Use of dietary supplements and OTC products in the era of COVID-19

Abstract

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, use of OTCs to manage COVID-19–related symptoms increased along with people's interest in using dietary supplements. Many people became interested in the use of dietary supplements to boost their immune system or even as a means to prevent or treat COVID-19 infections. According to a study on market trends for dietary supplement and nutraceuticals, sales in dietary supplements increased by 5% ($345 million) from 2018 to 2019.1 However, in the 6 weeks before April 5, 2020—the first wave of the pandemic in the United States—sales of dietary supplements increased 44% ($435 million) relative to the same period the previous year.