Most U.S. adults and over a third of children take some form of dietary supplements, a new survey from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found.

The survey, which looked at supplement use in the U.S. from 2017-20, found 58.5% of adults and 34.8% of children used supplements at least once a day. This marks a slight increase in supplement usage in adults from 57.6% in 2017.

Researchers believe that supplement use is going higher in 2023.

According to a study from last year, boosting resistance to COVID-19 was one of the biggest motivators for people taking more supplements.

The supplement market is exceptionally profitable. According to recent estimates, the industry is valued at over $20 billion.

Evidence that supplements and multivitamins make people healthier is limited. According to a Journal of the American Medical Association study from 2022, researchers found little evidence that supplements can prevent serious illnesses like heart disease and cancer.

Research has also uncovered that manufacturers can put new ingredients into supplement products without having them approved by the Food and Drug Administration.

• Vaughn Cockayne can be reached at vcockayne@washingtontimes.com.