If you’ve changed your supplement routine since the pandemic, you’re not alone. According to a 2020 survey conducted by the Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN), more than 43 percent of dietary supplement users have switched things up. Among those who updated their regimens, 91 percent reported increasing their supplement intake, either by adding new supplements, taking the same supplements more regularly, or upping their dose(s). Overall immune support and health and wellness benefits are cited as the top reasons.
And supplementing is only becoming more popular. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data published in February 2021 shows 57.6 percent of people have taken a dietary supplement in the past 30 days, and all age groups surveyed report higher supplement use from data collected in 2007–2008. But while supplements are often seen as a method to ensure you meet your daily nutritional needs, they can create problems if you’re not careful. Like drugs, dietary supplements can affect the way your body functions, which can cause adverse effects in some people, according to an article published in the May 2022 issue of U.S. Pharmacist.
For example, on June 21, 2022, the U.S. Preventative Services Task Force (USPSTF) issued an official recommendation published in JAMA Network against using beta carotene or vitamin E supplements for the prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD) or cancer. According to the USPSTF, increased inflammation and oxidative stress may encourage the development of CVD and cancer, and some dietary supplements have anti-inflammatory and antioxidative properties to help in the prevention of both health concerns. However, the report clarified that vitamins containing beta carotene and vitamin E likely won’t forestall either. The USPSTF held off on making recommendations around the use of multivitamins and single- or paired-nutrient supplements (other than beta carotene or vitamin E) for the prevention of CVD and cancer due to insufficient evidence.
Bottom line: Supplementing guidelines are tricky and ever evolving, and the supplements consumers take may not be the “cure all” marketers often promise. So, how do you know if you’re overdoing it with the supplements? Read on to find out.
What Are the Potential Health Benefits of Supplements?
“[In general], a supplement is something you’re not getting enough of through food,” says Rohit Moghe, PharmD, CDCES, a pharmacist with Trinity Health Mid-Atlantic in Philadelphia, and member of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine (ACLM).
To fill in these nutrient gaps, many people turn to gummies, capsules, powders, tinctures, and even saline solutions delivered via needle (known as IV therapy).
In the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994, Congress defined supplements as products (other than tobacco) that are intended to supplement the diet, contains one or more dietary ingredients (including vitamins, minerals, herbs, botanicals, amino acids, or other substances) or their constituents, is intended to be taken by mouth as a pill, capsule, tablet, or liquid, and is labeled as a dietary supplement.
While many people are able to meet their nutrient needs through their diet, others may benefit from supplements. Particularly those who face a greater risk of nutrient deficiencies, including those with higher requirements (like children, adolescents, and pregnant and lactating women), those who struggle to absorb nutrients (like older adults, obese individuals, and people with chronic conditions), and those who follow a restrictive diet (like vegans and vegetarians), according to an article published in January 2018 article in Nutrients.