Mathews earns recognition for analysis of global supplement use during the pandemic
Rahel Mathews
Mississippi State University researchers have received Editor’s Choice recognition for a widely cited article published in Nutrients that explores global dietary and herbal supplement use during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Assistant Professor Rahel Mathews in the Department of Biochemistry, Nutrition and Health Promotion, along with co-authors Ishaan Arora, a graduate student, and Shecoya White, an associate professor in the department, published Global Dietary and Herbal Supplement Use during COVID-19 -- A Scoping Review in 2023. Researchers have already cited the article 29 times according to the publisher and 34 times on Google Scholar, reflecting its strong influence across nutrition, health and policy research.
Mathews said the idea for the review emerged from the surge of public interest in supplements during the pandemic.
“Although the effectiveness of over-the-counter supplements has not been proven, their use continues to grow,” Mathews explained. “As a nutritionist, I am interested in understanding why consumers choose these products. During the COVID-19 pandemic, we saw heightened interest in both healthy eating and supplement use. That led us to write a review article summarizing which minerals, vitamins and supplements consumers believed were most important.”
The Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station, or MAFES, team reviewed 14 studies from around the world and found that consumers most commonly reported using vitamin C, vitamin D, zinc and multivitamins to prevent or reduce COVID-19 infection. Many studies also highlighted the popularity of herbal remedies such as ginger and honey.
“Consumers need consistent access to accurate information,” Mathews said. “At the same time, health professionals benefit from understanding their patients’ beliefs about supplements, as this helps build trust and improve communication. Around the world, we are beginning to see policies that regulate and recognize the use of traditional medicines, and dietary supplements may be increasingly included in these discussions.”
Mathews said the article’s high citation record and Editor’s Choice designation highlight both the urgency of the topic and the novelty of the team’s work.
“The supplements industry was already expanding before the pandemic and grew even more during it,” Mathews said. “Consumers, health professionals and researchers alike are eager to understand whether natural supplements can truly be effective. Because COVID-19 prevention was such a global concern, the search for natural remedies -- and the documentation of related consumer behaviors—remains ongoing. Our review was among the first to bring together data from around the world to capture those patterns.”
For Mathews, the recognition also highlights the long-term relevance of the work.
“I’m truly honored by this recognition,” Mathews said. “The strong citation record shows that this research remains timely and relevant, even two years later. We’re grateful to the editors for highlighting the value and impact of our work.”
Looking ahead, Mathews said she will continue examining dietary supplement use in future research projects.
Nutrients is a peer-reviewed, open-access journal of human nutrition published semimonthly by the Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute.
Learn more about MSU’s Department of Biochemistry, Nutrition and Health Promotion at www.bchnhp.msstate.edu.
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Kaitlyn Church | Agriculture and Natural Resources Marketing
