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| |  Military Program Proposes Saving Money Through Vitamin Supplementation WASHINGTON, May 22, 1997 -- A new report by the National Defense Council Foundation finds that the federal government could save up to $6.3 billion annually by increasing the health of active and retired military personnel through a anti-aging program that includes the use of vitamin supplementation. The report, "The Aging Crisis: Does the Graying of America Threaten National Security?" cites recent studies on the health benefits of vitamins, in particular Vitamin E. The report said that Vitamin E: -- Improves immune system function: "Vitamin E has been demonstrated to bring about significant improvements in the immune system of patients over the age of 60. In one study, the number of white blood cells increased by 10 percent to 50 percent in patients who received between 400 IU (International Units) and 800 IU of Vitamin E supplements daily," the report said. -- Reduces heart disease for women: "In one study of 87,000 women, it was determined that those taking Vitamin E regularly for two years had a 41 percent reduction in the risk of heart disease." -- Reduces cancer and heart disease for men: "Another study of 40,000 men determined that those taking Vitamin E for two years had a 37 percent reduced heart disease risk. Low levels of Vitamin E have also been associated with several forms of cancer in studies both in the U.S. and abroad." The president of the National Defense Council Foundation, Milton Copulos, author of the report, said: "Of critical importance, though, are the indications that supplements with antioxidants may be a way to significantly reduce the risk of both cancer and heart disease. Especially encouraging is the evidence that benefits will accrue at whatever point the supplementation is initiated." Antioxidants are compounds that protect the body from the formation of oxygen free-radicals -- unstable oxygen molecules that can line the interior of blood vessels, thus restricting blood flow. The formation of free radicals can lead to an array of diseases. The report, presented at a Congressional seminar in Washington, D.C., recommended supplementation of the normal diet with a daily dosage of Vitamin E. "The RDA (Recommended Daily Allowance) for Vitamin E is currently 8 IUs to 10 IUs for adults. Many clinicians, however, believe that the optimal dosage is on the order of 400 IUs per day. Since it would be necessary to consume two quarts of corn oil or 22 cups of peanuts per day to achieve this level, the only practical way to do so is through a supplement," the report said. The report also recommended offering vitamin supplements to patients free of charge. "Given the inexpensive nature of vitamin supplements, it would likely be cost-effective to make them available to patients without charge," it said. The savings would come from the health benefits of the overall anti-aging program, which includes improved nutrition, exercise, tobacco and alcohol education, hormone replacement and monitoring for specific health risks. "Clearly, the implementation of a program encompassing both prevention and intervention would yield enormous savings in near and long-term health care costs for the (Department of Defense) Armed Forces (DOD) and the Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA)," the report said. The National Defense Council Foundation is a 20,000-member non-profit research, education, and humanitarian aid organization. Foods for the Future provides factual information to the media concerning food products, health and nutrition. It is a project of the T. Dean Reed Company and is supported by U.S. agribusiness.
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