Preparations used to support bone health include both over-the-counter (OTC) medicinal products and dietary supplements. These categories differ in legal status and intended use: OTC medicinal products are used according to approved therapeutic indications, whereas dietary supplements are foodstuffs intended to supplement the normal diet. The aim of this study was to assess purchasing trends for preparations used to support bone health, based on sales data from stationary pharmacies across Poland. This 4-year retrospective analysis covered sales from January 1, 2020, to December 31, 2023, using data from a nationwide sample of approximately 6,500 stationary pharmacies. Sales were analysed in three product categories: bone and joint strengthening preparations, vitamin D preparations, and calcium preparations. These categories included both OTC medicinal products and dietary supplements counted jointly in the pharmacy sales database. During the observation period, 123.5 million preparations classified as supporting skeletal health were sold. Sales of bone and joint strengthening preparations remained relatively comparable across the analysed years. The COVID-19 period was not associated with a clear change in the presented sales trends. Purchases of vitamin D preparations increased in the autumn-winter period each year, indicating a seasonal pattern in demand for products used to support vitamin D intake.
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