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Introducing ODS Digest: News & Insights
This new publication serves as a consolidation of our previous ODS newsletters. It also marks an exciting step forward in our efforts to modernize how we share information, foster collaboration, and promote transparency, all while advancing the science of dietary supplements.
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ODS Research Activities
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National Institutes of Health (NIH) Seeks Grant Applicants for Research Education Program
ODS has signed on to the NIH Research Education Program (R25), which is currently seeking grant applicants to support courses for skill development in cross-cutting methods and analytics needed to advance behavioral and social sciences research (BSSR) but are not well-addressed by existing educational programs widely available to the BSSR community. Additional information about this opportunity can be found on the NIH Request for Application site.
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Recently Published & Presented ODS Research
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On January 22, Dr. Stefan Pasiakos, ODS Director, gave a presentation titled “The Past, Present, and Future of the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements” as part of an Institute for the Advancement of Food and Nutrition Science webinar.
Sylte DO, Baumann MM, Kelly YO, Kendrick P, Ali OMM, Compton K, Schmidt CA, Kahn E, Li Z, La Motte-Kerr W, Daoud F, Gakidou E, Hay SI, Strassle PD, Mensah GA, Murray DM, Arias E, George SM, Pérez-Stable EJ, Murray CJL, Mokdad AH, Dwyer-Lindgren L. Life expectancy by county and educational attainment in the USA, 2000-19: an observational analysis. Lancet Public Health. February 2025.
Nagai-Singer, MA, Wambogo EA, Pasiakos SM, Gahche JJ. Prepandemic Prevalence of Dietary Supplement Use for Immune Benefits. JAMA Netw Open. February 2025.
Wise SA, Hosbas Coskun S, Hayes HV, Wilson WB, Murray JA, Lippert JA, Burdette CQ, Schantz MM, Yu LL. Development of reference materials for dietary supplements—analytical challenges, use, limitations, and future needs. Anal Bioanal Chem. March 2025.
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ODS Events
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ODS 2024-2025 Seminar Series
The ODS 2024–2025 Seminar Series presents virtual seminars on dietary supplement research and related topics. The series is for those interested in dietary supplement research but is open to everyone.
April 23, 2025, 11 am ET Bringing Botanicals to Clinical Trial: Groundwork and Challenges
Amala Soumyanath, Ph.D. — Program Director, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR
Register and view the Seminar Series flyer to learn more.
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NIH Prenatal Workshop
This NIH workshop will examine the current scientific understanding of prenatal supplements, including evaluating whether the nutrient levels in these supplements are optimal for health outcomes. Workshop organizers are seeking participants who work in the dietary supplement and nutrition fields and who have an interest in this topic.
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News Around NIH
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Celebrating 30 Years of OBSSR
This year marks the 30th anniversary of the official opening of NIH’s Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research (OBSSR) in 1995. The office’s formation underscored the essential role of OBSSR in improving public health and shaping the way we approach scientific discovery. To commemorate three decades of accelerating these sciences and coordinating them within the NIH research enterprise, OBSSR will host a Director’s Webinar with Michael Platt on April 30 at 11 am ET. Stay tuned for more events throughout the year.
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Co-Funding Opportunities
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ODS provides funding support to the NIH Institutes, Centers, and Offices (ICOs) through its co-funding program. Co-funding allows ODS to share the costs of NIH extramural dietary supplement-related research project grants, training and career development grants, and scientific conferences, with primary ICOs. See the list of active ODS co-funding opportunities and learn more on our Grants & Funding webpage.
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Advancing the Field Together
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ASN's Annual Meeting in May
The American Society for Nutrition (ASN) will host its annual meeting, NUTRITION 2025, May 31-June 3 in Orlando, Florida. NUTRITION 2025 attendees will have an opportunity to engage with experts in science and nutrition from across the globe and will learn how to create and cultivate collaborative discussions through education.
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Science Shorts
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A study by ODS colleagues Margaret Nagai-Singer, Edwina Wambogo, Stefan Pasiakos, and Jaime Gahche was recently published in JAMA Network Open. It used the Dietary Supplement Label Database and the 2017-March 2020 Pre-Pandemic National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data to assess the use of dietary supplements for perceived immune benefits in the United States.
The analysis found that 11.0% of the U.S. population took a dietary supplement for perceived immune benefits, and that such usage differed by several sociodemographic and health characteristics. Additionally, among those using a dietary supplement for perceived immune benefits, the majority (60.1%) used a product with label claims related to immune benefits, 28.3% used the product exclusively for perceived immune benefits, and 16.6% did so due to a health care provider recommendation.
The use of products for perceived immune benefits may impact nutrient intake and modify health behaviors. Future research can help elucidate the clinical relevance of these products.
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Featured Fact Sheet
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Curious about the effectiveness and safety of ashwagandha for stress, anxiety, and sleep? Learn what the science says in the ODS fact sheet on ashwagandha. It covers results from recent studies and is available in versions for health professionals and for consumers in English and Spanish. |
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About ODS
The Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS) is part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the nation’s medical research agency—supporting scientific studies that turn discovery into health.
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Contact Us
Office of Dietary Supplements
National Institutes of Health
6705 Rockledge Drive (Rockledge I)
Room 730, MSC 7991
Bethesda, MD 20817
Email: ods@nih.gov
Website: https://ods.od.nih.gov
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