Concepts in Fitness: Forget the gummy

As a nutrition coach the most frequent questions I get asked is about supplements. What supplements should I take and what brand? And then of course there are people that believe they can get everything they need from food; but scientists disagree.

Research finds that most Americans are severely lacking in a number of essential nutrients including; calcium, potassium, magnesium and vitamins A, C, and D.

So it’s no wonder that more than half of us get the nutrition we need from a bottle; making supplements a $41 billion industry. And one of the fastest growing segments in the vitamin industry is adult gummies. Yup, more adults are choosing sugary, chewy gummies over their traditional counterparts.

And as the gumption for adult gummy supplements grows, more questions arise as to whether or not these vitamins are as good for your health as they claim.

That being said, there are some points you should consider when you choose gummy supplements from shelves of your local drug store.

According to AARP, 80% of adults grab gummy vitamins (instead of a bitter tasting, hard to swallow pill or an unpleasant powder or vile liquid) because they taste more like something you’d find at a movie theatre concession stand.

And that’s because one serving of gummy vitamins contains 3-8 grams of added sugar per serving; which is the equivalent of 2 teaspoons of sugar. Now while this may not seem like a large amount, the American Heart Association suggests no more than 9 teaspoons of added sugar a day for men and no more than 6 teaspoons of added sugar per day for women.

According to William Faloon the founder of Life Extension Supplement Company “The sugars contained in gummies add to this nation’s deadly sugar problem.” Excessive sugar consumption has been linked to heart disease, obesity and dental cavities.

And because supplements aren’t regulated by the FDA; the nutrients they contain may not match what’s listed on the label. In fact a recent report found that 80 percent of gummy vitamins tested did not have the same amount of vitamins and minerals as listed on their labels.

ConsumerLab.com an independent testing firm reported in 2015 that it found “more problems with candy like vitamins than traditional forms such as tablets or caplets” partially because gummies are more challenging to manufacture.

The reason for this problem is that manufacturers cannot pack in as many vitamins and minerals when they add sugars, colorings and other filler compounds that are used to maintain gummy texture.

And speaking of labels, it’s a good idea when you’re reading the label to look for harmful fillers like Magnesium stearate. Magnesium stearate is thought to inhibit your body’s ability to absorb vitamins and minerals.

Also be aware of any harmful food colors like red 40 and yellow 6 which have been linked to hyperactivity, learning impairment, irritability and aggressiveness and even some cancers.

My advice is if you can swallow a tablet, or drink a vitamin liquid you’re better off getting your multivitamins that way instead of a gummy.

Reach Mary Schoepe at fitnessconcepts001@yahoo.com.