Vitamin Tablets vs Gummies: Should You Ditch Time-Tested Capsules For Candies?

How amazing would it be if we could just pop a pill and have great hair & skin? If only supplements worked that way.

They look like candies. They come in a variety of flavours. And most importantly, they claim to be the answer for your skin, hair, and even sleep woes. In short, gummy vitamins and supplements look tempting – and you could rid yourself from taking that pill your family doctor prescribed.

Medical shops have started displaying them in abundance, and just one Google search will make sure you are forever bombarded with gummy supplement advertisements.

The global dietary supplement market is estimated to be worth $185.1 billion by 2025. It is one of the fastest-growing beauty and wellness industries – and the vitamin gummy, now being massively promoted on social media, is described as a 'game-changer'.

But are gummies worth all this hype? Do they actually work? Should you really reject the time-tested vitamin supplements for a gummy?

What Are Gummy Vitamins?

Gummy vitamins are marketed as an alternative to the capsules and tablets, traditionally prescribed as supplements. While it was first catered to just children, it is now a market that targets adults.

According to Dr Chaitanya Singh, a Delhi-based dermatologist, gummy candies rely on gelatin to provide their structure, and contain other ingredients like beeswax, acacia gum, and coconut oil.

All gummy vitamins contain glucose syrup or sugar alcohols like sorbitol – along with the promised flavours.

"Gummy vitamins can be helpful for people who have difficulty in swallowing pills. Post pandemic, people have started taking vitamin supplements in large numbers. Its fruity and candy-like flavours makes it more tempting not just for kids but also for adults," Arnab Ghosh, a Delhi-based nutritionist, tells FIT.

How Effective Are They?

First, we do not really know whether the amount of vitamin or minerals mentioned on the cover of the pack of gummies is actually the amount present in it – because there is no certification or licensing needed to manufacture them.

"When it comes to gummy supplements, there isn’t any licensing that is required, like a medical or pharmaceutical license. As a licensed practitioner, if I do not know what is in it, and how much of that can be authenticated, I am wary of prescribing the same to my patients."

Dr Chaitanya Singh

For example, a supplement like iron cannot be included in a gummy form, as it may have a distinct and not-so-pleasant taste, Tod Cooperman, a healthcare researcher and founder of ConsumerLab.com, an independent company that conducts evaluations of dietary supplements, told Insider.com.

"This is important because many people may be at risk for iron deficiency, particularly premenopausal women and vegetarians. Over time, iron deficiency can lead to heart problems or difficult pregnancies," he added.

How Much Sugar Do Gummies Contain?

According to experts, a single vitamin gummy could have 2-8 grams of sugar content – just like any candy.

"Gummy vitamins often have sugar and dyes. This can restrain the benefits. One can consume around 25 to 36 grams of sugar daily, and most gummy vitamins contain two to eight grams of sugar in each one of it. Having vitamin supplements is for improving your body’s natural balance, and restoring nutrition. But adding more sugar only reverses its purpose."

Arnab Ghosh, a nutritionist, to FIT

This is completely eliminated in a pill or a capsule – which goes thorough pharmaceutical license and are under strict vigilance during/and post production. They are extensively tested for accuracy by authorities, adds Ghosh.

At the same time, since they look and taste like candy, there is also a concern raised by experts about overdosing on the 'healthy gummies'. This, too, can do more harm than good, say experts.

While it is rare that overdosing on gummies could lead to a significant side effect, long-term overconsumption could be dangerous. For example, consuming too much of Vitamin A could result in nausea and migraines.

There's a Flip Side: Some Of Them Could Work!

Dermatologists suggest vitamin supplements specifically for people with deficiencies – who seek their help to improve their skin and hair health. Sometimes, the good quality ones, may even work.

Some studies point that gummy vitamins are more bioavailable than pills at an equal-sized serving. Bioavailability is the rate and extent to which the active constituent of a drug is absorbed from a drug product and reaches the circulation.

A study on VitaminD drug noted, “VitD3 gummies [have] greater bioavailability than tablets with higher VitD concentrations over time, which may have implications for achieving VitD sufficiency," as reported in Insider.com.

But, as Dr Singh points out, there is still not enough evidence on how they work, or whether they even work.

But Do You Even Need Vitamins Every Day?

According to Dr Singh, "If you have a balanced diet, your body does not really need vitamin supplements. But with the lifestyle most people have today, they’re unable to maintain the regular intake of nutrition required. Secondly, if you workout on a regular basis, or you are pregnant, lactating, diabetic, or on medication – that may cause deficiency and you may need supplements."

This is almost always taken care of by your traditional vitamin supplements in the form of pills and capsules.

• Vitamin C: It has antioxidant that help in controlling and fighting free radicals, brighten the skin, and stimulate collagen. It also helps in fighting the formation of melanin (skin pigmentation).

• Vitamin D: It plays an important role in hair growth process and a deficiency related to hair loss.

• Vitamin E: It is essential for healthy skin and scalp. It supports the scalp and gives the hair a strong base to grow by reducing oxidative stress and preserving the protective lipid layer.

"These traditional pills are tried, tested, and effective. Unless, there is no other way for you to take the pill, I doubt dermatologists will prescribe them to you," Dr Singh adds.