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New survey reveals how today’s health care professionals truly feel about dietary supplements and omega-3s. Are they really recommending them?
August 7, 2014
3 Min Read
New findings show that health care practitioners are increasingly open to using omega-3s and other dietary supplements in their clinical practice.
The 14-question survey "How Do Dietary Supplements Fit into YOUR Clinical Practice?" was designed to gauge practitioner knowledge about clinical use of dietary supplements, particularly omega-3s. It was sent to physicians, nurses and ancillary health care professionals across the U.S.
The 362 respondents represented a wide range of health care professionals; more than one-third were conventionally trained primary care MDs and DOs (35 percent). Medical specialists, nurses, naturopathic physicians, nutrition counselors and chiropractors were also included in the sample. Exactly half of these respondents indicated that their practices are "mixed/integrative," suggesting that while they may still use conventional drug therapies they are open to other alternatives.
Key findings at a glance:
Nearly all practitioners (95 percent) are recommending some supplements as part of their routine practices.
Willingness to recommend omega-3s is high (88 percent), with 35 percent reporting that they "Always" recommend them, and 53 percent saying they "Frequently" recommend them. Of note, only 2 percent report never recommending omega-3s.
While "Heart Health" remains the top reason for which respondents recommend omega-3s (82 percent), clinicians clearly recognize other health benefits, including: "Inflammation Reduction" (81 percent); "Cognitive/Mood Effects" (80 percent); and "Joint Health" (65 percent).
"Fatty Acid Composition" is the most important selection criterion (74 percent) for omega-3s. More specifically, issues such as EPA/DHA ratio and the form of omega-3s (phospholipid vs triglyceride) matter most to this group. Criteria like "Organic" and "Non-GMO" are also important for 56 percent and 55 percent of doctors, respectively. "Sustainable" is important to nearly half (46 percent).
Practitioners are not as reactive to "negative" studies as consumers. The majority - 68 percent -said their omega-3 recommendations have not changed at all in the last 6 to 12 months, during which there were several negative omega-3 studies; 29 percent said they are recommending omega-3s MORE often, and only 3 percent reported recommending them less frequently.
This survey was fielded by Holistic Primary Care-News for Health & Healing and commissioned by Aker BioMarine Antarctic US, an integrated biotechnology company dedicated to the sustainable and 100 percent traceable harvest of krill and development of krill-derived biotech products.
"Omega-3s represent one of the most trusted and widely used categories of supplements among healthcare professionals. Clinicians recommend them for general wellness and prevention, but also use them to manage heart disease, mood disorders, and inflammatory conditions," said Erik Goldman, editor, Holistic Primary Care. "Especially interesting is the finding that almost 30 percent of clinicians are recommending omega-3s more than they were a year ago."
This practitioner survey is part of a larger education program titled "How to Speak Krill." This pilot program is designed to provide practitioners with the tools they need to help patients make educated decisions about krill and omega-3s.
"As consumer interest in supplements continues to grow, practitioners will need to look at shifting from straight conventional mainstream models to more integrative or mixed approaches to help meet their patients' needs," said Becky Wright, marketing director, Aker BioMarine Antarctic US. "This survey reflects the significant growth of mainstream practitioner interest in supplements, with a particular emphasis on omega-3s. Our goal is to help doctors become more knowledgeable about ALL marine omega-3 options, so they can recommend them with confidence."
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