Americans Are Changing The Way They Supplement — Here's What's Driving It

The supplement aisle has evolved alongside the wellness industry itself. What was once dominated by a handful of familiar vitamins is now filled with products designed to support nearly every aspect of health, from digestion and sleep to muscle recovery, skin health, immunity, and longevity. 

To understand how supplement habits have evolved, researchers turned to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, one of the largest and most representative health surveys in the United States. They analyzed responses from more than 63,000 adults collected between 1999 and 2023, asking participants which supplements they had taken during the previous 30 days.

Overall supplement use increased from 51% to 60%, with the biggest jump occurring after 2010. The increase was especially noticeable among adults over 65, nearly eight in 10 of whom now report taking at least one supplement.

Multivitamin use actually declined over the study period. Meanwhile, individual vitamins and targeted supplements surged.

Vitamin D use increased nearly sixfold. Vitamin K, zinc, turmeric, and omega-3 supplements all became much more common. Researchers also documented rapid growth in products like probiotics, prebiotics, collagen, hyaluronic acid, elderberry, and ashwagandha. Rather than taking one supplement to "cover all the bases," many people now appear to be building supplement routines around very specific goals. Some are focused on immunity. Others are thinking about gut health, skin, joints, longevity, or healthy aging.

That shift reflects a much bigger change in how we think about health. People aren't just buying supplements; they're becoming more engaged with their own health. They're reading labels, learning about ingredients, listening to podcasts, talking with practitioners, and trying to understand how nutrition fits into their specific lifestyle. That curiosity is helping drive the move toward more personalized supplement routines.

The growing interest in personalized wellness also highlights the importance of choosing supplements from trusted brands that prioritize quality testing, transparency, and ingredients backed by research. And whenever possible, it's a good idea to discuss your supplement routine with a healthcare provider, especially if you're taking medications or managing a chronic health condition.

The biggest shift isn't that Americans are taking more supplements. It's that they're becoming more intentional about the ones they choose.