A recent survey from ConsumerLab.com, White Plains, NY, showed the most popular dietary supplement, among 9,505 people who use dietary supplements, was vitamin D, followed by fish oil, CoQ10, probiotics, and multivitamins. This solidifies the popularity of vitamin D, which rose to the top spot last year from #4 just two years before. Probiotics, which ranked as #8 two years ago, rose to #5 last year and have now surpassed multivitamins to become the fourth most popular supplement.

The next five most popular supplements remain the same as last year: B vitamins, magnesium, curcumin/turmeric, vitamin C, and calcium, followed by melatonin and protein/nutrition powders and drinks, digestive enzymes and joint supplements (which switched spots), and green tea and zinc (which also switched spots). Among the top 25 supplements, vision support (lutein/zeaxanthin), fiber, vitamin K, and milk thistle rose in popularity, while vitamin E, resveratrol, and flaxseed/plant oils fell.

“The results this year show vitamin D firmly entrenched as the most popular supplement, coinciding with the FDA raising the adult daily requirement (the Daily Value) last year from 400 IU to 800 IU—although tempering this will be increasing evidence that excessive dosing of thousands of IUs daily is counter-productive,” said Tod Cooperman, MD, president of ConsumerLab.com. “Interest in probiotics has continued to strengthen based on studies showing improved immune and gut function, while there is emerging evidence that it is the prebiotic nutrients in foods that are most important to maintaining a healthy gut microbiome, which may be fueling interest in fiber,” he added.

The results are based on responses to the most recent ConsumerLab.com Survey of Vitamin and Supplement Users. The survey is conducted each November among readers of ConsumerLab.com’s semiweekly newsletter. The survey was first conducted in 2002. Respondents are predominantly heavy users of supplements, over 76% of whom report taking at least four different supplements daily and actively seek information about these products.

Respondents also identified where they purchased their supplements and rated the brands and merchants they used. The supplement brands and merchants receiving the highest ratings on overall consumer satisfaction within their specific market segments will be listed on the ConsumerLab.com website.