None of us is a stranger to taking some vitamin C for our cold or some calcium for our bones. Dietary supplements are all around us, claiming to be able to feed us all the nutrients we might need throughout the day, protect us from various health problems, etc.
But exactly how much do we spend on these products?
Let’s find out!
How Much Do Americans Spend on Supplements?
Fascinating Stats and Facts About Dietary Supplement Use in the US
Now let’s dive deeper into Americans’ habits regarding dietary supplement use and find out how much of them take supplements, what kind of supplements they like best, how much their supplement intake changed during the pandemic, etc.
80% of Americans consumed supplements in 2021.
(CRN)
According to statistics, the use of supplements has increased by 7% since 2020.
The US dietary supplements market was valued at $48.4 billion in 2021.
(Grand View Research)
Vitamins were the most popular type of supplement in 2021. They were followed by botanicals and omega-fatty acids.
50% of supplement users changed their supplement routine during the COVID-19 pandemic.
(CRN)
As many as 55% of them who made changes to their supplement intake admitted to adding different supplements to their supplement routine.
Other popular supplements used for immune health support included high-quality multivitamin supplements (57% of consumers chose this supplement) and vitamin D (42% of consumers chose this supplement).
Collagen, magnesium, and CBD supplements increased in popularity the most in 2020.
(ConsumerLab.com)
On the other hand, curcumin, turmeric (the healthy spice that gives curry the characteristic yellow color), cinnamon, CoQ10, coconut oil, and fish oil decreased in popularity the most.
Seniors were the biggest supplement consumers in 2020.
(Statista)
A whopping 81% of US adults aged 55 and older used dietary supplements in 2020. For the sake of comparison, 74% of US adults aged 35–54 and 61% of US adults aged 18–34 consumed supplements that year.
The elderly belonging to the Greatest Generation spent a whopping $129.59 on vitamins and supplements per trip in 2019.
(Statista)
They spent the highest amount of money per trip on such products compared to all other generations. For the sake of comparison, Baby Boomers spent $111.59 per trip, Gen X-ers spent $82.06 per trip, and Millennials spent only $62.73 per trip.
Conclusion
Though supplements can be helpful (especially when it comes to nutritional deficiencies), most people actually don’t need them to live a healthy life. This is because most essential vitamins and minerals can be obtained from food.
So, before you reach out to supplements, make sure you follow a healthy diet. And don’t forget to consult your physician before taking any supplements to prevent adverse effects and potential interactions with medications.
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