If anyone has not yet seen this, The Johns Hopkins Health Insider - August
Issue online has an article about vitamin supplementation.  It is written by
Benjamin Caballero, M.D., Ph.D., who is Director of the Johns Hopkins Division
of Human Nutrition and The Center for Human Nutrition.  A Professor of
International health, he serves on the Food and Nutrition Board, a committee
of the National Academy of Sciences that sets dietary guidelines for the U.S.
population.

Dr. Caballero states in this article that the average heathy American has no
need for vitamin supplements, and that "in many cases, the $12 billion that
Americans spend each year on those supplements is a waste of money".

However, what I found disturbing is the following categories of people that he
feels *do* need supplementation:  pregnant and lactating women, the elderly,
and
**children who are breast-fed**(sic)  About breastfed children Dr. Caballero
states:  ".....should receive supplementation of vitamins A, C, and D, and
there is a preparation called Trivisol that is the standard issue to these
babies".

(Needless to say, Tri-Vi-Sol was not "standard issue" to my healthy breastfed
babies! :)  )

I'm having a bit of trouble here in that this article written by such a known
name in nutrition appears to target breastfed children as those who are
nutritionally *at risk* and recommends supplements for all of these babies .

The article can be found and this address:
http://www.intelihealth.com/IH/ihtInsider
click on Superfluous Supplements article.

Ruth Scuderi
Westfield, MA