Are Gummy Vitamins Effective?

There’s no denying the popularity of gummy vitamins. They’re everywhere! Yet, are gummy vitamins effective in the same way as traditional vitamins? I always advocate that everyone take a multivitamin. Typically, the hardest part for people is getting into this daily habit. Chewable multivitamins such as gummies come in many shapes, flavors, and sizes. Some people prefer these flavorful gummy vitamins. After all, they are easier to swallow, taste better, and don’t have a weird smell.  

One of the more popular gummy vitamins is a multivitamin. You can also find melatonin, apple cider vinegar, ashwagandha, and many other herbs and nutrients in gummy form. They tend to be more appealing and a better-tasting alternative to traditional vitamins. Yet, regarding benefits, gummy vitamins are nowhere near an even swap. 

In this article, I will answer the questions. Are gummy vitamins effective, and what are the advantages of gummy vitamins? I will also tell you why you should stick with the traditional capsule or pill multivitamins. Let’s begin by talking about whether or not gummy vitamins even work. 

Do Gummy Vitamins Work?

The supplement market is bursting with new gummy products every day.  You can find gummy melatonin, ashwagandha, and collagen, even a gummy multivitamin. However, do these gummy vitamins work? The short answer is yes, and no.

While gummy vitamins do “work,” they are nowhere near the potency of traditional vitamins. There are two reasons why gummies lack the nutrient potency of traditional vitamins. 

First, gummy vitamins include ingredients such as gelatin, corn starch, water, and sugar. They also come with added coloring and flavoring. This means you’re getting a lot of sugar or sugar substitutes and artificial chemicals. These are toxic and can cause more harm than good. It also means you’re not getting optimal vitamins and minerals. Gummy vitamins need high amounts of heat to activate the gelatin. High heat decreases and even depletes nutrient availability. 

Secondly, gummy vitamins have a shorter shelf life due to additives and artificial flavorings. This also decreases their nutrient content. Independent Consumer Lab analyses found that gummy vitamins often don’t contain all the nutrients claimed on the label.¹ Another disadvantage of gummy vitamins is they often lack essential minerals.

Iron and magnesium are harder to put in a gummy form due to their taste and composition. If they are in gummy form, most of the potency gets lost in the manufacturing process. What’s left is a metallic taste.The bottom line is that gummy vitamins do not have the same potency as a traditional multivitamin. Therefore, you’re not getting optimal amounts of the vitamins and minerals you need. That said, there are some advantages to gummy vitamins. 

Are There Advantages to Gummies?

The lack of essential nutrients in gummy vitamins is enough of a reason not to swap out. However, there are some pros to gummy vitamins. For one, they are convenient and easier to take. This is great for those with children. Many children do not like pills or have a hard time taking them. Likewise, some adults also have a hard time swallowing pills. 

Another advantage is that they taste good. That said, this can also be a disadvantage because it’s easy to take too many. Young children view gummy vitamins as candy. Therefore, they may eat too many if you aren’t watching them. Fat-soluble vitamins such as A, D, E, and K can be toxic in large amounts.² They also taste good because they contain sugar, sugar substitutes, and artificial flavors. As I mentioned earlier, these are toxic and have the opposite effect you’re intending.

The most significant advantage of gummy vitamins is their higher bioavailability. This means your body can absorb the vitamins more efficiently. However, the reason they are better absorbed is because they contain less vitamins and minerals than traditional vitamins. So, you’re still not going to get optimal amounts from that gummy vitamin.

What are Optimal Amounts?

Nutrient insufficiencies are much more common than you’d think. In fact, studies show these insufficiencies affect about 40% of all American adults. Among the most common vitamin deficiencies are calcium, vitamin B6, iron, vitamin D, vitamin C, and vitamin B12. Nutrient deficiencies happen due to a poor diet full of inflammatory foods and processed sugars. It also stems from leaky gut or genetic mutations. 

Signs of a nutritional deficiency include: 

• Cracked, sore mouth
• Brittle hair and nails
• Bleeding gums
• Poor vision at night
• Fatigue
• Hair loss

To function, your body needs essential micronutrients and macronutrients. Micronutrients include vitamins and minerals. Macronutrients include carbohydrates, protein, and fat. Your body only needs micronutrients in small amounts, In the same way, your body uses macronutrients in larger quantities.

