Do vitamins really make a difference in your health? That’s a question that scientists and research experts work to answer every day. One way to find out is through clinical trials, which are health-related studies in human beings. Study results are often published in peer-reviewed scientific journals.
There are two main types of clinical trials: interventional and observational. Interventional studies involve receiving a treatment, like a new drug or therapy, with investigators measuring the outcome to determine if the treatment is safe and effective. Observational studies, which address health issues in large groups of people, involve questioning or observing subjects, but no treatment.
To participate in a clinical trial, you must qualify for the study. Certain criteria must be met, with factors such as age, gender and medical conditions playing a part. Some studies seek individuals who are currently ill, while others require healthy individuals.
While there are many rewards to participating in clinical trials, such as helping others by contributing to research or obtaining expert medical care during the time of the trial, there are risks as well. Treatments may cause side effects or fail to produce beneficial results, and the trial process can be time consuming, requiring trips to the study site, additional treatments and follow-up appointments.
If you’re interested in participating in a clinical trial, learn as much as you can about the trial beforehand. Consider the purpose of the trial, how it might affect your daily life, what side effects might be involved and whether or not you’ll be reimbursed. Before meeting with the investigators, prepare a list of questions to discuss with their health care team.
To find a clinical trial, visit clinicaltrials.gov, which provides information on more than 88,000 studies in 172 countries. You can search for studies by health condition or other criteria. For example, if you’d like to participate in a vitamin-related study, simply enter “vitamins” in the search box.