About 40% of Americans popped a vitamin or mineral within the past month. The most common vitamins taken include vitamin C, B12, B6, niacin, thiamin, B2, E, A, D and folic acid.

In order to determine how common vitamin and mineral supplementation is in the United States, the researchers looked at the national use of these supplements as reported in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. More than 11,000 respondents reported taking at least one vitamin or mineral supplement within the previous 30 days, a number judged to be equivalent to 40% of the US population. Most common were vitamin-mineral combinations, followed by vitamin-single nutrient combinations and vitamin-multiple nutrient combinations.

In the past few years, folic acid supplements have been encouraged among women of childbearing age to reduce the likelihood of their bearing children with neural tube defects. This study found that women were more likely to take these supplements than men, especially in the childbearing age group of women (20 to 49). The researchers note that Americans spend up to $1.7 billion each year on vitamins and minerals.

Archives of Family Medicine 2000;9:258-262