Skip to main content
Key Specialties
Cardiology Diabetology Endocrinology Gastroenterology Geriatrics and Gerontology Gynecology and Obstetrics Hematology Infectious Disease Internal Medicine Nephrology Neurology Oncology Pediatrics Respiratory Medicine Rheumatology Surgery
Congress Coverage
2024 ACC Congress 2023 ESMO Congress 2023 EASD Congress 2023 ERS Congress 2023 ESC Congress
Clinical Collections
Advances in Alzheimer’s

At a glance: The STEP trials

A round-up of the STEP phase 3 clinical trials evaluating semaglutide for weight loss in people with overweight or obesity.
ADVANCED SEARCH
Log in
Top
BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies
Published in: BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies 1/2017

Open Access 01-12-2017 | Research article

Influence of pharmacological education on perceptions, attitudes and use of dietary supplements by medical students

Authors: Z. Stanojević-Ristić, S. Stević, J. Rašić, D. Valjarević, M. Dejanović, A. Valjarević

Published in: BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies | Issue 1/2017

Login to get access

Abstracts

Background

The ready availability and use of dietary supplements (DS) by the public means that healthcare professionals require education in this area. In the Republic of Serbia, education related to use of DS is included in undergraduate medical training and it is therefore important to assess the effectiveness of this education. The aim of our survey was to investigate the influence of pharmacological education on the use, attitudes and perceptions of risks associated with DS among medical students.

Methods

Medical students at the University of Kosovska Mitrovica participated in the survey. Three hundred eighty questionnaires were distributed, yielding a response rate of 89% (n = 334). Data were categorized by year of study, completion of a one-year course in pharmacology and having passed the final exam. The results were compared between 192 (58%) medical students educated in pharmacology (MSEP) and 142 (42%) medical students not educated in pharmacology (MSNEP). The questionnaire was divided into 4 parts: socio-demographic and lifestyle/behavioral characteristics, use of DS, attitudes about efficacy, safety and perception of risk due to DS use. Chi-square test, Student’s t-test, and Mann-Whitney U test were used for statistical analysis.

Results

About 53% of respondents used some form of DS. Attitudes regarding the safety of DS consumption showed a difference between the groups. MSEP were more likely to agree that DS have the potential to cause adverse reactions (Likert scale mean 4.1 vs. 3.5, p < 0.001) as well as interactions with conventional drugs (Likert scale mean 4.2 vs. 3.2, p < 0.001) than MSNEP. Finally, MSEP ranked St. John’s wort and ginkgo as the most dangerous DS, but creatine and vitamin C were both ranked as relatively safe. Conversely, MSNEP considered ginkgo and vitamin C the most harmful DS, claiming that omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin D had the least hazardous side effects.

