Multivitamin and mineral supplements are the most commonly used dietary supplements in the US, according to a recent survey. Of the 200 topics associated with dietary supplements, the most popular were magnesium, protein, iron, calcium and vitamin D. However, there has been a lack of research into the changes in popularity of dietary supplements over time. Fish oil is the most popular dietary supplement, followed by multivitamins, CoQ10, vitamin D, B vitamins, magnesium, calcium, probiotics and vitamin C.
The Council on Responsible Nutrition (CRN) reported that 68 percent of all adults in the US take dietary supplements on a regular basis. People taking supplements for sports nutrition or weight management purposes accounted for 19 percent of those surveyed. Unlike regulated drugs, there are fewer restrictions on advertising dietary supplements, and the Internet is an attractive target for marketing campaigns. We speculate that increased interest in certain dietary supplements could be associated with geographical distribution or great latitude.
The survey has a credibility interval of plus or minus 2.5 percentage points for all respondents and plus or minus 2.9 percentage points for users of the supplement. Interest in seven categories of topics related to dietary supplements increased over time (amino acids, bacteria, botanicals, fiber, minerals, proteins and vitamins), while interest in the category of fats or fatty acids decreased over time. It is important to note that almost all supplements are used without medical supervision or monitoring and that many adverse reactions go unreported each year in the US.
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