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COLUMBUS, Ohio — More Americans are turning to supplements, from vitamins to probiotics, as part of their daily routines.

But some people have questions about if these products are delivering their promises.

Amy Turturice is a busy woman who prioritizes her health. She said she began taking supplements to benefit her health. 

“In the morning, I take three or four supplements with my coffee. And then in the evening, I take several. In the morning, I take creatine, collagen, sun fiber and then MCT oil sometimes,” said Turturice.

Turturice said she has an integrative medicine doctor through Ohio State University, which is covered by her insurance. 

“I’ve been scheduling appointments with them for probably 10 years, and I just do an annual appointment,” Turturice said.

Like Turturice, many other people are incorporating supplements into their daily routine.

According to a study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 2021, among U.S. adults aged 20 and over, 50% used any dietary supplement in the past 30 days, and use was higher among women than men.

Also, dietary supplement use increased with age and was highest among women aged 60 and over.

The most common types of dietary supplements used by all age groups were multivitamin-mineral supplements, followed by vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acid supplements.

Connor Davis is a resident physician at Dublin Methodist Hospital. He said about one third of their patients are asking about supplements, vitamins and things of that nature. 

“I’m seeing more and more questions about magnesium and its relation to neuro-cognitive health,” Davis said. 

But Davis said there can be risks associated with taking supplements your body doesn’t need. 

“Because even though we’re having over-the-counter supplements or vitamins that are becoming more readily available, that doesn’t mean that they can’t pose some harm or some risk with whatever individuals are already taking as a part of their medical regimen,” Davis said.

“You know, every year when you get your blood drawn, you can see how your body is doing and what it needs more of. I think it’s important to incorporate, you know, either whether it’s your family practice provider or if it’s integrated medicine, just to check to see if it’s working and if you’re balanced. So I guess I would say that when it comes to supplements I still think you need, you know, an MD to, to oversee,” Turturice said.

The Ohio Health physician said if you are wanting to incorporate supplements into your routine, every person is different. He said you need to have a conversation with whoever is in charge of your medical care and then decide if you want to pursue lab work or discuss next steps for your health.