About 8 in 10 Americans take supplements, and many see them as important to their health

(Lisa5201 via Getty Images) About eight-in-ten U.S. adults say they are currently taking at least one supplement for their health, according to a new Pew Research Center survey. And most people who do this say supplements are at least somewhat important to their health. About this research This Pew Research Center analysis explores the types of supplements Americans are taking and how important they feel supplements are to their health. Why did we do this? Pew Research Center does research to help the public, media and decision-makers understand important topics. This research builds on our work studying Americans’ views of medicine and health topics. Learn more about Pew Research Center and our other research on science and society. How did we do this? We surveyed 3,554 U.S. adults from July 6 to 12, 2026. Everyone who took part in this survey is a member of the Center’s American Trends Panel. The survey represents the views of the full U.S. adult population. Before we asked people about supplements, we told them: “In this survey, ‘supplements’ refers to products like vitamins, minerals, herbals, protein powders, melatonin or probiotics that you may take for health reasons. It does not include prescription drugs or over-the-counter drugs like Tylenol.” Here are the survey questions used for this analysis, the detailed responses and the survey methodology. Vitamins and minerals (such as iron, calcium or multivitamins) are by far the most common supplement. Two-thirds of Americans say they are currently taking vitamin or mineral supplements for their health. No more than one-third take each of the other specific types of supplements we asked about: 31% say they are taking protein supplements (such as protein powders, drinks or bars). 25% say they take omega oil supplements (such as omega-3, fish oil or krill oil). 19% say they are taking herbal supplements (such as ashwagandha or ginseng). In addition, 35% say they are taking supplements other than the four types we asked about (such as melatonin or probiotics). Supplements are a booming industry, with an estimated global value of $209.5 billion in 2025. And they’re a common topic of discussion for social media health and wellness influencers, whom Americans are increasingly turning to for information. Older adults are more likely to take supplements Older adults are more likely than younger adults to be taking supplements. Among those ages 65 and older, 85% say they do this, compared with 67% of adults under 30. This gap is largely due to age differences among those who take vitamins or minerals. Most adults 65 and older (81%) take vitamins or minerals, compared with 48% of adults under 30. Older people may need more of some vitamins and minerals, like calcium and vitamin D, than younger folks do. One type of supplement that younger adults are more likely to take? Protein supplements. Roughly a third or more of adults ages 18 to 29 (37%) and 30 to 49 (35%) say they are taking protein supplements. A smaller share of adults 65 and older (23%) say the same. With the rise of “protein maxxing” on social media and updated federal dietary guidelines that emphasize protein, protein marketing and additives are seemingly everywhere. There are smaller differences by age for omega oils, herbals and other supplements. Other demographic differences Women are slightly more likely than men to say they are currently taking supplements (82% vs. 74%). This difference is driven by women being more likely than men to take vitamins or minerals, herbals, and other supplements. Women are also more likely than men to spend money on supplements, and they spend more on healthcare in general. In addition, Asian adults are particularly likely to say they are taking omega oils. Four-in-ten Asian adults say they are taking these kinds of supplements, compared with about a quarter of Hispanic, Black and White adults. Read the table below for more on these detailed breaks. How essential do Americans think supplements are to their health? Whether supplements are beneficial or not has long been debated. Many medical professionals advise caution. In our survey, Americans who take supplements largely see them as at least somewhat important for their health. They’re especially likely to say this about vitamins or minerals. Two-thirds of Americans take vitamins or minerals, and a majority of those who do (62%) say they are extremely or very important to their health. Another 33% who take these supplements say they are somewhat important to their health. Similarly, 63% of those who take omega oils find them extremely or very important to their health. (Adults are much less likely to say they’re currently taking omega oil supplements than vitamin and minerals, though.) Fewer of those who take herbals (51%) or protein supplements (44%) say these things are extremely or very important for their health. Detailed table Note: Here are the survey questions used for this analysis, the detailed responses and the survey methodology. Emma Kikuchi is a research analyst focusing on science and society research at Pew Research Center. Brian Kennedy is a senior researcher focusing on science and society research at Pew Research Center.