Are dietary supplements dangerous? Assessing how society perceives the usage of dietary supplements – results of the preliminary analysis of nationwide survey data

Abstract

Background: Dietary supplements (DSs) are concentrated sources of nutrients and/or other substances, whose purpose is to supplement the normal diet. Their consumption in Poland has been on the rise, leading to numerous concerns. However, current legislation does not provide any background for a relevant pharmacovigilance system. Therefore, little is known about their adverse effects (AEs) or patterns of use in Poland. To shed some light on this, we conducted a nationwide survey. Aim of the study: To assess the prevalence of, and the reasons for, the use of dietary supplements in Poland via national survey with a collection and an analyse of supposed adverse effects of dietary supplements. Material and methods: The study was conducted using an online survey based on the original questionnaire. In this report, we present the results of the analysis of the first 200 responses. Results: As many as 55.5% (111) of respondents were ‘definitely sure’ or ‘rather sure’ about DSs safety. However, 70.5% (141) believed that they could have negative effects. Over 3/4 (153) of respondents used DSs themselves, and 61.0% (122) used them within last 12 months. Of those using DSs, 11.1% (17) reported diverse AEs, with GI tract irritation and mental disturbances being the most common (experienced by 35.3% (6), and 17.6% (3) of those reporting AE s, respectively). Conclusions: Respondents had mixed feelings about DS safety. Despite that, they used these products frequently. Of a note is high incidence of adverse effects experienced by DS users. This undoubtedly points to the need for a relevant pharmacovigilance system.