They taste like candy and, for children and adults who can't swallow the pills, the vitamins in gummies are an alternative to chewable chalk supplements. Experts still recommend taking gummy supplements with food, but they tend to be more pleasant on the stomach, since they lack the binding agents found in tablets. The dosage of gummy vitamins may not be reliable. In addition, it's likely that when you eat gummy, its vitamin content has been degraded.
The best option is to take the traditional pills and tablets. Consult your doctor before you start taking any vitamin or supplement. The amount of compounds in most multivitamins makes it difficult to determine the best way to use these supplements. Multivitamin labels often recommend taking them with food, which increases the body's ability to absorb many of the vitamins.
This also reduces the risk of experiencing nausea and stomach discomfort. They contain many essential nutrients that can supplement your diet. In addition, gummies are more pleasant to the stomach and are better absorbed by the body. Plus, because gummy vitamins taste good, you're more likely to take them regularly.
However, while taking a few gummies is OK, taking too many gummies can be dangerous because it can cause vitamin toxicity (high levels of certain vitamins and minerals in the body). Experts have long questioned the health benefits of vitamins and supplements for the general population. But in most cases, the citric acid in gummies is just as harmful because it wears away the enamel that protects the teeth. The high sugar content of many of these gummies, which is exactly what makes them a more appealing option, can put a dent in the recommended daily intake of sugar.
Fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K are best absorbed when taken with a meal or snack that contains at least one teaspoon of fat (about 5 grams of fat). Some dynamic nutrient duos include vitamin D to increase calcium absorption and vitamin C to increase iron absorption. As a result, many people prefer vitamins in gummy form to traditional vitamins, especially children and adults who have trouble swallowing pills. Some manufacturers market their vitamin gummies without sugar, and have replaced this sweetener with citric acid.
Second, the shelf life of gummy vitamins is not as long as that of traditional pills, meaning that they can quickly lose potency and become less effective. Research has shown that if you follow a healthy and balanced diet, you don't need a daily multivitamin. While the body can better process and utilize most of the nutrients in multivitamins when taken with food, this is not the case with all vitamins and minerals. Vitamins in pill form are generally preferred, as these supplements contain more nutrients and are more potent.
That said, vitamins and minerals in supplement form can support the immune system and help you maintain good health. The different brands of vitamins in gummies contain combinations of water-soluble vitamins (vitamins B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B7, B9: folic acid, B12 and vitamin C) and fat-soluble vitamins (vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin E and vitamin K), as well as several essential minerals. The composition of gummies allows ingredients to lose potency faster than pills, Cooperman said, adding: “That's a problem even with tablets over time, but they're more stable. Likewise, vitamins A and E are more available to your body if you take them on an empty stomach.