The gold standard for testing for nutrient deficiencies is a full panel nutrition blood test. This includes a Complete Blood Count (CBC) and a Total Iron Binding Capacity (TIBC) test. Your doctor can order these nutrition tests. Or, you can order at-home tests. If you want to test your nutrient levels at home, I recommend using a home micronutrient test from LetsGetChecked. 

While your results may say you have “normal” levels, you may not have optimal amounts. Let’s look at the difference between optimal and normal. al” levels, you may not have optimal amounts of nutrients in your blood. Let’s look at the difference between optimal and normal. 

Optimal vs. Normal

You might read labels and believe you’re getting the appropriate amount of nutrients each day. However, you could be wrong. This is especially true if you’re using a gummy vitamin. That’s because the Food and Drug Administration allows a 20% margin of error on the nutrients reported on the nutrition facts panel. What this means is that you may only get 80% instead of 100%. 

Moreover, remember that gummy vitamins lose their potency during manufacturing. In addition, they have a shorter shelf life. You’re not likely to get enough nutrients if you rely on gummy vitamins.

The Recommended Daily Value for vitamin C is 65 to 90 milligrams per day. Eating one cup of broccoli provides all the vitamin C you need. However, your body needs up to 2,000 mg of vitamin C to function optimally. Most gummy vitamins don’t come anywhere close to this amount.  

In functional medicine, we use the Optimal Daily Intake (ODI). This is far more than the RDV and the amount you need for optimal health. The ODI establishes the amount of vitamins and minerals your body requires to function at its best.³ Here’s a look at the differences in the amounts recommended by the ODI and the RDV:

Multivitamins are the most popular gummy product on the market, especially for children. As I mentioned, children can view gummies as a sweet treat or candy. Not to mention, gummy vitamins include added sugar, artificial colorings, and flavors. The great news is there is an alternative to gummies for you and your children.  

A Better Alternative for Children

Being a mother, I understand the importance of setting your child up for optimal health. Children can be picky eaters with very sensitive palates. Additionally, I understand that it can be a challenge relying on food alone to meet your child’s nutritional needs. 

The sad reality is that we cannot get all the vitamins and minerals we need from our food anymore. Even those who eat a diet rich in vegetables, fruits, and lean protein will help in this area. Modern agriculture methods have stripped our soil of nutrients. The result is less nutritious fruits and vegetables.⁴

The challenge is that most children’s vitamins have fillers, additives, and preservatives. Many also contain dyes, and worst of all high-fructose corn syrup! This is especially true with gummy vitamins. I would never give these to my child. I don’t recommend anyone else do, either.

Finding a quality multivitamin for children can be a challenge. Look for multivitamins that do not contain sugar, artificial flavors, or additives. Look at the label to see what the first few ingredients are. If the ingredients are not sourced from real foods, put it back! Also, check to see if you can find a methylated multivitamin. These formulations maximize absorption and utilization in the body. This means you and your children get the most out of your vitamins! If tablets or capsules are too difficult for your child to swallow, consider chewable versions. 

Why Traditional Vitamins are More Effective

Gummy vitamins are fun, no doubt. However, they offer less nutritional value than traditional vitamins. The good news is traditional vitamins are readily available. A high-quality multivitamin is essential to optimal health. That’s why The Myers Way® Multivitamin was the first supplement I formulated. 

Unlike gummy vitamins that lack minerals, The Myers Way® Multivitamin has optimal levels of selenium, zinc, and iodine to support thyroid health. In addition, it contains 100% of the folate you need each day. I also don’t include any of the added sugars or colorings you might find in other multivitamins, especially gummy vitamins. 

I made sure to include optimal levels of B Vitamins that far exceed the USDA’s recommended daily value (RDV). I ensured these highly critical vitamins were a methylated multivitamin to ensure they were in the most bioavailable form. This way, it helps promote cardiovascular and neurological health. 

Finally, I included bioavailable Vitamin D3 in The Myers Way® Multivitamin. Vitamin D is not only critical to support bone health, but it can also promote a healthy immune system. 

Compare the label of The Myers Way® Multivitamin with gummy vitamins and you will see the difference for yourself. Choose optimal health with critical nutrients designed to support overall general wellness and detoxification. 

The Final Word

There’s no denying that gummy vitamins are a popular alternative to traditional vitamins in pill form. There are some advantages to taking gummy vitamins, yet none have anything to do with the potency of vitamin content or effectiveness. As I’ve mentioned a few times, everyone should take a multivitamin. Instead of turning to gummy vitamins, I recommend sticking with traditional vitamins. This ensures you get optimal amounts of these essential nutrients.