The American journal of clinical nutrition
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Dietary supplement use is increasingly common in the United States. Multivitamin formulations with or without minerals are typically the most common type of dietary supplement reported in surveys and studies that collect data relating to dietary supplement use. In the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 1999-2000, 52% of adults reported taking a dietary supplement in the past month, and 35% reported regular use of a multivitamin-multimineral (MVMM) product. ⋯ Individuals who use dietary supplements (including MVMM formulations) generally report higher dietary nutrient intakes and healthier diets in studies in which dietary data were also collected. Among adults with a history of breast or prostate cancer, usage rates for dietary supplements in general and MVMMs are considerably higher (eg, 56-57% for MVMMs), and these subgroups are more likely to also report use of single vitamin and mineral supplements. Thus, MVMM use contributes a considerable proportion of nutrient intakes in the United States and may contribute to risk of excessive intakes.