At a glance
- overall supplement use
- 57.6%
- Women
- 63.8%
- Men
- 50.8%
2018
2018
2018
| Group | Value |
|---|---|
| Adults 20+ | 57.6% |
| Women (Women) | 63.8% |
| Men (Men) | 50.8% |
| Ages 20-39 (20-39) | 42.4% |
| Ages 40-59 (40-59) | 59.2% |
| Ages 60+ (60+) | 74.3% |
Key takeaways
- More than half of US adults (57.6%) used at least one dietary supplement in the 30 days prior to interview during 2017-2018.
- Supplement use rose sharply with age, from 42.4% among adults aged 20-39 to 74.3% among those aged 60 and older.
- Women (63.8%) were more likely to use dietary supplements than men (50.8%) across all age groups.
- Use of any dietary supplement increased significantly from 48.4% in 2007-2008 to 57.6% in 2017-2018, an age-adjusted trend.
More than half of US adults reported using at least one dietary supplement in the prior 30 days during 2017-2018, according to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). The 57.6% overall prevalence figure covers adults aged 20 and older and is based on both household interviews and product container verification, making it one of the most rigorous measures of supplement use available from a nationally representative sample.
Supplement use was not evenly distributed across the population. Adults aged 60 and older reported the highest rates at 74.3%, compared with 59.2% for those aged 40-59 and 42.4% for those aged 20-39. This age gradient likely reflects both higher rates of chronic condition management and greater general health awareness among older adults.
Women used supplements more than men at every age group studied. Overall, 63.8% of women reported supplement use compared with 50.8% of men. Among adults aged 60 and older, the gap was especially pronounced: 80.2% of women versus 67.3% of men reported supplement use.
Multivitamin-mineral products were the most common supplement type across all age groups, followed by vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acid products. Multiple-supplement use was also common: 13.8% of adults took four or more different supplements in the same 30-day period.
Over the decade from 2007-2008 to 2017-2018, age-adjusted supplement use grew from 48.4% to 56.1%, representing a meaningful and statistically significant increase. Every age group contributed to this upward trend.
We report these figures because understanding population-level supplement use is foundational context for anyone evaluating individual supplement decisions. These data come from NHANES, a program of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that has tracked supplement use in the US population for decades.
Methodology & sources
Figures are from NCHS Data Brief No. 399, published February 2021 by the CDC National Center for Health Statistics. Data were collected via the 2017-2018 cycle of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), a nationally representative, continuous survey of the US civilian noninstitutionalized population. Dietary supplement use was assessed by trained interviewers during household interviews; participants were asked to show product containers for any supplement used in the prior 30 days, allowing for product verification. Estimates are age-adjusted to the 2000 US Census population where noted. All figures cited on this page come from the published data brief and are not modified or extrapolated.
Sources
- Dietary Supplement Use Among Adults: United States, 2017-2018. NCHS Data Brief No. 399., CDC National Center for Health Statistics
- NHANES 2017-2018: Dietary Supplement Use 30-Day Data Documentation, CDC National Center for Health Statistics
Frequently asked questions
What counts as a dietary supplement in this survey?
NHANES asked participants about vitamins, minerals, botanicals, amino acids, and other dietary supplements taken in the prior 30 days. Prescription medications were not included. Product containers were reviewed by interviewers to confirm what was being taken.
Has supplement use been increasing over time?
Yes. Age-adjusted supplement use among US adults rose from 48.4% in 2007-2008 to 56.1% in 2017-2018, according to NCHS Data Brief No. 399. All age groups showed statistically significant increases over that decade.
Why do older adults use supplements at higher rates?
NHANES data do not explain the reason, only document the pattern. Researchers note that older adults are more likely to visit healthcare providers, have more chronic conditions they are managing, and may have longer-established supplement habits. The data brief does not assign a cause to the age gradient.
Cite this page
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Supplements Unpacked. "Dietary Supplement Use Among US Adults (2017-2018)." https://supplementsunpacked.com/statistics/supplement-use-overview (accessed 2026).