Eighty-five percent of nurse practitioners agree that one of the roles of healthcare professionals is to provide their patients with information about dietary supplements, according to new research from the “Life…supplemented” 2009 Healthcare Professionals (HCP) Impact Study.

“Supplements can be overlooked, but they shouldn’t be,” said Barbara Dehn, RN, MS, NP with Women’s Physicians in Mountain View, CA, and advisor to the “Life…supplemented” program. “Nurse practitioners are very interested in integrative healthcare options, looking at the overall wellness picture, and figuring out how we focus on health maintenance and preventive approaches. I recommend my patients start with the basics: eat right, incorporate vitamins and other supplements, and exercise regularly.”

Nurse Dehn is not alone. According to the study, nurse practitioners are personally incorporating the three pillars of health into their own lives: 84% said they try to eat a balanced diet, 95% take dietary supplements and 64% exercise regularly.

Ninety-six percent of nurse practitioners recommend supplements, and their reasons are varied-most often for bone health (63% recommend for this reason), overall health and wellness (47%) and to fill nutrition gaps (44%).

Not only are they recommending supplements to their patients, but they’re talking about them. Eighty-one percent of nurse practitioners personally inquire about which supplements patients are taking (and only 3% state that no one in the practice inquires about supplements). When asked who brings up the subject of supplements most often, 55% of nurse practitioners say they personally ask, with 28% crediting nurse practitioners and patients equally, and only 17% crediting solely the patient.

Eighty-three percent of nurse practitioners say their patients are generally comfortable telling them about their supplement usage, but a smaller percentage (70%) feel their patients are generally honest and forthcoming about their use of dietary supplements.

“That dynamic has to change,” said Nurse Dehn, of the latter statistic. “I hope that patients know how open we are to hearing about their supplement use, especially if they’re on medications. This is so we can ensure they’re aware of potential interactions with their drugs, but equally as important, so we can help address any nutrient depletions caused by medications. At the same time, nurse practitioners, doctors, and all healthcare professionals have to do a better job being open to listening to patients when it comes to supplements. These are mainstream products, and it’s our job to help our patients figure out which supplements best meet their individual needs.”

So which supplements are nurse practitioners taking? Some examples include: multivitamins (79%) and calcium (63%); specialty supplements, such as omega 3/fish oil (48%) and glucosamine/chondroitin (18%); and herbals/botanicals, such as green tea (23%); and fiber (17%).

“Patients should feel free to initiate the conversation about living a healthy lifestyle. Taking a proactive stance towards personal wellness is the best way to ensure optimal health for the future,” said Nurse Dehn.