricultural Library are delighted to announce the "launch" of the new, improved, Web-accessible International Bibliographic Information on Dietary Supplements (IBIDS) Database today, Wednesday, August 18, 2004.
  • ODS Strategic Plan for 2004-2009 Now Available
    January 28, 2004
    ODS has released its five-year strategic plan entitled, "Promoting Quality Science in Dietary Supplement Research, Education and Communication: A Strategic Plan for the Office of Dietary Supplements 2004-2009."
  • Expanded "Mad Cow" Safeguards Announcedexternal link disclaimer
    January 24, 2004
    HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson announced several new public health measures, to be implemented by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), to strengthen significantly the multiple existing firewalls that protect Americans from exposure to the agent thought to cause bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE, also known as mad cow disease) and that help prevent the spread of BSE in U.S. cattle.
  • FDA Plans to Prohibit Sales of Ephedra
    January 5, 2004
    On December 30, 2003, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) notified manufacturers of the FDA's intent to publish a final rule on dietary supplements containing ephedrine alkaloids. The rule will have the effect of banning the sale of these dietary supplements when it becomes effective, 60 days following publication. In addition, FDA issued an alert to consumers advising them to stop using ephedra products immediately.

2003

2002

  • Historic Nutrition Information Resource On-line
    December 2, 2002
  • International Bibliographic Information on Dietary Supplements (IBIDS)— Database Updated Fall, 2002
    October 17, 2002
  • NIH Releases Annual Bibliography of Significant Advances in Dietary Supplement Research
    October 16, 2002
  • Thunder God Vine and Rheumatoid Arthritis
    October 1, 2002
    The roots of Thunder God Vine, a plant whose leaves and flowers are highly toxic, have been used medicinally in China for over 400 years. A root extract of this plant was shown to safely and effectively reduce pain and inflammation in a small group of people with treatment-resistant rheumatoid arthritis, according to a study funded by the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS).
  • International Bibliographic Information on Dietary Supplements (IBIDS)— Database Updated Summer, 2002
    July 15, 2002
  • NIH Funds Botanical Center in Iowa to Study Health Effects of Echinacea and St. John's Wort
    June 25, 2002
  • International Bibliographic Information on Dietary Supplements (IBIDS)— Database Updated Spring, 2002
    April 30, 2002

2001

2000

1999

  • NIH Appoints Dr. Paul M. Coates as Director of ODS
    October 26, 1999
  • International Bibliographic Information on Dietary Supplements (IBIDS)— Database Updated Fall 1999
    October 25, 1999
  • NIH Office of Dietary Supplements Announces Funding of Dietary Supplements Research Centers
    October 6, 1999
  • Summer 1999 Update to the International Bibliographic Information on Dietary Supplements (IBIDS)— Database
    July 7, 1999
  • Spring 1999 Update to the International Bibliographic Information on Dietary Supplements (IBIDS)— Database
    May 4, 1999

1998

1997

1996