78% Say they take vitamins daily

Vitamins are an essential part of disease prevention and overall health for the human body. And while, the most sure and adequate way to get our vitamins is in the foods we eat, millions of people choose to take supplemental vitamins to make sure they are getting what they need. Although consumers don’t seem to want to give up their supplements, many scientific studies keep producing evidence that they are not a reliable source. In early December, SupermarketGuru.com ran a story highlighting the many studies that have shown vitamins to not be as reliable as the millions of Americans that take them believe they are. In a related quick poll, we surveyed our readers to find out what percentage take vitamins and why they put their faith in them. Here are the results:

Vitamins are an essential part of disease prevention and overall health for the human body. And while, the most sure and adequate way to get our vitamins is in the foods we eat, millions of people choose to take supplemental vitamins to make sure they are getting what they need.  Although consumers don’t seem to want to give up their supplements, many scientific studies keep producing evidence that they are not a reliable source.

In early December, SupermarketGuru.com ran a story highlighting the many studies that have shown vitamins to not be as reliable as the millions of Americans that take them believe they are. In a related quick poll, we surveyed our readers to find out what percentage take vitamins and why they put their faith in them. Here are the results:

When asked, “Do you take vitamin supplements?,” 78 percent answered that they take them “daily”, 17 percent said “sometimes”, and only six percent answered “never”. When asked what kinds of vitamins our readers take (choosing all that apply), 80 percent take a multivitamin, 42 percent take some other kind of vitamin, 39 percent take Vitamin C, 33 percent take Vitamin D, 32 percent take Vitamin B, 24 percent take Vitamin E, and 10 percent take Vitamin A.

We also asked our readers, why they take vitamin supplements (choosing all that apply). Fifty percent said, ”I have read or heard about the benefits of taking vitamins,” and 48 percent said, “I feel overall healthier when I take vitamins.” Another 42% said, “I don't eat enough of the right foods to get the vitamins I need”, and 26% said, “My doctor recommended that I take certain ones.”

When asked to respond the statement, “I believe that vitamin supplements are not necessary with proper nutrition,” 53 percent said they disagree, and 47 percent said they agree. In addition, when asked to respond to the statement, “I do not need to take supplements because I get all of the vitamins I need from the foods I eat,” 68% said no, 23 percent said not sure, and seven percent said yes.