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Vitamin D Supplements Maintain Top Spot in Popularity, as Probiotics Surpass Multivitamins to #4 Behind Fish Oil and CoQ10 in Latest ConsumerLab.com Survey
White Plains, New York, February 24, 2017 — A recent survey of over 9,505 people who use dietary supplements shows the most popular dietary supplement to be vitamin D, followed by fish oil, CoQ10, probiotics, and multivitamins. This solidifies the popularity of vitamin D, which rose to the top spot last year from #4 just two years before. Probiotics, which ranked as #8 two years ago, rose to #5 last year and have now surpassed multivitamins to become the fourth most popular supplement.
The next five most popular supplements remain the same as last year: B vitamins, magnesium, curcumin/turmeric, vitamin C, and calcium, followed by melatonin and protein/nutrition powders and drinks, digestive enzymes and joint supplements (which switched spots), and green tea and zinc (which also switched spots). Among the top 25 supplements, vision support (lutein/zeaxanthin), fiber, vitamin K, and milk thistle rose in popularity, while vitamin E, resveratrol, and flaxseed/plant oils fell.
"The results this year show vitamin D firmly entrenched as the most popular supplement, coinciding with the FDA raising the adult daily requirement (the Daily Value) last year from 400 IU to 800 IU — although tempering this will be increasing evidence that excessive dosing of thousands of IUs daily is counter-productive," said Tod Cooperman, M.D., President of ConsumerLab.com. "Interest in probiotics has continued to strengthen based on studies showing improved immune and gut function, while there is emerging evidence that it is the prebiotic nutrients in foods that are most important to maintaining a healthy gut microbiome, which may be fueling interest in fiber," he added.
The results are based on responses to the most recent ConsumerLab.com Survey of Vitamin and Supplement Users. The Survey is conducted each November among readers of ConsumerLab.com's semiweekly newsletter. The Survey was first conducted in 2002. Respondents are predominantly heavy users of supplements, over 76% of whom report taking at least four different supplements daily and actively seek information about these products.
Respondents also identified where they purchased their supplements and rated the brands and merchants they used. The supplement brands and merchants receiving the highest ratings on overall consumer satisfaction within their specific market segments are listed here.
"We began the annual survey to direct our product testing toward supplement categories and brands of greatest interest to ConsumerLab.com members," noted Dr. Cooperman. "It has evolved into an excellent barometer of the nutrition marketplace."
For more information about the survey or to purchase the full survey report, go to https://www.consumerlab.com/reports/CLSurveyBrochure2017.pdf or contact Lisa Sabin, Vice President for Business Development, at lisa.sabin@consumerlab.com.
Founded in 1999, ConsumerLab.com is a leading provider of consumer information and independent evaluations of products that affect health and nutrition. Membership to ConsumerLab.com is available online and provides immediate access to reviews of more than 1,000 products from over 400 brands. The company is privately held and based in Westchester, New York. It has no ownership from, or interest in, companies that manufacture, distribute, or sell consumer products.
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The next five most popular supplements remain the same as last year: B vitamins, magnesium, curcumin/turmeric, vitamin C, and calcium, followed by melatonin and protein/nutrition powders and drinks, digestive enzymes and joint supplements (which switched spots), and green tea and zinc (which also switched spots). Among the top 25 supplements, vision support (lutein/zeaxanthin), fiber, vitamin K, and milk thistle rose in popularity, while vitamin E, resveratrol, and flaxseed/plant oils fell.
"The results this year show vitamin D firmly entrenched as the most popular supplement, coinciding with the FDA raising the adult daily requirement (the Daily Value) last year from 400 IU to 800 IU — although tempering this will be increasing evidence that excessive dosing of thousands of IUs daily is counter-productive," said Tod Cooperman, M.D., President of ConsumerLab.com. "Interest in probiotics has continued to strengthen based on studies showing improved immune and gut function, while there is emerging evidence that it is the prebiotic nutrients in foods that are most important to maintaining a healthy gut microbiome, which may be fueling interest in fiber," he added.
The results are based on responses to the most recent ConsumerLab.com Survey of Vitamin and Supplement Users. The Survey is conducted each November among readers of ConsumerLab.com's semiweekly newsletter. The Survey was first conducted in 2002. Respondents are predominantly heavy users of supplements, over 76% of whom report taking at least four different supplements daily and actively seek information about these products.
Respondents also identified where they purchased their supplements and rated the brands and merchants they used. The supplement brands and merchants receiving the highest ratings on overall consumer satisfaction within their specific market segments are listed here.
"We began the annual survey to direct our product testing toward supplement categories and brands of greatest interest to ConsumerLab.com members," noted Dr. Cooperman. "It has evolved into an excellent barometer of the nutrition marketplace."
For more information about the survey or to purchase the full survey report, go to https://www.consumerlab.com/reports/CLSurveyBrochure2017.pdf or contact Lisa Sabin, Vice President for Business Development, at lisa.sabin@consumerlab.com.
Founded in 1999, ConsumerLab.com is a leading provider of consumer information and independent evaluations of products that affect health and nutrition. Membership to ConsumerLab.com is available online and provides immediate access to reviews of more than 1,000 products from over 400 brands. The company is privately held and based in Westchester, New York. It has no ownership from, or interest in, companies that manufacture, distribute, or sell consumer products.
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