A cross-sectional survey of 2001 Italian university students found a 55.7% lifetime prevalence of dietary supplement use, with self-rated knowledge as the strongest correlate, while 34.6% of users reported adverse symptoms, highlighting a gap between perceived knowledge and actual safety outcomes.
The lifetime prevalence of dietary supplement use among Italian university students was 55.7%.
Self-rated knowledge of dietary supplements was the strongest correlate of lifetime supplement use.
Information sources were significantly associated with increased odds of dietary supplement use.
Enrollment in scientific fields of study was associated with increased odds of dietary supplement use.
More than one-third of dietary supplement users reported at least one adverse symptom temporally associated with supplement intake.
The majority of students expressed receptivity toward institutional educational meetings on dietary supplements.
This research surveyed over 2,000 university students in Catania, Italy, and found that more than half (55.7%) had used dietary supplements at some point in their lives. Students who felt they were well-informed about supplements were far more likely to use them — about four to five times more likely than those who felt uninformed. However, despite this high self-confidence about supplement knowledge, more than one in three supplement users (34.6%) reported experiencing at least one negative symptom they linked to their supplement use. This suggests that feeling knowledgeable does not necessarily translate into safe supplementation practices. The study also found that where students got their supplement information mattered. Those who received information from health professionals or from friends were both more likely to use supplements, indicating that peer influence plays a nearly as large a role as professional guidance. Students in scientific degree programs were also more likely to use supplements than those in non-scientific fields. Importantly, about three-quarters of all students said they would welcome formal educational sessions from their university on the topic, and daily supplement users were the most enthusiastic about receiving this guidance. This research suggests that universities may have an important opportunity — and a receptive audience — to provide evidence-based education on dietary supplement safety. The gap between students' high confidence in their own knowledge and the relatively high rate of reported side effects points to a need for more structured, institutionally-led information rather than relying on peer networks or self-assessment alone. Integrating supplement and nutrition safety content into university curricula could help students make more informed and safer choices.
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Upload Your LabsLeonforte F, Nicosia V, Mercogliano M, Cavallaro A, Morlino G, Chimienti M, et al.. (2026). Prevalence and Correlates of Dietary Supplement Use Among Italian University Students: A Cross-Sectional Study.. Nutrients. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu18172760