A recent survey by the U.S. Veterans Health Administration, published in the journal Global Advances in Integrative Medicine and Health, found that military veterans widely use natural products for chronic pain. Of the 52 veterans surveyed, 67 percent used prescription non-opioid medications for their chronic pain, 15 percent used opioids and 17 percent did not use prescription pain drugs. The natural products used included vitamins and minerals (94 percent), herbal or botanical supplements (60 percent) and cannabis (40 percent). One-third of the veterans replaced their prescribed pain medications with natural products.

Approximately half of the veterans were concerned about possible interactions, but only about half of those discussed their use of natural products with a healthcare provider. Nearly all veterans believed providers should discuss the use of natural products with patients to prevent harm. The study highlights a communication gap between patients and providers, with a need for better information. Researchers recommend improving provider knowledge and patient communication to support safer and more effective pain management for veterans.