Conclusion

Our results showed that pharmacological education gives young medical students a better understanding of the risks of DS-drug interactions and potential adverse effects. However, their overall attitudes and perception of risk indicate the need for further education.
Appendix
Available only for authorised users
Literature
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Lieberman HR, Marriott BP, Williams C, Judelson DA, Glickman EL, Geiselman PJ, Dotson L, Mahoney CR. Patterns of dietary supplement use among college students. Clin Nutr. 2015;34:976–85.CrossRefPubMed
7.
Stojiljković M, Radulović O, Jović S. Differences in the use of dietary supplements between medical and non-medical students from University of Niš (Serbia). Biomedicinska istraživanja. 2012;3:40–6.
8.
Marcus DM, Grollman AP. The consequences of ineffective regulation of dietary supplements. Arch Intern Med. 2012;172:1035–6.CrossRefPubMed
9.
Aina BA, Ojedokun OA. Knowledge and use of dietary supplements by students of College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Idi-Araba, Lagos, Nigeria. J Basic Clinl Pharm. 2014;5:34–9.CrossRef
10.
11.
Paffenbarger RS, Kampert JB, Lee I. Physical activity and health of college men: longitudinal observations. Int J Sports Med. 1997;18(Suppl 3):200–3.CrossRef
12.
Borsari B, Carey KB. Peer influences on college drinking: a review of the research. J Subst Abus. 2001;13:391–424.CrossRef
13.
Al Hassan NN. The prevalence of iron deficiency anemia in a Saudi university female students. J Microsc Ultrastruct. 2015;3:25–8.CrossRef
14.
Timbo BB, Ross MP, McCarthy PV, Lin CT. Dietary supplements in a national survey: prevalence of use and reports of adverse events. J Am Diet Assoc. 2006;106:1966–74.CrossRefPubMed
15.
Stickel F, Kessebohm K, Weimann R, Seitz HK. Review of liver injury associated with dietary supplements. Liver Int. 2011;31:595–605.CrossRefPubMed
16.
Gabardi S, Munz K, Ulbricht C. A review of dietary supplement-induced renal dysfunction. Clin J Am Soc Nephrol. 2007;2:757–65.CrossRefPubMed
17.
Rizos EC, Ntzani EE, Bika E, Kostapanos MS, Elisaf MS. Association between omega-3 fatty acid supplementation and risk of major cardiovascular disease events: a systematic review and meta-analysis. JAMA. 2012;308:1024–33.CrossRefPubMed
18.
Bjelakovic G, Nikolova D, Gluud LL, Simonetti RG, Gluud C. Mortality in randomized trials of antioxidant supplements for primary and secondary prevention: systematic review and meta-analysis. JAMA. 2007;297:842–57.CrossRefPubMed
19.
Huang SM, Lesko LJ. Drug-drug, drug-dietary supplement, and drug-citrus fruit and other food interactions: what have we learned? J Clin Pharmacol. 2004;44:559–69.CrossRefPubMed
20.
Sood A, Sood R, Brinker FJ, Mann R, Loehrer LL, Wahner-Roedler DL. Potential for interactions between dietary supplements and prescription medications. Am J Med. 2008;121:207–11.CrossRefPubMed
21.
Tsai HH, Lin HW, Pickard AS, Tsai HY, Mahady GB. Evaluation of documented drug interactions and contraindications associated with herbs and dietary supplements: a systematic literature review. Int J Clin Pract. 2012;66:1056–78.CrossRefPubMed
22.
Huckleberry Y, Rollins C. Essential and conditionally essential nutrients. In: Krinsky D, Berardi R, Ferreri S, et al., editors. Handbook of nonprescription drugs. 17th ed. Washington, DC: American Pharmacists Association; 2012.
23.
Henderson L, Yue QY, Bergquist C, Gerden B, Arlett P. St John’s wort (Hypericum Perforatum): drug interactions and clinical outcomes. Br J Clin Pharmacol. 2002;54:349–56.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral
24.
Klepser TB, Doucette WR, Horton MR, Buys LM, Ernst ME, Ford JK, Hoehns JD, Kautzman HA, Logemann CD, Swegle JM, Ritho M, Klepser ME. Assessment of patients’ perceptions and beliefs regarding herbal therapies. Pharmacotherapy. 2000;20:83–7.CrossRefPubMed
25.
Owens C, Toone T, Steed-Ivie M. A survey of dietary supplement knowledge, attitudes, and use in a rural population. J Nutr Food Sci. 2014;4:304.CrossRef
26.
Durrieu G, Hurault C, Bongard V, Damase-Michel C, Montastruc JL. Perception of risk of adverse drug reactions by medical students: influence of a 1-year pharmacological course. Br J Clin Pharmacol. 2007;64:233–6.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral
27.
28.
Chen C, Weng M, Wu C, Lin J. Comparison of radical scavenging activity, cytotoxic effects and apoptosis induction in human melanoma cells by Taiwanese propolis from different sources. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2004;1:175–85.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral
29.
Orsi RO, Sforcin JM, Funari SR, Bankova V. Effects of Brazilian and Bulgarian propolis on bactericidal activity of macrophages against salmonella Typhimurium. Int Immunopharmacol. 2005;5:359–68.CrossRefPubMed
