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SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - September 16, 2019 - Persona™ a leading personalized vitamin subscription program, today announced the expansion of its drug nutrient interaction (DNI) database to deliver a truly personalized approach to wellness. Persona's online nutritional assessment can now cross-examine more than 1,000 prescription medications to ensure each vitamin and supplement recommendation takes into account which nutrients, and at what levels, the medication is already adding or depleting from the body.

"With nearly half of Americans taking a prescribed medication in the past 30 days, according to the CDC, it is critical for people to understand that there are real interactions that can happen between prescription medications and vitamin supplements," said Louis B. Malinow, M.D., internist, lipidologist, and hypertension specialist practicing in Baltimore, and Persona medical advisory board member. "It's refreshing to see a company dedicated to delivering the highest-quality nutrients while informing their customers about potential drug-nutrient interactions. I expect the number of people who are taking prescription medications to continue to increase - especially as medical science advances - and I'm proud to work with a company that is advancing nutrition at the same pace as medical innovation."

Common drug-nutrient interactions
Prescription medications can either add vitamins or nutrients to the body or deplete nutrients from the body. One common instance of an interaction is among those who take a blood pressure medication and combine it with an iron supplement. In many cases, taking the iron supplement two hours before or after the medication can decrease its absorption rate significantly, making the medication less successful. For those taking a statin, it is recommended to add Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) because the average blood concentration of CoQ10 in blood plasma decreases. In another instance, adding vitamin D and calcium supplements will support bone health and calcium absorption among those taking a medication to help with allergies or inflammation.

"When we launched our company in 2017, we quickly realized that we needed to expedite the expansion of our database as more people completed the nutritional assessment. There are thousands of prescription medications on the market and we understand the importance of giving consumers the tools they need to avoid unnecessary drug-nutrient interactions," commented Tamara Bernadot, co-founder and chief nutrition officer, Persona. "Our medical advisory board and our on-staff nutritionists generate our drug-nutrient database by following the latest in nutrition science and applying it to everyday use. We will always be expanding our database to grow it month over month."

To learn more about Persona or to take the free nutritional assessment, please visit www.personanutrition.com.

About Persona™
Persona™, a Nestle Health Science (NHSc) company, creates science-backed, uniquely personalized vitamin programs. Each customized program uses high-quality, bioavailable ingredients, delivered to customers' doorsteps. The proprietary algorithm used for the assessments is based on scientific research and physician experience, and factors in lifestyle, individual needs, and prescription medications to deliver vitamin and supplement recommendations as unique as the consumer. Persona is a supporter of Vitamin Angels®. With every Persona vitamin pack order, at least two children who are at risk of malnutrition receive a full year of vitamins. To learn more, please visit www.personanutrition.com or www.nestlehealthscience.com.

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