Health professionals

Health professionals comprise another large group of dietary supplement users. Doctors, nurses, dietitians, and pharmacists tend to use dietary supplements more frequently than the general public, and they choose dietary supplements according to specific health concerns. One survey of about 4500 female physicians found that half took a multivitamin; those who were at high risk for heart disease were more likely to use antioxidants, and those with a family history of osteoporosis were nearly three times more likely to regularly use a calcium supplement. Among almost 200 cardiologists surveyed in the late 1990s, 44 percent routinely took antioxidants. Within this group, 90 percent took vitamin E, 75 percent took vitamin C, and less than half took beta-carotene.