A new survey suggests that nearly eight in ten adults in the United States are currently taking at least one dietary supplement, including one in three people who are using protein powders, bars and drinks.
The survey, conducted by Pew Research Center, was small. But it suggests that supplements, long used by many Americans, are becoming ever more popular — even as medical experts say that many of these products are unlikely to meaningfully improve health.
“I would guess that well over 80, 90 percent of supplement consumption doesn’t offer any proven benefit to the person who’s taking it,” said Dr. Pieter Cohen, an associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School.
Of the 3,554 U.S. adults surveyed, 31 percent reported taking protein supplements, with use highest among adults under age 50.
Vitamins and minerals were the most commonly reported supplement type, taken by 67 percent of participants. The survey also found that 25 percent of people were taking omega-3, fish oil or krill oil supplements and nearly 20 percent were taking herbal supplements, like ginseng or ashwagandha, an Ayurvedic herb.
There are good reasons to take dietary supplements, for example to treat a nutrient deficiency or to prevent birth defects, said Dr. Eric Topol, a cardiologist and the founder of the Scripps Research Translational Institute. “But that’s the minority,” he added.
People often take omega-3 supplements because they believe they will improve their heart or brain health, for instance, but most clinical trials have failed to find those benefits.
And most people probably don’t need protein supplements, Dr. Topol said.
“People have this paranoia that they’re not getting enough” protein, he said, perhaps because of influencers who have promoted the idea that people should consume far more than the recommended amount. But in reality, most people already consume enough protein from the foods they eat, Dr. Topol said.
The Pew survey found that more women than men were taking protein supplements, a finding that surprised Stuart Phillips, a professor of kinesiology at McMaster University in Canada. Until recently, he said, it was more common for men to supplement with protein. The increase in use among women may reflect greater attention to their protein needs on social media, which has some merit since women are more likely than men to fall short on protein, he said.
The popularity of protein supplements may also be partly linked to the growing use of GLP-1 medications, and the belief that consuming extra protein may help stave off muscle loss that can accompany the use of the weight loss medications, Dr. Phillips said.
Regardless of sex or medication use, it is important to consume enough protein, Dr. Phillips said. But to build or maintain muscle, he added, resistance training is more important than protein consumption. And it’s better to get your protein from food sources, because they provide other beneficial nutrients.
“Supplements are convenient, but they are not necessary,” he said.
While previous estimates of supplement use have varied, research suggests that it has increased in recent decades, said Elizabeth Kantor, an epidemiologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. In June, she and her colleagues published a study that included more than 63,000 U.S. adults, surveyed between 1999 and 2023. Over that time, the researchers found, supplement use climbed to 60 percent from 51 percent of adults.
The rise in supplement use may be driven in part by claims of their benefits on social media, many of which are unsubstantiated, Dr. Topol said. It may also be “a reflection of the longevity fixation, that these are going to be the ticket to expanding life span,” he said.
“But we don’t have any data for that either,” he added.
Both the Pew data and the study by Dr. Kantor found that supplement use was greatest in those ages 65 years or older. That’s unsurprising, Dr. Cohen said, because doctors often recommend that older adults take supplements like multivitamins, calcium or vitamin D, though the evidence supporting the benefits of those supplements is mixed.
People may choose to take dietary supplements for a variety of reasons, said Gretchen Zimmermann, a registered dietitian and a spokeswoman for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. But they should keep in mind that supplement companies don’t have to prove their products are safe or effective before selling them. And supplements can come with risks, like toxicity from high doses of vitamins or minerals, liver damage from certain herbal supplements or interactions with medications. Always talk with a doctor before taking a supplement, Ms. Zimmermann said.
The global supplement industry is valued at an estimated $228 billion, according to Grand View Research, a market research firm. “Most of these are a waste of money,” Dr. Topol said. “There’s no data to support them, but it enriches your urine.”
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