Dietary supplement use is widespread in the United States: 60.2% of adults age 20 and older and 35.7% of youth ages 0–19 reported using at least one supplement in the previous 30 days during August 2021–August 2023. These statistics cover adoption, product patterns, market scale and reported safety events, while keeping survey periods, definitions and estimates distinct.
Key Dietary Supplement Statistics
The most broadly useful dietary supplement statistics include:
- 60.2% of U.S. adults age 20 and older used at least one dietary supplement in the previous 30 days during August 2021–August 2023.
- 35.7% of U.S. youth ages 0–19 used at least one dietary supplement in the previous 30 days during August 2021–August 2023.
- 66.1% of U.S. adult women and 53.9% of adult men reported supplement use in the previous 30 days during August 2021–August 2023.
- 75.9% of U.S. adults age 60 and older used a supplement in the previous 30 days during August 2021–August 2023.
- 38.7% of U.S. adults used two or more supplements in the previous 30 days during August 2021–August 2023.
- 11.3% of U.S. youth used two or more supplements in the previous 30 days during August 2021–August 2023.
- Adult supplement use rose from 53.8% to 60.2% between 2013–2014 and August 2021–August 2023 in U.S. adults age 20 and older.
- Youth supplement use changed from 33.1% to 35.7% between 2013–2014 and August 2021–August 2023 in U.S. youth ages 0–19.
- 39.4% of U.S. adults age 60 and older used a multivitamin/mineral supplement in 2017–2018.
- 18.5% of U.S. adults used vitamin D supplements in 2017–March 2020.
- 69.8% of pregnant U.S. women ages 20–40 took a dietary supplement in the 2001–2014 NHANES analysis.
- Global vitamin and dietary supplement retail sales were estimated at US$133.67 billion in 2023.
- U.S. vitamin and dietary supplement retail sales were estimated at US$36.04 billion in 2023.
- The U.S. supplement industry’s reported overall economic impact was $159 billion in 2023.
- More than 615,000 U.S. jobs were supported in the 2023 industry economic-impact analysis.
- An estimated 23,005 U.S. emergency-department visits per year involved supplement adverse events during 2004–2013.
- An estimated 2,154 U.S. hospitalizations per year resulted from supplement adverse events during 2004–2013.
- Weight-loss or energy products caused 71.8% of supplement-related events involving palpitations, chest pain or tachycardia during 2004–2013 in U.S. emergency departments.
Contents
- Dietary supplement use in U.S. youth and adults
- Age and sex trends in dietary supplement use
- Multivitamin, mineral and vitamin D statistics
- Use by income, education and population group
- Industry size, sales and economic impact
- Safety and adverse-event statistics
Dietary Supplement Use in U.S. Youth and Adults
The latest CDC/NCHS estimates measure self-reported use during the previous 30 days, not annual prevalence, dosage or clinical benefit. In August 2021–August 2023, 35.7% of U.S. youth ages 0–19 and 60.2% of U.S. adults age 20 and older used at least one dietary supplement. CDC/NCHS, Dietary Supplement Use: United States, August 2021–August 2023
| Population, United States | Any supplement use | Two or more supplements | Period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Youth ages 0–19 | 35.7% | 11.3% | August 2021–August 2023 |
| Adults age 20+ | 60.2% | 38.7% | August 2021–August 2023 |
The number of products matters because multiple-use statistics count products, not nutrient doses or serving sizes. In the same period, two-or-more use was 5.9% among children ages 0–1, 13.0% among ages 2–11 and 10.5% among ages 12–19; among adults it was 23.4% at ages 20–39 and 56.4% at age 60 and older. CDC/NCHS
Earlier CDC reporting found that in 2017–March 2020, 7.0% of youth and 35.6% of adults used multiple dietary supplements, while 25.0% of adults age 60 and older used four or more. These measures follow that report’s definitions and should not be treated as equivalent to nutrient counts. CDC/NCHS, National Health Statistics Report 183
Age and Sex Trends in Dietary Supplement Use
Age differences are substantial in the August 2021–August 2023 survey. Any use was 28.6% for youth ages 0–1, 41.9% for ages 2–11 and 30.1% for ages 12–19; among adults, it was 46.3% at ages 20–39, 60.3% at ages 40–59 and 75.9% at age 60 and older. CDC/NCHS
Adult use also differed by sex: 66.1% of women and 53.9% of men reported any supplement use. The CDC table identifies this difference as statistically significant, but the figures remain self-reported 30-day prevalence. CDC/NCHS
| U.S. population | 2013–2014 | August 2021–August 2023 |
|---|---|---|
| Youth ages 0–19, any use | 33.1% | 35.7% |
| Youth ages 0–19, two or more | 6.4% | 11.3% |
| Adults age 20+, any use | 53.8% | 60.2% |
| Adults age 20+, two or more | 30.9% | 38.7% |
These are survey-cycle comparisons rather than individual follow-up. CDC found no significant change in youth any-use across the cited cycles, while the product-count measure rose from 6.4% to 11.3%; neither result measures dose or product quality. CDC/NCHS
In 2017–March 2020, adult use was 58.5%, compared with 35.7% among youth. By sex, the adult estimates were 51.5% for men and 65.0% for women; by age, they were 44.5% at ages 20–39, 58.8% at ages 40–59 and 74.3% at age 60 and older. CDC/NCHS
Multivitamin, Mineral and Vitamin D Supplement Statistics
The NIH Office of Dietary Supplements defines an MVM for its fact sheet as a product containing at least three vitamins and at least one mineral. Under that definition, 2017–2018 MVM use among U.S. adults was 24.0% at ages 20–39, 29.8% at ages 40–59 and 39.4% at age 60 and older. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements
