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ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

Front. Pharmacol.

Sec. Pharmacoepidemiology

Volume 16 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fphar.2025.1654337

Prevalence and Patterns of Dietary Supplement Use and Potential Drug Interactions Among Older Adults in Saudi Arabia

Provisionally accepted
  • 1Department of Clinical Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Taif University, Taif, Saudi Arabia
  • 2College of Pharmacy, Taif University, Taif, Saudi Arabia
  • 3Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacy, Universitas Padjadjaran, Bandung, Indonesia

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

ABSTRACT Introduction The widespread use of dietary supplements (DSs) among older adults poses a potential risk for adverse interactions with prescribed medications, particularly in populations with multiple chronic conditions. In Saudi Arabia, where DSs commonly used, with limited data on the prevalence and risks of such interactions. This study aimed to assess the prevalence and patterns of DS use and evaluate potential drug–supplement interactions and their predictors among older adults. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted between November 2024 and March 2025 among outpatients aged ≥ 60 years. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews using a structured questionnaire. Drug–supplement interactions were assessed using Stockley's Drug Interactions database. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and logistic regression in Stata. Results A total of 293 older adults participated in the study, of whom 245 (83.6%) reported using DSs, with vitamin D being the most commonly used (40.0%). Female gender (OR = 2.17; 95% CI: 1.16–4.07) and hypertension (OR = 2.35; 95% CI: 1.24–4.47) were significantly associated with DS use. Among the 232 participants who used both DS and prescribed medications, 40.1% had at least one potential drug–supplement interaction, while 10.3% experienced at least one supplement–supplement interaction. The most frequently implicated supplements were nicotinic acid, vitamin D, and omega-3 fatty acids. Diabetes (OR = 3.67; 95% CI: 2.06–6.54) and hypertension (OR = 2.34; 95% CI: 1.34–4.09) were significant predictors of potential interactions. Conclusion DS use is highly prevalent among older adults in Saudi Arabia, with a substantial proportion exposed to potential drug–supplement interactions. These findings highlight the importance of incorporating DS use assessment into routine clinical care for older adults and underscore the need for improved patient education and medication reconciliation practices to enhance medication safety.

Keywords: Dietary Supplements, older adults, Drug Interactions, Saudi Arabia, Patient Safety

Received: 26 Jun 2025; Accepted: 22 Sep 2025.

Copyright: © 2025 Khawagi, Alghamdi, Alfalqi, Alzahrani, Alotaibi, Alsuwat, Baali, Alruqayb, Alfian and Alshehri. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

* Correspondence:
Sofa Dewi Alfian, sofa.alfian@unpad.ac.id
Abdullah A Alshehri, a.aalshehri@tu.edu.sa

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