If you’re wary of taking supplements in pill or liquid form, gummy bears may be the way to go. But do they work? Here’s what experts say

Nutritional supplement pills are passé. The colourful gummy bears are the latest fad in the wellness supplement market. These are not just sweet and appetizing but chewable and easy to consume too. From immunity to sleep, skincare to haircare, premenstrual syndrome to weight loss, there’s a gummy for everything. They are a phenomenon; the latest rage in the health and wellness industry, available in a variety of colours, flavours, shapes and textures.

Going by the estimates, the gummy vitamins market size in India, valued at $1.09 billion in 2022, is expected to reach $2.7 billion by 2030, at a CAGR of 12.1 percent from 2023 to 2030. While globally too, there’s been a surge in the consumption of dietary supplements, the big question remains: Do nutritional gummies really work the same as traditional supplement pills?

“Nutritional gummies are additional sources of nutrients, but I am particularly not fond of these. If you see the content, they may contain biotin, zinc and other vitamins in some form but not the complete multivitamin profile that we prescribe,” said Dr Shalini Patodiya, Senior Consultant Dermatologist & Cosmetologist Citizens Specialty Hospital, Hyderabad.

Agrees the Ayurveda specialist and founder of Ayumedz, a brand of Chyawanprash gummies catering to kids, Dr Vinayak Abbot. “People need to be educated that nutritional gummies are not supplements. Certainly, they do help to boost energy levels and immunity and are an additional source of nutrients that are a necessity for good health and well-being, but these cannot replace the traditional supplement pills,” he said.

According to Dr Abbot, Ayumedz gummies are designed to make nutrition fun, especially for kids. Apart from India, his vibrantly coloured Ayurvedic gummies that are backed by research and science are exported to the US, UK and Dubai.

“When we launched Ayumedz in 2021, our early six months were slow. But that was also because we were sceptical about the demand. Today, if we talk about India alone, we are selling about 2-3k bottles every month.”

The wellness market is flooded with gummies – for all ages and every need. Even the global gummy vitamins market is expected to reach a market cap of $10.6 billion by 2025. But the question still remains: Why gummies and what calls for their sudden popularity?

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“People feel the supplements or multivitamins that we prescribe are medicines, but gummy vitamins are seen as candies. It gives placebo effect, means you feel you are taking something for good,” explained Dr Gunjan Verma, Consultant, Manipal Hospitals, New Delhi.

“Other than that, with the occurrence of the Covid 19 pandemic, there’s been a surge in demand for medical supplements and other immunity-building products,” added Dr Verma.

Vibrantly coloured and attractively packaged, these gummies are available in vegan, sugar-free, gluten-free and gelatin-free options. But despite that, the experts have their own concerns.

“The biggest concern with nutritional gummies is that they come under the purview of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), and not as drugs. So we don’t really know how much quantity of zinc and biotin and other useful vitamins are added,” cautioned Diabetologist Dr Meena Chhabra. “It’s usually not mentioned on the pack. Therefore, it’s important to read the nutrition value mentioned at the back of the bottle/packet gummies 3 carefully.”

In addition, the overdose of gummies may cause tooth decay and weight gain due to the high sugar and gelatin content. “The high sugar content in gummies is worrisome. When feeding it to children, make sure the total daily sugar intake is not exceeded. Besides don’t leave the bottle unattended, as otherwise, your child might gobble up a few pieces in one go. This may cause diarrhoea and vomiting,” added Dr Chhabra.

While diabetics should strictly refrain from consuming nutritional gummies, others should not pop more than 2 gummies a day. “Overdose is harmful as it can increase the risk of diabetes and high blood pressure. Similarly, underdose will not give good results. So make sure you are consuming it within limits,” said Dr Verma who recommends consulting a doctor before getting started on gummies. “Also, don’t forget that you are consuming sugars from other foods in your diet as well.”

Dr Abbot, on the other hand, insists gummies should only be consumed if there’s a deficiency. “One size fits all doesn’t work with nutritional gummies,” said Dr Abbot. “So don’t just keep subscribing to it.”