If you are tired of taking heavy pills that have a terrible smell and taste, then worry no more. There are candies like medicine called gummy supplements, but you probably already know that. So, if you are here to understand what they are, how they benefit the body, and their harmful effects, look no further.
What are gummy supplements?
“As the name suggests, ‘Gummy supplements’ look, taste, and smell just like kids ‘gummy candies, but they contain dietary vitamins essential for the body.”
Gummy supplements generally contain vitamins, water, cornstarch, gelatin, minerals, and sugars. Some may also include fruit pectin to ensure consistency.
These sweet & chewy Gummay supplements have been made to replace pills & capsule supplements. It is because medicine is sour and hard to swallow, especially for kids and old people.
Advantages of gummy supplements
People prefer to take gummy supplements in their diet as compared to traditional capsules and pills for the following reasons;
- Provide nutritional support
- Liked by kids & old people
- Easy to digest by the stomach
1. Provide nutritional support
The human body performs many daily functions, such as muscle movement, blood circulation, respiration, immunity, etc. If the body fails to perform any of these functions, it may lead to serious health issues or even death. So, to make our body systems functional, we need to eat essential nutrients like vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
Most people eat a balanced diet of meat, vegetables, and fruits, so they don’t need supplements. In contrast, some people don’t eat enough, or their bodies have a disease. So, they need a boost, which can be provided by pills/gummy supplements – the category of people who fall in this category are;
- Old people
- Sick people
- Alcohol addicts
- Pregnant women
- Vegans/Vegetarians
- Who doesn’t eat enough fruit or vegetables
2. Easy to digest by the stomach
Dietary pills and capsules contain binding agents that strain the stomach and may cause nausea and pain. In contrast, gummy supplements have a soft and chewy texture, and as a result, they can easily be broken down compared to traditional capsules or pills.
Moreover, they are gelatin-based pills ( which are proteins derived from animal collagen ), which plays a crucial role in making these supplements digestible for the following reasons;
- It contains glutamic acid, which the body uses to make glutamine. This compound helps promote healthy mucosal lining, making these supplements easily digestible.
- Gelatin, being hydrophilic in nature, holds water, which softens the pills. They easily pass through the digestive tract and are thus considered best for people suffering from constipation.
3. Liked by Kids & old people
In this era, kids are picky about eating and may not eat different fruits, vegetables, and cereals. All of this is essential for a balanced diet at a young age. In addition, kids don’t like pills or liquid supplements because of their bad taste and smell.
According to a research report, most kids’ diets lack calcium and iron, crucial nutrients for a healthy life. For example;
- Iron is primarily present in beans, spinach, beef, and other foods. It is necessary to build muscles and produce red blood cells.
- Similarly, calcium is found in milk, dairy products, etc.; lacking it may cause muscle cramping, weak bones, fatigue, dry, scaly skin, etc.
Fortunately, Gummy supplements are like candies, available in various fruity flavors, shapes, and colors. Kids chew them with fun, filling their nutrient deficiencies. Similarly, old people can’t digest pills due to their foul smell, sour taste, and complex effects on the stomach. So, gummy supplements may be the best option for them.
Moreover, you should only take these supplements after consulting a professional healthcare provider. Cheap ones may contain a lot of sugars, artificial colours, etc., and their long-term use may harm health.
Harmful effects of gummy supplements
Everything in this world has advantages and disadvantages, even if it is a medicine.
Gummy supplements also have some side effects on the human body. Although they provide nutritional support to the body, they still contain ingredients like sugar.
And when sugar is taken in high amounts, it may lead to health damage. So some of the significant harmful effects of gummy supplements are discussed below:
- High Sugar content
- Overeating
- Problems associated with added dyes and flavors
1. High Sugar content
To mask the taste of vitamins & minerals, some brands add more sugar to gummy supplements to sweeten their taste. But it may lead to serious health issues like;
- Obesity
- Tooth loss
- Depression
- Heart disease
- Liver diseases
- Type II diabetes
- High blood pressure
2. Easy to Overdose
“Because of their sweet fruity taste, they are easy to eat, and most people, especially kids, use them as candies, consuming them all day, which results in overdosing.”
As we know, excessiveness in everything is terrible and ultimately leads to drastic effects.
Similarly, these supplements contain zinc, magnesium, and manganese. So, if you take them in excessive amounts, they may become toxic to the body, causing problems like loss of appetite, headache, weakness, gastrointestinal discomfort, and cardiovascular problems.
Moreover, fat-soluble vitamins like A, D, E, and K also build up in the body, which may affect different body systems.
For example, overconsumption of vitamin E causes bleeding. Similarly, high levels of vitamin D lead to hypercalcemia, which causes muscle weakness and cramping.
3. Harmful effects of added dyes and flavors
Some companies and brands may add artificial food color and flavoring agents to make their products more pleasing and tasteful.
However, these agents may also lead to serious health issues. For example, artificial food dyes contain sodium benzoate, which forms benzene when mixed with ascorbic acid ( vitamin C).
This benzene can cause stomach irritation, vomiting, dizziness, convulsions, etc.
Similarly, eating supplements containing artificial flavours activates the taste receptors.
As a result, our brain releases dopamine, and we feel a craving for them again and again, and their overeating is alarming for our health.
For example, if you are craving oranges but take orange slush ( artificial flavour), your mind feels satisfied, but your body still needs vitamin C.
Similarly, eating supplements containing artificial flavours activates the taste receptors; as a result, our brain releases dopamine, and we repeatedly crave them, and their overeating is alarming for our health.
For example, if you are craving oranges but take orange slush ( artificial flavour), your mind feels satisfied, but your body still needs vitamin C.
Should You Take Gummy Supplements or not?
First, gummy supplements are not as good as pills or capsules.
However, they are the second-best option for a person who can’t eat hard medicine daily. You should not take gummy supplements if you eat a balanced diet ( meat/fruits/vegetables ) and have no diseases.
Nutrient deficiency is bound to happen if you or your kids live on fast food or canned items.
Moreover, in case of any disease ( can’t absorb nutrients ) or condition ( pregnancy ), the nutrients in the diet are never enough.
In all these cases, additional vitamins/minerals are necessary, and gummy supplements can provide this.
Remember that gummy supplements should be taken only after consulting a doctor. Because many sellers out there sell fake products that don’t have listed vitamins/minerals and even harmful chemicals.
Our gummy supplements are made with safe ingredients and are known for their exceptional taste. For over 20 years, we have been a trusted supplier to global offline retail chains. We specialize in custom gummy supplement manufacturing services tailored to your needs. Contact us today.