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Survey shows fish oil nearly as popular as multivitamins among supplement users. Most also take calcium and CoQ10 -- ConsumerLab.com publishes 2009 Report on Vitamin & Supplement Users, including top-rated brands and merchants.
WHITE PLAINS, NEW YORK — FEBRUARY 3, 2009 — Among people who use dietary supplements, fish oil supplements are nearly as popular as multivitamins, according to a recent survey by ConsumerLab.com, which also publishes test reports on supplements. The survey is based on responses collected in November from six thousand supplement users who receive the company's e-newsletter.
"We conduct the annual survey to help direct our lab testing toward products of greatest interest to our subscribers; but the survey also yields unparalleled insight into the preferences of people who use supplements and nutritional products," said Tod Cooperman, MD, President of ConsumerLab.com. Among the survey's key findings:
– Multivitamins were used by 73.8% of all respondents, followed in popularity by fish oil (71.6%), calcium (55.3%) and CoQ10 (50.9%) supplements. Among people using ten or more supplements each day, use of fish oil (84.8%) exceeded that of multivitamins (75.5%), and use of CoQ10 (78.9%) exceeded that of calcium (67.6%).
– Use of most supplements increased with age, while use of multivitamins declined slightly. Dramatic increases with age were seen with vitamin D (use increased from 21.0% among those under age 35 to 47.4% among those 65 years and older) and CoQ10 (use increased from 28.8% to 60.1% for the two age groups, respectively).
Ratings were given for 1,087 brands and 380 merchants. Fifty-five brands and 28 merchants received at least one hundred consumer ratings and, among these, the following received the highest overall satisfaction ratings within their market segments.
Top-rated Supplement Brands:
Catalogue/Internet Brand: Puritan's Pride
Direct Selling (MLM) Brand: Nutrilite
Discount/Warehouse Brand: Member's Mark (Sam's Club)
Grocery Store Brand: Equate (Albertson's)
Healthcare Practitioner Brand: Pure Encapsulations
Health Food Store Brand: Barlean's
Mass Market Brand: Nature Made
Pharmacy Brand: CVS
Vitamin Store Brand: Vitamin World
"We conduct the annual survey to help direct our lab testing toward products of greatest interest to our subscribers; but the survey also yields unparalleled insight into the preferences of people who use supplements and nutritional products," said Tod Cooperman, MD, President of ConsumerLab.com. Among the survey's key findings:
– Multivitamins were used by 73.8% of all respondents, followed in popularity by fish oil (71.6%), calcium (55.3%) and CoQ10 (50.9%) supplements. Among people using ten or more supplements each day, use of fish oil (84.8%) exceeded that of multivitamins (75.5%), and use of CoQ10 (78.9%) exceeded that of calcium (67.6%).
– Use of most supplements increased with age, while use of multivitamins declined slightly. Dramatic increases with age were seen with vitamin D (use increased from 21.0% among those under age 35 to 47.4% among those 65 years and older) and CoQ10 (use increased from 28.8% to 60.1% for the two age groups, respectively).
Ratings were given for 1,087 brands and 380 merchants. Fifty-five brands and 28 merchants received at least one hundred consumer ratings and, among these, the following received the highest overall satisfaction ratings within their market segments.
Top-rated Supplement Brands:
Catalogue/Internet Brand: Puritan's Pride
Direct Selling (MLM) Brand: Nutrilite
Discount/Warehouse Brand: Member's Mark (Sam's Club)
Grocery Store Brand: Equate (Albertson's)
Healthcare Practitioner Brand: Pure Encapsulations
Health Food Store Brand: Barlean's
Mass Market Brand: Nature Made
Pharmacy Brand: CVS
Vitamin Store Brand: Vitamin World
Top-rated Supplement Merchants:
Catalogue/Internet: Puritan's Pride
Direct Sales (MLM): Nutrilite
Grocery Store: Trader Joe's
Mass Market: Target
Online Retailer: iherb.com
Pharmacy: Walgreens
Vitamin Store: Vitamin World
Warehouse Store: Costco
A comprehensive eighty-six page report based on the ConsumerLab.com 2009 Survey of Vitamin and Supplement Users is available for purchase. The report analyzes and compares brands on consumers' perceptions of product effectiveness, ingredient quality, product availability and value. It analyzes merchants on consumer satisfaction with product selection, information, prices, and customer service. The report also examines the use of twenty-four specific types of supplements and nutritional products. Results are analyzed by respondent age, gender, and level of supplement use. Custom analyses are also available.
For more information or to purchase the report, go to https://www.consumerlab.com/CLSurveyBrochure2009.pdf or contact Lisa Sabin, Vice President for Business Development, at lisa.sabin@consumerlab.com.
ConsumerLab.com is a leading provider of consumer information and independent evaluations of products that affect health and nutrition. The company is privately held has no ownership from, or interest in, companies that manufacture, distribute, or sell consumer products. Subscription to ConsumerLab.com is available online.
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