It shouldn’t be a huge mystery why gummy vitamins aren’t the best choice in nutrients for your body. They are loaded with sugar and fillers to create a candy like substance which makes you think you are getting supplemental nutrients into your body.

They are really just a waste of calories and potentially preventing you from actually getting the nutrients that you need because the quality of the vitamins are not bioavailable.

What are gummy vitamins? Gummy vitamins and supplements are made from gelatin, sugar, corn starch , sometimes sugar alcohols and of course the vitamin, mineral or nutrient that they claim to have on the label. Unlike pills which usually have just the nutrient and a binder to make the supplement into a pill form these contain extra ingredients. Be aware and read labels, some may even contain gluten and dairy. For those who have food sensitivities, allergies or autoimmunity- gummy vitamins can be setting off inflammation or autoimmune symptoms.

Are you saying that I’m not getting the vitamins which claim to be on the bottle?

Exactly you are probably not getting the amount it says on the bottle. One study showed less than 80% of the vitamins listed on the bottle were in the gummy vitamins. The bioavailability of vitamins is very depending upon the form of the vitamin and sometimes the cofactor or other nutrients you take along with those vitamins. Many anti- inflammatory supplements & vitamins such as Curucmin, Vitamin A, E, D and K, as well as fish oil are hard for your body to utilize so they have to be in liquid form (ideally liposomal ) and sometimes taken with a meal that has fat to help your body absorb them.

Studies show that when vitamin D was taken with an apple (a carbohydrate) vs a fat

It should be a meal with moderate fat not too much. The study shows that that 11 grams of fat leads to higher absorption than either 35 grams or 0 grams, at 16% higher and 20% higher respectively.

Major reasons to steer away from gummy vitamins:

  • There are no FDA regulation on Gummy Vitamins, which means nobody is testing for actual amounts. or potency of these nutrients. A Consumer Labs Report showed that 80% of gummy vitamins tested did not have the same amounts of vitamins and minerals as listed on their labels.
  • Many sit on shelves for extended periods of time. Nutrients have have problems with being shelf stable this means manufactures may list what was in the vitamin when made but they lose their potency after storage and sitting on shelves.
  • They add sugar and carbs into your diet. If you are at a caloric deficit you want to get all of your carbs from food so you feel full. If you have 15-30 carbs per day from gummy vitamins you are missing out on an entire serving of carbohydrates for some people. 30g carbs is equivalent to a 1/2 cup rice or half of a medium sweet potato, a large apple, 2cups of berries or medium banana.
  • Some contain added ingredients that can cause inflammation, allergic reactions, autoimmune flare ups and stomach cramps.
  • They may be easier for kids but the sugar content can be more than the recommended daily amount by the ADA (American Dental Association)
  • People can easily over consume them because they taste like candy
  • Food coloring is an adrenal disruptor that can lead to higher estrogen levels and lower testosterone.

Positive side to Gummy Vitamins:

  • Easier to take than pills. Some vitamins are better than none. People who have issues with pills, elderly and kids find them much easier to take.
  • Supplements help picky eaters add nutrients to their diets and may picky eaters tend to gravitate to gummy vitamins for the flavors.

The form and the source of vitamins is also very important. Buying from a reputable source through a healthcare practitioner can make the difference between wasting your money on cheap vitamins which your body never uses or getting the right supplements in the most bioavailable forms. When working with a us we recommend the nutrients needed based upon your unique situation and send you a link to the recommend brands with dosages similar to a prescription. All of our suppliers are held to a strict standard of quality and are 3rd party lab tested for purity.

How Athleats Nutrition can help you with your supplement needs:

If you are interested in a 1 hour vitamin & nutrient consultation will we sit down and listen to your health history, review your current supplements and asses your goals. We look at all of your most recent lab work, or order relevant lab work if needed. After understanding the details of your specific case we will prescribe a protocol with the most bioavailable products and necessary cofactors to assure that you are taking the supplement, vitamin and nutrients for your needs. To set up a 1 hour Vitamin & Supplement consultation click here

BONUS education: Another important fact about Vitamin D3 is that it should be taken with K2 to prevent calcification of the vitamin in your arteries. There’s various form of K2 some which can be converted into a useable form in the body and some which aren’t as bioavailable. Theres Menaquinone-4 and Menaquinone-7. You will find that MK4 costs more than MK7 BUT MK7 is more bioavailable (3).

Then, why does it cost more? Because vitamins that have a lot of research behind them have to cost more to make up for the cost that the manufacturer paid for the research. That’s why brand name vitamins or anything that is trademarked such as Meriva® Curcumin. Just because a vitamin or nutrient costs more doesn’t mean it’s better. This is another reason you should work with an educated nutritionist for your supplement needs.

You mentioned Liposomal with vitamin D, what is Liposomal ? A liposome is a tiny fat bubble that can carry water and fat soluble nutrients into the cell membrane. When your doctor gives you a script for 5000 IUs of Vitamin D but your vitamin D levels don’t change because it’s a pill, now you know why. Your body couldn’t use that form of vitamin D. You will find quite a few vitamins in a liposomal form including vitamin C and GABA . Fair warning, these are not always the best tasting form, however they are the most bioavailable. As the saying goes you have to sacrifice something to get the benefits!

Fun Fact: The size of vitamins is dependent upon the size of the molecules and their necessary binders. Ever see a HUGE “horse pill” vitamin? That’s usually a multivitamin because it contain a bunch of nutrients that are all different sizes and need a binder of some sort to stay together in the pill. When you take a supplement that offers a powdered version that’s often because the amount of pills and size of them you would have to take per dosage is difficult to get down. Some vitamins can be in a capsule and some are bound together in a pill form.

1. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25441954/

2. https://www.consumerlab.com/reviews/multivitamin-review-comparisons/multivitamins/

3. PMID:23140417