Table 3 Pharmacists’ self-reported reasons for using herbal and other dietary supplements
From: How do pharmacists use and recommend vitamins, minerals, herbals and other dietary supplements?
Item | Ever used N (%) | General health and wellness N (%) | Treat a specific disease N (%) | Improve physical health N (%) | Improve mental ability or memory N (%) | Suggested by healthcare professional N (%) | Suggested by family, friend or co-worker N (%) | Others N (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cinnamon | 53 (8) | 26 (49) | 32 (60) | 3 (5) | 2 (2) | 2 (2) | 3 (3) | 15 (28) |
Chondroitin | 135 (21) | 42 (31) | 81 (60) | 42 (30) | 0 | 19 (14) | 8 (6) | 16 (12) |
Coenzyme Q10 | 123 (19) | 87 (71) | 24 (20) | 23 (18) | 10 (8) | 25 (20) | 3 (2) | 17 (14) |
Cranberry | 70 (11) | 18 (26) | 53 (76) | 2 (3) | 0 | 8 (11) | 1 (1) | 21 (30) |
Creatine | 60 (9) | 13 (22) | 0 | 65 (58) | 0 | 1 (2) | 3 (5) | 12 (20) |
Echinacea | 141 (22) | 49 (35) | 91 (65) | 0 | 1 (1) | 7 (5) | 15 (11) | 22 (16) |
Ephedra | 29 (5) | 5 (17) | 8 (28) | 10 (27) | 5 (17) | 1 (3) | 1 (3) | 14 (48) |
Fiber/Psyllium | 230 (53) | 96 (42) | 136 (59) | 3 (1) | 0 | 32 (14) | 2 (1) | 20 (9) |
FishOil/Omega-3 | 322 (65) | 227 (71) | 87 (27) | 23 (5) | 31 (10) | 57 (18) | 9 (3) | 34 (7) |
Flaxseed Oil | 111 (35) | 90 (81) | 22 (20) | 9 (5) | 8 (7) | 15 (14) | 3 (3) | 20 (17) |
Garlic | 44 (25) | 30 (68) | 18 (41) | 3 (7) | 1 (2) | 1 (2) | 2 (5) | 17 (39) |
Ginseng | 54 (26) | 31 (57) | 5 (9) | 15 (24) | 20 (37) | 0 | 2 (4) | 18 (24) |
Glucosamine | 150 (40) | 50 (33) | 85 (57) | 60 (27) | 0 | 11 (7) | 7 (5) | 11 (7) |
Green Coffee Bean Extract | 49 (25) | 22 (45) | 12 (24) | 10 (20) | 3 (6) | 2 (4) | 3 (5) | 14 (29) |
Green Tea | 54 (26) | 31 (57) | 10 (19) | 19 (28) | 10 (19) | 2 (4) | 3 (6) | 15 (28) |
Melatonin | 180 (45) | 0 | 119 (66) | 4 (2) | 5 (3) | 18 (10) | 11 (6) | 46 (26) |
Probiotic | 233 (53) | 153 (66) | 103 (44) | 7 (3) | 2 (1) | 0 | 26 (11) | 21 (11) |
Saw Palmetto | 36 (23) | 17 (47) | 18 (50) | 0 | 0 | 2 (6) | 5 (14) | 8 (22) |
Senna | 98 (33) | 21 (21) | 69 (70) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 (15) | 18 (17) |
Soy Isoflavones | 22 (21) | 13 (59) | 11 (50) | 3 (14) | 2 (9) | 0 | 1 (5) | 11 (41) |
St. John’s Wort | 23 (22) | 7 (30) | 12 (52) | 0 | 6 (26) | 1 (4) | 4 (17) | 7 (30) |