COVID-19 triggers shift in US supplement intake, suggests CRN survey

30 Sep 2020 --- The percentage of US consumers taking dietary supplements has slightly decreased from 77 percent last year to 73 percent this year. This is according to an annual survey from the Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN), which found that shifts in supplement intake may be attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic.

While vitamins and minerals, as well as supplements for immunity, have seen an uptick, sports nutrition has suffered under the closure of gyms nationwide, according to the 2020 CRN Consumer Survey. 

“More consumers are working from home, avoiding the gym, experiencing shopping restrictions and juggling financial difficulties,” explains Brian Wommack, senior vice president of communications at CRN. 

“So, while we are witnessing dips for niche ingredients and categories, usage is steady among vitamin and mineral supplements, signaling an intensified focus on ingredients to support overall health and wellness,” Wommack adds. 

The CRN’s 2020 survey found that vitamins and minerals continue to be the most frequently mentioned supplement category, with nearly all supplement users reporting usage in the past year (98 percent).

Meanwhile, usage has dipped for the following categories:

• Specialty supplements (46 percent versus 52 percent in 2019).
• Herbals and botanicals (44 percent versus 50 percent in 2019).
• Sports nutrition (30 percent versus 36 percent in 2019). 
• Weight management (19 percent versus 22 percent in 2019).

Despite these small upsets, the trade association does not consider the decrease to be a significant setback when assessing dietary supplement intake over the past five years. 

“When factoring in all survey variations, the ongoing pandemic, and viewing the data in the context of the last recession, (64 percent in 2008 and 65 percent in 2009), four percentage points is not a major decline,” says Chris Jackson, senior vice president of public affairs at the market research company Ipsos, which fielded the survey. 

The COVID-19 survey
A proportion of supplement users in a separate COVID-19 survey also pointed to a dip in overall usage when compared to last year’s consumer survey (76 percent versus 77 percent in 2019).
CRN’s 2020 survey found that vitamins and minerals continue to be the most frequently mentioned supplement category. 

However, among the 43 percent of supplement users who said they changed their supplement routine since the start of the pandemic, 91 percent of this subset mentioned increasing their intake in some way. The reported uptake in the amount of product coincides with increases in sales market data. This includes users who are adding new supplements to their regimen, increasing the dose, frequency of usage, and more, especially in the vitamin and mineral category.

“We’ve witnessed from CRN’s COVID-19 survey that the pandemic has not only encouraged the majority of Americans to be more conscious of their health and wellness, but the crisis has also forced consumers to adapt to the current reality and change some of their previous lifestyle behaviors,” details Wommack. 

Ingredients for immunity
In light of the pandemic, CRN’s 2020 survey takes a closer look at specific ingredients that supplement users are taking to support their immunity, mental health, sleep health and energy.

When it comes to supplements taken for mental and sleep heath, melatonin, magnesium and CBD were among the most popular ingredients. Data also revealed the top three ingredients to support immune health:

• Vitamin C (61 percent).
• Multivitamins (57 percent).
• Vitamin D (47 percent).

Other high-profile immune ingredients like zinc, probiotics and elderberry were also ranked among the top immunity ingredients according to the 2020 survey.

Supplement usage among US consumers remains in the three-quarters range and the most avid user groups are female adults, adults aged over 35, adults with a higher household income and adults with a college degree, the survey reports. 

By Missy Green