Feb. 01--Move over, multivitamins. Fish oil has become the most popular dietary supplement in the country, according to a new survey.
The survey, conducted among 6,000 Americans who take dietary supplements, found that fish oil was the most popular supplement, followed by multivitamins, vitamin D, calcium and CoQ10.
While multivitamin use has steadily declined since 2008, use of vitamin D has jumped 52 percent in the past two years -- up from 36.9 percent of those surveyed in 2008 to 56.2 percent in 2010.
Fish oil was used by 75 percent of the people surveyed.
The survey, conducted by ConsumerLab.com, is based on a sampling of subscribers to the company's free newsletter. Most of those in the survey reported using multiple supplements.
Among the 2010 survey's other key findings:
-- Women were much more likely than men to take vitamin D, calcium or probiotics. Men were more likely than women to take coQ10, herbs and extracts, glucosamine/chondroitin, vitamin E, resveratrol, amino acids, nutrition drinks and powders, and several other supplements.
-- Younger adults were more likely to have used a multivitamin than older adults: 73 percent of those aged 35 to 44 used a multivitamin, compared to 67.9 percent aged 75 to 84. Younger adults also were more likely than older adults to have used amino acids, nutrition /protein drinks and powders, green tea, nutrition bars, iron and several other supplements.
-- Older adults were more likely than younger adults to have used vitamin D, calcium, CoQ10, vitamin C, vitamin E, resveratrol, vitamin K and red yeast rice. For example, 64.9 percent of those aged 75 to 84 used vitamin D, compared to 48 percent of those 35 to 44.
-- Calcium was the fourth most popular supplement, used by 55.3 percent of respondents, up from 51.2 percent last year.
-- Use of CoQ10, the fifth most popular supplement, fell in use from 55 to 53 percent of respondents.
-- Other than among the top five supplements, the largest changes since 2009 in the use of the other 26 types of supplements covered in the survey were the decrease in herbs and extracts (down from 44 to 37.6 percent) and glucosamine/chondroitin (down from 38.5 to 35.3 percent).
Linda Shrieves can be reached at lshrieves@orlandosentinel.com or 407-420-5433.
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