COLUMBUS, Ohio — More Americans are taking supplements, from vitamins to probiotics, as part of their daily routine.
However, some people question whether these products deliver on their promises.
Amy Turturice is a busy woman who puts her health first. She said she started taking supplements for her health.
“I take three or four supplements in the morning with coffee and several in the evening. In the morning I take creatine, collagen, solar fiber, and then sometimes MCT oil,” Turturice said.
Turturice said she has an integrative medicine doctor at Ohio State University and is covered by insurance.
“I’ve been making appointments with them for probably 10 years, and I make an appointment every year,” Turturice said.
Like Turturice, many other people are incorporating supplements into their daily routines.
A 2021 study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that 50% of U.S. adults ages 20 and older had used dietary supplements in the past 30 days, with use rates higher among women than men.
Additionally, dietary supplement use increased with age and was highest in women over 60 years of age.
The most commonly used type of dietary supplement across all age groups was multivitamin-mineral supplements, followed by vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acid supplements.
Connor Davis is a resident physician at Dublin Methodist Hospital. He said about a third of his patients are inquiring about supplements, vitamins and related things.
“More and more questions are being asked about magnesium and its relationship to neurocognitive health,” Davis said.
However, Davis said there may be risks associated with taking supplements that your body doesn’t need.
“Just because over-the-counter supplements or vitamins are becoming more and more readily available, that doesn’t mean they can’t harm or pose a risk to whatever an individual is already taking,” Davis said.
“When you get your blood drawn every year, you can see how your body is performing and what more it needs. I think it’s important to integrate, whether it’s your family medicine provider or integrative medicine, to make sure it’s working and that it’s balanced. So when it comes to supplements, I would say you still need an MD to oversee them,” Turturice said.
Ohio Health doctors say it varies from person to person whether they want to include supplements in their daily routine. After speaking with the person responsible for your health care, you should decide whether to continue lab work or discuss next steps for your health, he said.
