Dietary Supplements Index

CHPA’s Dietary Supplement Index (DSX) is a data-driven tool to help CHPA educate legislators, policymakers, and other stakeholders on the value of dietary supplements in health care systems. The DSX collates market data, geographic/demographic data, government data about health status, and nutrition along with periodic consumer surveys to identify trends and insights in the dietary supplement marketplace.  

Objectives 

• To provide a platform for increased awareness and use of dietary supplements  

• To persuade health insurers, large employers, and benefits consultants to include dietary supplements in benefits/plan designs 

• To encourage healthcare providers to recommend dietary supplements to patients 

• To promote favorable news coverage about the safety and benefits of dietary supplements 

Foundational Themes 

Consumers, health insurers, employers, and primary care providers are increasingly recognizing the value of preventive health and wellbeing.  

Dietary supplements are cost-effective front-line mechanisms for supporting overall health and wellness, as well as for augmenting management of certain health conditions. 

DSX Methodology 

Using SPINS, a leading wellness-focused data, analytics, and technology provider in the U.S., as its primary source, the DSX is a score reflecting dietary supplement category/subcategory unit sales for a period (quarter/year). The baseline score is “100” for 2019 in each category and subcategory based on pre-pandemic sales. 

The DSX looks at dietary supplements in primary categories including General Health (Amino/Antioxidant Supplements, Bone & Joint Supplements, Children’s Supplements, Energy Supplements, Herbal Singles A to Z, Organ, Reproductive Supplements, Stress/Anxiety, Superfood & Whole Food Supplements, Multivitamins & Minerals, and Single Letter Vitamins), Brain Health, Digestive Health, Heart Health, Immunity, and Sleep.  

The DSX score can be calculated at a county, state, or regional level and comparisons can be made across demographics. Changes in DSX score can be further elucidated by overlaying the DSX with other public data sources that include, the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Center's for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), and others. 

Initial Key Findings

Between 2019 and 2021, the overall DSX score increased nationally in every category, but growth was led by sleep, immunity, and brain health. During the global pandemic, consumers initially focused on immunity to help themselves stay healthy during COVID-19. But as more variants emerged in 2021, consumer interest shifted to brain and sleep supplements to address stress resulting from the ongoing pandemic, while immunity supplements fell slightly. 

Notably, the spike in immunity and brain products mirrors two significant trends: increased public attention to COVID-19, increased public anxiety about the economy, and complications from work-at-home requirements. Those hardest hit by these were working age adults, especially those in urban settings.  

Future of the DSX 

CHPA intends to use the DSX to shape conversations with policymakers, providers, and insurers by identifying key trends and underlying factors that drive changes in dietary supplement use. Targeted reports will be developed to enhance stakeholder conversations and increase the credibility and visibility of supplements as part of the future of healthcare.