Older adults tend to take a number of different prescription medications, and according to previous studies, they also often use dietary supplements. Because of the potential for adverse interactions between prescription drugs and dietary supplements, it is important to learn as much as possible about the real-life practices of older people—the extent to which they take both prescription drugs and dietary supplements, and what kinds of drugs and supplements are being used. NCCAM-funded researchers recently analyzed the use of prescription drugs and dietary supplements in a sample of 3,070 people aged 75 and older. The data had been gathered during the Gingko for the Evaluation of Memory (GEM) study, a clinical trial that examined the effects of Gingko biloba on the development of dementia.
Source: http://nccam.nih.gov/research/results/spotlight/071509.htm?nav=rss