Background/Purpose
While dietary supplements (DSs) are currently a multi-billion dollar business in the US, preliminary research suggests that consumers know little about their regulation. DSs contain a vitamin, mineral, herb, amino acid, or other botanical and are intended to complement one's diet. The purpose of this study was to examine the knowledge of DS regulation and DS use among college students.
Method
Participants were 377 college students at a large, public university. Each was asked to respond to the 27-item Dietary Supplement Knowledge Questionnaire.
Analysis/Results
Subjects indicated moderate knowledge about DS regulation. The average knowledge of DS regulation was 10.71 (SD=2.07) out of 15. Participants most frequently missed questions related to “a DS label is a 100% true and accurate indicator of the contents of the product” (75.1% missed), whether DSs are “regulated by the FDA” (53.5% missed), and DSs are “not intended to treat, cure, mitigate, or prevent any disease” (53.2% missed). Just over one-third (35.5%) of the participants reported currently consuming supplements with 23.3% reporting that a physician recommend the use of DSs. Multivitamins and specific vitamins (C, B, and D) were the most frequently reported DSs used (85%) followed by muscle building products such as protein powders and creatine (10%). Most users of the muscle building products were males (98%) who received information about such products from their friends.
Conclusions
Educational efforts to teach college students about proper nutrition and the dangers of the overuse of DSs should be employed. Additionally, males should be instructed on the proper use of DSs.