Abstract
BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Vitamin and/or mineral supplements are designed to correct micronutrient deficiencies or maintain adequate intake. However, evidence suggests the indiscriminate use of these products, particularly among populations that already meet their micronutrient requirements through diet. This study aims to estimate the prevalence of vitamin and/or mineral supplement use and assess the dietary intake of micronutrients among users and non-users in the Brazilian adult and elderly populations. METHODS: The prevalence of vitamin and/or mineral supplement use was estimated from a sample of 37,364 individuals who participated in the Brazilian National Food Survey, a module of the 2017-2018 Household Budget Survey. The average dietary intake of micronutrients-including calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, copper, zinc, vitamin A, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, cobalamin, pyridoxine, vitamin D, vitamin E, vitamin C, and folate-was calculated for both users and non-users of these supplements, based on 24 h dietary recalls collected during the survey. Analyses of dietary intake were stratified by sex and age group. RESULTS: The estimated overall prevalence of supplement use was 16.0% (95% CI: 15.4-16.6), with a higher prevalence among women (19.5% [95% CI: 18.7-20.5]) and the elderly (27.9% [95% CI: 26.4-29.4]). Women who used vitamin and/or mineral supplements showed higher average intakes for a greater number of dietary micronutrients compared to non-users. CONCLUSIONS: The findings from the analysis of average micronutrient intake from food sources, particularly among women and elderly women who used supplements, support the paradox of the "inverse supplement hypothesis", which suggests that individuals who use dietary supplements are often those with the least need for them.