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Complications of influenza include: bacterial pneumonia, ear and sinus infections, dehydration, and worsening of chronic conditions such as asthma, congestive heart failure, or diabetes.
People with alcoholism are at a much greater risk of malnutrition than are other people and usually exhibit low levels of most vitamins (especially folic acid). This is because alcohol often takes the place of 50% of their daily intake of calories, with little nutritional value contained in it.
Increased intake of vitamin D has been shown to reduce fractures up to 25% in older people.
In the United States, an estimated 50 million unnecessary antibiotics are prescribed for viral respiratory infections.
People about to have surgery must tell their health care providers about all supplements they take.