Memorial Sloan Kettering Study: 25 Years of Dietary Supplement Use in the US: What the Data Reveals

17 Jun Memorial Sloan Kettering Study: 25 Years of Dietary Supplement Use in the US: What the Data Reveals

MedicalResearch.com Interview with:

Chun Sing Lam, PhD

Chun Sing (Jason) Lam, PhD
Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Integrative Medicine and Wellness Service
Department of Medicine
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main supplements utilized by Americans?

Response: Dietary supplement use is very common among U.S. adults, but patterns of use have changed substantially over time. The supplement market has expanded, with many products now marketed for different uses. But long-term national data are limited. In this study, we analyzed 25 years of nationally representative data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, from 1999 through August 2023, including 63,442 U.S. adults.

Overall supplement use increased from about 51% of U.S. adults in 1999–2000 to about 60% in 2021–2023. Use of four or more supplements also increased, from 8.8% to 15%. One notable finding was that multivitamin/multimineral use declined modestly while use of individual vitamins, minerals, and specialty supplements increased. One important finding was the increase among older adults. Supplement use among adults aged 65 years and older increased from about 62% to 78%, which was the largest increase among demographic subgroups.

Notable increases were seen for vitamin D, zinc, vitamin K, biotin, vitamin B12, and omega-3. Emerging trends were also seen for non-vitamin non-mineral supplements such as turmeric/curcumin, probiotics/prebiotics, collagen, elderberry, ashwagandha, and hyaluronic acid. These trends likely reflect growing consumer interest in immune support, gut health, and skin and joint health.

MedicalResearch.com: What should readers take away from your report?

Response: The main takeaway is that supplement use among U.S. adults is increasing and becoming more diverse. Americans appear to be shifting from traditional multivitamin/multimineral products toward more specialized supplements, perhaps reflecting specific health concerns.

The increase in supplement use is particularly relevant because older adults are more likely to have chronic health conditions and to take multiple prescription or over-the-counter medications. As a result, increasing supplement use in this group raises important questions about supplement safety and potential supplement–drug interactions.

While dietary supplements are widely used, they are generally not subject to the same premarket approval standards for safety and efficacy as prescription medications. Readers should not assume that “natural” means risk-free. Some supplements can interact with medications or cause side effects, especially when multiple products are used together. People should discuss any supplements they take or are considering with their healthcare provider, particularly if they are taking chronic medications.

MedicalResearch.com: What recommendations do you have for future research as a result of this study?

Response: Future research should continue to monitor supplement use at the population level, especially as new products enter the marketplace. More work is needed to understand dose, frequency, duration, and reasons for use. Research is also needed on the health effects and safety of emerging supplements, particularly among older adults and people with chronic illnesses. Drug–supplement interactions remain an important area for future study.

MedicalResearch.com: Is there anything else you would like to add? Any disclosures?

Response: Dietary supplements are widely used, and our findings highlight the importance of continued monitoring, open communication between patients and clinicians, accessible evidence-based information, and more research to better understand which products may be helpful, which may pose risks, and how they may interact with medications.

The research was led by postdoctoral fellow Chun Sing (Jason) Lam, PhD, who is a member of Dr. Jun J. Mao, MD, MSCE’s lab in the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) Integrative Medicine and Wellness Service. The study’s senior author is Elizabeth Kantor, PhD, MPH, MSK Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics. This work was funded in part through the NIH/NCI Cancer Center Support Grant P30 CA008748, the Laurance S. Rockefeller Fund supporting the MSK Herbal Education and Research in Oncology program, and the Geoffrey Beene Cancer Research Center at MSK. Dr. Jun J. Mao reports receiving grants from Tibet CheeZheng Tibetan Medicine Co Ltd and Zhongke Health International LLC to MSK outside the submitted work. He is a co-founder of Greatly Health. All authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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Last Updated on June 17, 2026 by Marie Benz MD FAAD