Among U.S. children, MVM use in 2017–2018 was 11.0% up to age 2, 34.6% at ages 2–5, 29.5% at ages 6–11 and 17.3% at ages 12–19. These age bands and the definition are source-specific. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements
| U.S. group | MVM use | Period |
|---|---|---|
| Adults age 19+ | 31.2% | 2011–2014 |
| Women age 19+ | 34.0% | 2011–2014 |
| Men age 19+ | 28.3% | 2011–2014 |
| Adults age 60+ | 39.4% | 2017–2018 |
The earlier 2011–2014 analysis reported MVM use of 19.5% for men and 26.1% for women ages 19–30; 25.1% and 33.0% for men and women ages 31–50; 34.5% and 36.2% at ages 51–70; and 40.9% and 44.0% at age 71 and older. These estimates describe the previous 30 days and are not directly interchangeable with later age-20+ estimates. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements
In 2017–March 2020, MVM use was about one-quarter of youth and one-third of adults, while vitamin D use was 3.0% of youth and 18.5% of adults. Among users, 44.9% of youth and 63.7% of adults reported taking an MVM all 30 days; for vitamin D, the corresponding figures were 33.9% and 66.9%. CDC/NCHS
Dietary Supplement Use by Income, Education and Population Group
The supplied national estimates show important population differences, but the cited facts here do not provide a complete income-by-education table. A notable subgroup estimate found that 69.8% of pregnant U.S. women ages 20–40 took a dietary supplement in a 2001–2014 NHANES analysis of 1,003 women, mostly involving prenatal MVM use. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements
Historical calcium-containing supplement data also illustrate why subgroup definitions and dates matter. Among U.S. women age 60 and older, use rose from 28% in 1988–1994 to 61% in 2003–2006; the detailed discussion included supplements and antacids containing calcium. CDC/NCHS, Dietary Supplement Use Among U.S. Adults Has Increased Since NHANES III
| U.S. subgroup | Earlier period | Later period |
|---|---|---|
| Non-Hispanic White women age 60+, calcium-containing use | 58.9% (1999–2002) | 65.7% (2003–2006) |
| Mexican-American women age 60+, calcium-containing use | 39.5% (1999–2002) | 52.3% (2003–2006) |
These historical subgroup estimates are not current prevalence and should not be merged with the newer all-supplement estimates. Survey results can also be affected by recall, social-desirability bias, nonresponse and changing product definitions. CDC/NCHS
Dietary Supplement Industry Size, Sales and Economic Impact
Market figures and economic-impact figures describe different scopes. The Government of Canada report estimated global vitamin and dietary supplement retail sales at US$133.67 billion in 2023, compared with US$101.54 billion in 2018, and reported a 5.7% 2018–2023 CAGR. Government of Canada
| Market measure | Estimate or forecast | Period and geography |
|---|---|---|
| Global retail sales | US$133.67 billion | 2023, global |
| U.S. retail sales | US$36.04 billion | 2023, United States |
| Global retail sales | US$141.16 billion | 2024 forecast, global |
| Global retail sales | US$173.02 billion | 2028 forecast, global |
The same report forecasts global retail sales of US$141.16 billion in 2024 and US$173.02 billion in 2028, with a 5.3% CAGR for 2023–2028. For the United States, estimated retail sales were US$29.28 billion in 2018 and US$36.04 billion in 2023, with a reported 4.2% CAGR through 2023; these are market-series estimates, not observed outcomes. Government of Canada
In the Philippines in 2023, vitamins represented US$328.4 million and 40.9% of the category mix, while dietary supplements represented US$286.0 million and 35.7%. These are retail-value estimates using the report’s market taxonomy. Government of Canada
Separately, an industry-funded John Dunham and Associates analysis reported a $159 billion overall U.S. economic impact in 2023, more than 615,000 jobs, $6.76 billion in state and local taxes and $10.7 billion in federal taxes. The impact total is broader than retail sales and is an estimate, not a federal tax filing total. Council for Responsible Nutrition
Dietary Supplement Safety and Adverse-Event Statistics
FDA-supported national surveillance estimated 23,005 U.S. emergency-department visits per year and 2,154 hospitalizations per year for dietary-supplement adverse events during 2004–2013. The estimates were based on 3,667 cases from 63 emergency departments, with a 95% confidence interval of 1,342–2,967 for hospitalizations, so they do not represent all adverse events or incidence among all users. FDA publication record
After excluding unsupervised child ingestion, herbal or complementary nutritional products accounted for 65.9% of single-supplement adverse-event visits and micronutrients for 31.8%. Weight-loss products were implicated in 25.5% and products marketed for increased energy in 10.0% of these visits. FDA publication record
The symptom-specific results show why conditional percentages need careful interpretation. Weight-loss or energy products caused 71.8% of supplement-related events involving palpitations, chest pain or tachycardia, and people ages 20–34 accounted for 58.0% of those symptom-cluster events. FDA publication record
Among adults age 65 and older, choking, pill-induced dysphagia or globus caused 37.6% of supplement-related emergency visits. Micronutrients were implicated in 83.1% of supplement-related choking or pill-swallowing visits in that age group; both figures are conditional on the specified visit categories. FDA publication record