Many people may be spending money on food supplements that they do not need, new research from Safefood suggests.

Food supplements play an important role in correcting nutritional deficiencies, maintaining an adequate intake of certain nutrients and supporting specific physiological functions. Current public health guidelines in Ireland focus on food-based recommendations and only advocate the use of food supplements in specific circumstances, such as the use of folic acid before pregnancy and the use of vitamin D during the winter months.

However, despite this, there is growing evidence of widespread use of food supplements across the population, with dietary surveys from Ireland and the UK finding that 20-50% of adults regularly take supplements.

The aim of this research, which was undertaken by Ulster University, was to explore why adults on the island of Ireland may or may not choose to take food supplements. It included a literature review, focus groups and a cross-sectional, representative survey of 2,000 people.

The research found that 48% of adults in Ireland were taking a food supplement, with the majority – 60% - taking vitamin D. Other popular options were multivitamins and minerals (41%) and vitamin C (34%).

Some 47% of parents in the survey reported giving supplements to their children. Parents who used food supplements themselves were 2.4 times more likely to give their child food supplements compared to parents who did not use supplements.

The research also noted that 81% of people use supplements on a daily basis and the most popular place to purchase them is a pharmacy.

Commenting on the findings, Safefood’s director of nutrition, Dr Aileen McGloin, expressed concern that “many people are spending money on supplements they likely don’t need”.

“While it’s encouraging that vitamin D is the most commonly consumed supplement, other multivitamins and mineral options appear to be overconsumed. We would advise people to discuss their diet with a trusted healthcare professional first before spending money on other supplements,” she said.

Meanwhile, the research also indicates that food supplement use may be on the increase among the general adult population. When asked why they purchased, “generally supporting the immune system” was one of the main perceived advantages that emerged from focus groups.

Overall, those most likely to use food supplements were women and those from a higher socioeconomic status. They believed that taking supplements would be beneficial to their health, good for them or that it would be wise to do so.

According to Safefood’s chief specialist in nutrition, Joana De Silva, in most cases, people should consider what foods they are consuming before they consider supplements.

“We know that a healthy balanced diet is the best way to support good health. Excess water-soluble vitamins like vitamin C for example can’t be used and will be eliminated from the body, so in reality, they’re a waste of money. It would be much better for overall health if people were making changes to what they eat rather than taking extra tablets.

“However, if you have a specific medical condition or need to restrict certain foods, then you may need to take supplements. Our advice would be to discuss this with a trusted healthcare professional,” she said.

The report, Food Supplements: Exploring our reasons for taking them, can be viewed here.