WASHINGTON—More than three-quarters of U.S. physicians (79 percent) and nurses (82 percent) recommend dietary supplements to their patients, and a similar number—72 percent of physicians and 89 percent of nurses—personally use dietary supplements regularly, occasionally or seasonally, according to new findings from the Life…supplemented Healthcare Professionals (HCP) Impact Study, supported by the Council for Responsible Nutrition (www.CRNusa.org).
“This survey, which is a first for our industry, shows that health care professionals believe dietary supplements are part of a healthy lifestyle,” said Steve Mister, president and CEO, CRN. “Not only are they taking supplements for their own benefit, but they’re also recommending them to their patients. The approval of our products from reputable, respectable health care professionals, such as doctors and nurses, should be encouraging to consumers who already incorporate supplements into their wellness routine, and a wake-up call to those who haven’t yet started to do so.”
The study found almost half of physicians and nurses who take supplements most often do so for “overall health/wellness benefits,” while 41 percent of physicians and 62 percent of nurses who recommend supplements most often do so for the same reasons. Almost three quarters of physicians (72 percent) and even more nurses (87 percent) reported they personally ask their patients about their use of dietary supplements. Also, 40 percent of physicians and 43 percent of nurses report that when discussing supplements with their patients, they, not their patients, are the ones who bring up the subject most often.
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