Most mothers seem to have their go-to remedies for preventing and treating illness in their families, such as vitamin C pills, echinacea tea, or in my family’s case, elderberry. But do these things really work? It can be hard to tell, but the supplement manufacturers selling these products don’t care as long as the consumers think they work and encourage others to try the products as well.

A Growing, Yet Controversial, Industry

The use of dietary supplements, including vitamins, minerals, teas, and herbs, has increased in popularity over the past two decades as a way for people to maintain and enhance their health. According to the CDC, 58% of US adults report using a dietary supplement within the last thirty days. Interestingly, consumption is highest among women, with 64% reporting use compared to 51% of men (Mishra, et al., 2021). The most popular of these supplements tend to be echinacea and vitamin D, which people take for both preventative and treatment purposes (Ventola, 2010).

Despite the supplement industry’s perceived connection to the medical field, many of the available products lack scientific backing for their claims, leaving the consumer with no proof that the product actually improves their health. The FDA’s regulation of dietary supplements is limited, so product labels can get away with false claims or inaccurate ingredients (Hopp and Shurtleff, 2019). This can have disastrous effects which most customers are unaware of. An estimated 23,000 emergency room visits a year in the US are related to dietary supplement use (Hopp and Shurtleff, 2019). This danger is often unseen, as words like “natural” and “plant-based” convince people that these products are healthy.

Due to this lack of research and the risks of use, many doctors feel undereducated about supplement health outcomes and do not recommend them to patients (Ventola, 2010). And yet, patients are more interested in using supplements than ever. In fact, the lack of medical oversight encourages people to investigate the products for themselves.

Why Do Women Use Supplements?

In an increasingly health-conscious society, the supplement industry acts as a parallel market to the traditional medical field, providing women with a sense of control over familial health outcomes. By handing over control of what products and dosages customers use, the supplement industry encourages a sense of agency, which especially appeals to women who wish to fulfil their societally expected roles as caregivers (Nitcher and Thompson, 2006). Women are more likely to take an active role in healthcare decisions for their family and friends, and supplements provide an easy and seemingly affordable way to do this (Marimuthu, 2019).

“Have You Tried…?”

Without traditional medical advice and added pressure to be seen as competent caretakers, women rely on recommendations from family and friends to judge the efficacy of these products (Nitcher and Thompson, 2006). For example, when a mother gives her child a vitamin C product that claims to boost cold and flu immunity, and the child does not get sick, she may attribute that to the product, making her more likely to buy it again and tell others in her social circle about it. Then these others are more likely to try the supplement (Marimuthu, 2019). This product proceeds to spread throughout these social networks, whether the supplement is responsible for the perceived results or not.

How Does the Supplement Industry Capitalize on these Networks?

Through the power of the testimonial, the supplement industry’s products come across as more trustworthy than traditional advertisements. Most people are wary of the claims they see in ads or online (Nitcher and Thompson, 2006). However, hearing that it works from someone they know is very effective. Consumers are inclined to trust their social network, so they are more likely to believe these testimonials (Nitcher and Thompson, 2006). These products then spread despite distrust in advertisers or apprehension about the lack of scientific backing. Additionally, this social element allows women to identify with the modern wellness culture, linking an aspect of their identity to supporting the commodity cure (Nitcher and Thompson, 2006). This directly benefits the supplement industry, adding to the societal pressure to take action in one’s health journey while also providing a commercial, informal solution for customers.

Who and What to Trust

With so many sources of information, it can be difficult to know what supplements to take or avoid. One important step in providing the public with reliable information would be for medical institutions to conduct more scientific research on prominent dietary supplements and their possible effects. This would allow doctors to be more educated on supplements and begin to close the gap between doctors and their patients on this subject. Federal intervention in the regulation of supplements should also be stricter, as this could help prevent the supplement industry’s unproven, yet profitable, claims.

Scientific Sources on Dietary Supplements

While the internet contains a wealth of misinformation, there are some sources that have made it their mission to provide the public with accurate information on the available scientific research regarding certain supplements:

• https://www.fda.gov/food/dietary-supplement-products-ingredients/dietary-supplement-ingredient-advisory-list
• https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/know-science
• https://examine.com/

References

Hopp, Craig D., and David Shurtleff. 2019. “Using Dietary Supplements Wisely.” National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. Retrieved October 10, 2022 (https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/using-dietary-supplements-wisely)

Marimuthu, Malliga. 2019. “Young mothers’ acceptance of herbal food supplements: Centered on preventative health behavior for children.” Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services 51. Retrieved October 10, 2022. (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretconser.2019.06.019)

Mishrea, Suruchi., Bryan Stierman., Jamie J. Gahche., and Nancy Potischman. 2021. “Dietary Supplement Use Among Adults: United States.” Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved October 10, 2022. (https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db399.htm#Key_findings)

Nichter, Mark, and Jennifer J. Thompson. 2006. “For My Wellness, Not just My Illness: North Americans’ use of Dietary Supplements.” Culture, Medicine and Psychiatry 30(2). Retrieved September 28, 2022 (https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-journals/my-wellness-not-just-illness-north-americans-use/docview/229983456/se-2).

Rodrigues, Carla F., Noemia Lopes, and Anita Hardon. 2019. “Beyond health: medicines, food supplements, energetics and the commodification of self-performance in Maputo.” Sociology of Health and Illness 41(6). Retrieved September 28, 2022 (https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1467-9566.12880).

Ventola, Lee C. 2010. “Current Issues Regarding Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) in the United States.” Pharmacy and Therapeutics 35(8). Retrieved September 28, 2022 (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2935644/).