30.
Russo A, Cardile V, Sanchez F, Troncoso N, Vanella A, Garbarino JA. Chilean propolis: antioxidant activity and antiproliferative action in human tumor cell lines. Life Sci. 2004;76:545–58.CrossRefPubMed
31.
Wiltgren A, Booth A, Kaur G, Cicerale S, Lacy K, Thorpe M, Keast R, Riddell L. Micronutrient supplement use and diet quality in university students. Nutrients. 2015;7:1094–107.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral
32.
Miljkovic M, Stojiljkovic M, Radulovic O. Knowledge, attitudes and use of dietary supplements of the University of Nis (Serbia). Med Pregl. 2013;66:163–9.CrossRefPubMed
33.
Newberry H, Beerman K, Duncan S, McGuire M, Hillers V. Use of nonvitamin, nonmineral dietary supplements among college students. J Am Coll Heal. 2001;50:123–9.CrossRef
34.
Ambrose ET, Samuels S. Perception and use of herbals among students and their practitioners in a university setting. J Am Acad Nurse Pract. 2004;16:166–73.CrossRefPubMed
35.
Bailey RL, Gahche JJ, Lentino CV, Dwyer JT, Engel JS, Thomas PR, et al. Dietary supplement use in the United States, 2003–2006. J Nutr. 2011;141:261–6.CrossRefPubMed
36.
Dundas ML, Keller JR. Herbal, vitamin, and mineral supplement use and beliefs of university students. Top Clin Nutr. 2003;18:49–53.CrossRef
37.
38.
Barnes K, Ball L, Desbrow B, Alsharairi N, Ahmed F. Consumption and reasons for use of dietary supplements in an Australian university population. Nutrition. 2016;32:524–30.CrossRefPubMed
39.
Gardiner P, Kemper KJ, Legedza AT, Phillips RS. Factors associated with herb and dietary supplement use by young adults in the United States. BMC Complement Altern Med. 2007;7:39.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral
40.
Rozga MR, Stern JS, Stanhope K, Havel P, Kazaks AG. Dietary supplement users vary in attitudes and sources of dietary supplement information in east and west geographic regions: a cross-sectional study. BMC Complement Altern Med. 2013;13:200.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral
41.
Hoffman FA. Regulation of dietary supplements in the United States: understanding the dietary supplement health and education act. Clin Obstet Gynecol. 2001;44:780–8.CrossRefPubMed
42.
Nichter M, Thompson JJ. For my wellness, not just my illness: north Americans’ use of dietary supplements. Cult Med Psychiatry. 2006;30:175–222.CrossRefPubMed
43.
44.
Tangkiatkumjai M, Boardman H, Praditpornsilpa K, Walker DM. Prevalence of herbal and dietary supplement usage in Thai outpatients with chronic kidney disease: a cross-sectional survey. BMC Complement Altern Med. 2013;13:153.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral
45.
Schröder H, Terrados N, Tramullas A. Risk assessment of the potential side effects of long-term creatine supplementation in team sport athletes. Eur J Nutr. 2005;44:255–61.CrossRefPubMed
46.
Francaux M, Poortmans JR. Side effects of creatine supplementation in athletes. Int J Sports Physiol Perform. 2006;1:311–23.CrossRefPubMed
47.
Bent S, Goldberg H, Padula A, Avins A. Spontaneus bleeding associated with ginkgo biloba. A case reported and systematic review of the literature. J Gen Intern Med. 2005;20:657–61.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral
Metadata
Title
Influence of pharmacological education on perceptions, attitudes and use of dietary supplements by medical students
Authors
Z. Stanojević-Ristić
S. Stević
J. Rašić
D. Valjarević
M. Dejanović
A. Valjarević
Publication date
01-12-2017
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies / Issue 1/2017
Electronic ISSN: 2662-7671
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12906-017-2031-6

Other articles of this Issue 1/2017

BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies 1/2017 Go to the issue

Research article

Effects of stevia on synaptic plasticity and NADPH oxidase level of CNS in conditions of metabolic disorders caused by fructose

Research article

Comparative studies on the multi-component pharmacokinetics of Aristolochiae Fructus and honey-fried Aristolochiae Fructus extracts after oral administration in rats

Research article

Allium hookeri root extract exerts anti-inflammatory effects by nuclear factor-κB down-regulation in lipopolysaccharide-induced RAW264.7 cells

Research article

Scutellaria barbata D. Don extract inhibits the tumor growth through down-regulating of Treg cells and manipulating Th1/Th17 immune response in hepatoma H22-bearing mice

Research article

Oral administration of taheebo (Tabebuia avellanedae Lorentz ex Griseb.) water extract prevents DSS-induced colitis in mice by up-regulating type II T helper immune responses

Study protocol

Moxibustion for cancer-related fatigue: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial