Table 4 Serum nutrient and biomarker concentrations of a sample of long-term users of multiple dietary supplements (Multiple Supp), and of multivitaminmineral users (Single Supp) and non-users (No Supp) from NHANES 2001–2002 and NHANES III 1988–1994.

RBC folate (nmol/L)^‡

646.7 (8.9) a

891.1 (30.7) b

1153.4 (11.8) c

<0.001

Retinol (μg/dL)^†

59.2 (0.5) a

64.3 (0.7) b

65.0 (1.0) b

<0.001

Ascorbic acid (mg/dL)^†

0.66 (0.02) a

0.94 (0.02) b

1.62 (0.03) c

<0.001

Alpha tocopherol (mg/dL)^†

1.1 (0.01) a

1.4 (0.02) b

2.9 (0.06) c

<0.001

Alpha carotene (μg/dL)^†

4.5 (0.1) a

5.9 (0.2) b

27.5 (1.3) c

<0.001

Beta carotene (μg/dL)^†

18.5 (0.3) a

27.0 (1.2) b

62.7 (2.8) c

<0.001

Ferritin (μg/L)^‡ Male

198.2 (6.1) a

205.2 (12.6) a

117.6 (5.9) b

<0.001

Ferritin (μg/L)^‡ Female

101.7 (7.1) a

74.9 (8.4) b

117.4 (3.3) c

<0.001

25-hydroxyvitamin D (nmol/L)

131.4 (45.3)^§

Homocysteine (μmol/L)^‡

9.6 (0.2) a

9.1 (0.5) a

6.1 (0.3) b

<0.001

C-reactive protein (mg/dL)^‡

0.46 (0.04) a

0.32 (0.03) b

0.19(0.03) c

<0.01

Total cholesterol (mg/dL)^‡

211.5 (2.9) a

212.1 (3.6) a

203.1 (2.7) b

<0.05

LDL-cholesterol (mg/dL)^‡

125.1 (2.8)

129.5 (4.2)

122.1 (2.6)

NS (>0.05)

HDL-cholesterol (mg/dL)^‡

50.9(0.5) a

53.3 (1.4) a

57.5 (1.1) b

<0.001

Ratio total-cholesterol to HDL-cholesterol^‡

4.5 (0.07) a

4.3 (0.13) a

4.0 (0.09) b

<0.001

Triglycerides (mg/dL)^‡

180.1 (16.7) a

145.3 (9.4) a

121.0 (6.8) b

< 0.01