April 18, 2023 – More than 1 in 3 children and nearly 3 in 5 adults within the United States take dietary supplements, a new report shows.
The latest figures are the continuation of a 15-year trend There are small, regular increases within the number of individuals within the United States who use products that may provide vital nutrients. However, using them puts people liable to consuming more nutrients than really useful. In 2007, 48% of adults took dietary supplements, and that number has risen to just about 59% in probably the most recent count.
The latest report checked out whether participants took a multivitamin in addition to other more specific supplements. Among children and adolescents ages 19 and under, 23.5% took a multivitamin, while 31.5% of adults reported taking one. The mostly taken specific complement was vitamin D.
The report, released today by the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics, summarized survey data from 2017 to 2020 by which 15,548 people reported using dietary supplements of their household. Dietary supplements include vitamins, minerals, herbs, or other botanicals taken orally in pill, capsule, tablet, or liquid form. The researchers said the marketplace for vitamins and dietary supplements is large and growing, generating total sales of $55.7 billion in 2020.
More than a 3rd of adults (36%) reported taking a couple of dietary complement, and one in 4 people aged 60 and over said they took 4 or more.
The data showed demographic trends in dietary complement use. Women and girls were more prone to take dietary supplements than men and boys, although rates of use were similar for each sexes amongst 1- to 2-year-olds. People with higher levels of education or income were more prone to take dietary supplements. Asians and whites were more prone to take dietary supplements than Hispanics and blacks.
The authors write that monitoring trends in dietary complement use is essential since the products “contribute significantly to nutrient intake while increasing the risk of excessive intake of certain micronutrients.”