Consumption of plant food supplements in the Netherlands

Abstract

The use of food supplements containing herbs or other botanical ingredients (plant food supplements, PFS) is on the rise. In some cases, PFS can contain compounds that are toxic and may pose a health risk. To assess the potential health risks, information on the consumption of PFS is required, however, this was lacking for the Netherlands. In the current study, the consumption of PFS was investigated for several subgroups in the Dutch population, including children. Data from the Dutch National Food Consumption Surveys were used to get a first impression on the consumption of PFS. To obtain more detailed information, a specific PFS consumption survey was performed using online questionnaires. First, a screening survey was performed among a representative sample of 75 100 adults and children of the Dutch population, followed by a main survey among 739 selected PFS users in eight different age and gender subgroups. The prevalence of PFS users in the Dutch population was approximately 10% for men, 17% for women and 13% for children. A wide variety of PFS was used, with around 600 different PFS reported, containing 345 different botanicals. The most frequently used botanicals were echinacea (Echinacea purpurea), ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba), cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon), ginseng (Panax ginseng) and algae (such as species belonging to the genus Spirulina or Chlorella). Because PFS are widely used in the Dutch population, it is important to evaluate the potential risks associated with PFS consumption in the Netherlands, including potential herb-drug interactions. The data collected in this study are of great value to assess these risks.

Dietary supplement use in elementary school children: a Japanese web-based survey

“…Botanical supplements are a major NVNM supplement used around the world [ 20 , 30 , 39 , 40 ]. Echinacea is the most common botanical supplement in Western countries [ 20 , 30 , 39 ]. Echinacea , also known as coneflower, of family Astraceae , is endemic to North America and is a known immunostimulant and widely used as a dietary supplement in North America and Europe [ 41 ].…”

“…Botanical supplements are a major NVNM supplement used around the world [20,30,39,40]. Echinacea is the most common botanical supplement in Western countries [20,30,39].…”

Herbal supplements in the print media: communicating benefits and risks

“…The food supplement market emerged from the global recession relatively unscathed [1]; in 2015 it was worth €7.2 billon to the European economy, a figure expected to grow to €7.9 billion by 2020 [2]. Food Supplements based on botanical ingredients like echinacea, valerian or gingko, comprise its second largest segment after vitamins and minerals and are typically used by around 20% of consumers in developed nations [3, 4].…”

Herb–Drug Interaction in Inflammatory Diseases: Review of Phytomedicine and Herbal Supplements

“…The ten species mentioned most often (by at least 102 participants or 3.5%) were ginkgo, evening primrose, artichoke, ginseng, aloe vera, fennel, valerian, soybean, lemon balm, and echinacea. A more recent survey of plant food supplement use (excluding herbal medicines), among 1230 participants, was published by Jeurissen et al [ 9 ]. They found that products of a great variety of species (>100) were used with echinacea (14.2%), ginkgo, cranberry, ginseng, algae (such as spirulina and chlorella), citrus bioflavonoids, grape seeds, valerian, rose hip, and garlic (4.7%) being the ten most frequently reported.…”

“…Surveys among pediatric, adult, and elderly patients in several countries reveal that between 15 and 45% of patients use herbal products for healthcare purposes, besides prescribed medicine [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 ]. The use of complementary herbal medicines and food supplements is particularly frequent among women and older people [ 7 , 8 , 9 ]. Surveys indicate that patients with chronic diseases use more supplements [ 8 ].…”