The Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) announces the release of the 2004 issue of the Annual Bibliography of Significant Advances in Dietary Supplement Research. This sixth issue of the Bibliography includes abstracts of the 25 most noteworthy dietary supplement research papers published in 2004, as judged by an international team of reviewers. This is the first issue of the Bibliography to highlight research on phenolics and flavonoids — compounds found in plant foods such as berries, grains, and tea — reflecting growing interest in these substances and their potential health effects.

“We expect the Bibliography to continue to serve as a useful reference for students, nutrition and health professionals, educators and health communicators, as well as the scientists who conduct the research,” said Rebecca B. Costello, Ph.D., and Leila Saldanha, Ph.D., R.D., co-editors of the Annual Bibliography.

With more than half of Americans taking dietary supplements, according to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), highlighting important research in the field is a priority for the ODS: “This initiative reflects an ongoing commitment by the Office of Dietary Supplements to provide health practitioners and consumers with the necessary information to help them assess the contributions that dietary supplements make to nutrient intakes and health,” said Paul M. Coates, Ph.D., director of the Office of Dietary Supplements.

In addition to the papers on phenolics and flavonoids, the Bibliography for 2004 includes papers on antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, botanicals, fatty acids, and other ingredients contained in dietary supplements. Over 325 original research articles were nominated for inclusion, from 53 peer-reviewed journals. An international team of 49 expert reviewers in the fields of nutrition, botanical sciences, and public health reviewed and ranked the articles and the top 25 were selected for the Bibliography.

This year's issue was released at the 2005 annual meeting of the American Dietetic Association in St. Louis, Missouri. In addition, ODS and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) scientists presented new data on dietary supplement use from the 2001-2002 NHANES and other ODS-funded research.

Copies of the Annual Bibliography of Significant Advances in Dietary Supplement Research 2004 may be downloaded from the ODS website at http://ods.od.nih.gov/Research/Annual_Bibliographies.aspx. Single copies may also be requested by e-mail (ods@nih.gov), or by writing to the Office of Dietary Supplements, National Institutes of Health, 6100 Executive Blvd, Rm. 3B01, MSC 7517, Bethesda, Maryland 20892-7517, USA.

The mission of the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS) is to strengthen knowledge and understanding of dietary supplements by evaluating scientific information, stimulating and supporting research, disseminating research results, and educating the public to foster an enhanced quality of life and health for the U.S. population. For additional information about ODS, visit http://ods.od.nih.gov.

The Office of the Director, the central office at NIH, is responsible for setting policy for NIH, which includes 27 Institutes and Centers. This involves planning, managing, and coordinating the programs and activities of all NIH components. The Office of the Director also includes program offices which are responsible for stimulating specific areas of research throughout NIH. Additional information is available at http://www.nih.gov/icd/od/.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) — The Nation's Medical Research Agency — is a component of the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services. It is the primary Federal agency for conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and it investigates the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit http://www.nih.gov.