The survey’s key findings show vitamin D use significantly increased during the COVID-19 pandemic; that Hispanics are most likely to report a change in their supplement routine, and that four in 5 Americans use supplements – a new high-water mark in supplement use.
“Supplement usage among Americans has steadily increased in the more than twenty years CRN has conducted the survey,” said Brian Wommack, CRN’s senior vice president of communications. “With 80% of Americans now using supplements, these products are now mainstream and broadly accepted by the American public. Just as important, 79% of Americans believe the dietary supplement industry is trustworthy, a jump of 5 percentage points from 2020.”
Over the past 12 months, vitamin D usage significantly increased since 2020 (52% vs. 42% in 2020), as has zinc (22% vs. 15%) and vitamin C (40% vs. 35%). The increase in usage of these supplements is particularly notable, as each has been mentioned in the past year as supplements that could be helpful for combatting COVID-19 and boosting overall immunity.
Further, 50% of supplement users report a change to their supplement routine since the COVID-19 pandemic started, and 55% of those who reported a change indicated that it included adding new supplements to their existing routine. Hispanic Americans were most likely to report a change in their supplement routine, significantly more so than white and Asian American/Pacific Islander respondents.
Conducted annually since 2000, the CRN Consumer Survey on Dietary Supplements serves as the leading resource for statistics on usage of dietary supplements. The 2021 survey was fielded for CRN by Ipsos August 20–26, 2021. The survey was conducted online in English and included a national sample of 3,089 adults aged 18 and older living in the United States, including 2,421 adults who consume dietary supplements seasonally, occasionally, or regularly.
This year’s survey includes oversamples of Black, Hispanic, and Asian/Pacific Islander respondents to deliver deeper insights into these groups’ motivations, attitudes, and purchasing habits around supplement use. The complete set of consumer survey data is available for purchase by both CRN members and non-members.
