The use of natural supplements and remedies by New Zealanders during the 2020 COVID-19 lockdown: results of an online survey

Abstract

The Level 4 lockdown due to COVID-19 during April and May 2020 in New Zealand (NZ) provided a unique opportunity to investigate if the use of natural supplements and remedies had changed in NZ due to the perceived threat of the pandemic. Participants were invited via social media posts to complete a short anonymous online survey during the 2-week window between the Level 4 and Level 3 lockdowns in May 2020. Of the 121 respondents who identified their gender, 98 were female, with just over one third of all respondents indicating their use of natural supplements had increased during lockdown in an effort to minimise the risk of falling ill with COVID-19. When supplements were taken, there was a wide perceived benefit that the supplements helped them in some way. Supplements were mainly purchased from supermarkets or pharmacies, with most people not telling their registered heath professional they were taking natural therapies or supplements. As the risk of community spread was relatively low compared to many other Western countries, this may have affected decisions people were making around taking perceived immune-boosting natural supplements.