Research and analysis of the level of dietary supplement consumption by the population of Ukraine

Abstract

Objective: We evaluated and analyzed the level of dietary supplement (DS) consumption in Ukraine and detected the risks arising with their consumption. Materials and methods: We conducted a questionnaire-based survey on the issue of DS consumption among the residents of the cities of Kyiv, Poltava, Kharkiv and Vyshneve (Kyiv oblast). We analyzed the statistical data on the number of the Ukrainian population, availability of the pharmaceutical facilities in the regions of Ukraine, DS sale volumes and laboratory data, concerning correspondence of DS to the claimed composition of active ingredients. Statistical analysis was carried out with the help of the standard software Microsoft Excel 2007 and STATISTICA 8.0. Results and discussion: The survey allowed us to evaluate the health state of the respondents taking DS, to find out the information concerning recommendations for the application of DS, to detect the ways of the purchase of the product, to identify the risk of poor-quality DS taking. According to the survey results, about 72% of the respondents are taking DS. The survey results indicate that 39% of the respondents, taking DS, are healthy, almost a half of the respondents have insignificant health problems and about 12% of the respondents have serious health problems.79% of the respondents buy DS at the pharmacies, it allow us to conclude that about 59.7 million packagings of DS were consumed in Ukraine in 2019. It has been proved that the provision of the population of Ukraine with pharmacy institutions is even for all regions of Ukraine and, accordingly, the population has the opportunity to purchase necessary DS at the pharmacies. Taking into account the results of the laboratory tests of DS quality, the risks of the consumption of poor-quality DS may be about 9.5% in Ukraine in 2019. The results of the investigations of the control procurement show that given risk may be increased significantly. Conclusions: The level of the consumption of dietary supplements by the Ukrainian population was established. It was found that the most widespread way of DS purchase is a network of pharmacies, but nearly 20% of all respondents, taking DS, purchase them at the web-stores, through network marketing, etc. The similar ways of the purchase cannot be easily tracked and are not under serious control, which creates significant risks of DS falsification, therefore, much attention should be paid to these indicated ways of distribution. It was established that in Ukraine, the probability of the consumption of non-compliant DS might be up to 9.5% (among those who used DS) in 2019. For the safe use of DS by the citizens of Ukraine, it is necessary to have a confirmation of the qualitative and quantitative composition of the active components of DS while conducting their quality and safety control.