The Future of Vitamins
What’s ahead for this $10 billion industry?

Several studies and organizations have recently contested the vitality and even the safety of Vitamins. In late March, ConsumerLab, an independent source of test results and information to consumers regarding health, wellness and nutrition products, found that more than 30% of multivitamin products had quality and adulteration problems. Some of these issues included excess amounts of Vitamin A in a retinol form being found in children’s multivitamin products, which can cause nausea, vision problems, kidney ailments and bone softening plus high amounts of folic acid that may lead to unsafe lead exposure. Other tested products failed to live up to the labels such as insufficient amounts of Vitamin A and Vitamin C in several multivitamins which indicated otherwise. In all, several vitamin products did not pass standard quality and safety tests, which really puts the integrity of the product’s manufacturer in question.

To add fuel to the fire, several media outlets and health organizations have also started to put the effects of Vitamins in question. Back in February, the New York Times published a story entitled, “Vitamin Pills – A False Hope?” which really called into play if vitamins are still working and extending the lives of people. Research firms and organizations like the Archives of Internal Medicine, The Journal of the National Cancer Institute and the Women’s Health Initiative have all conducted recent studies putting into doubt whether Vitamins have any real effect on diminishing the risks of common cancers, diseases or mortality rates. Still, negative reports will not stop Vitamins from emerging and staying popular with consumers and scientists because there is a lingering demand to use these supplementations in diets.

High demand for nutritional supplementation has allowed Vitamins A, B, C, D, E, H, K2 as well as PABA and Betaine to take the spotlight as the prime nutrients of today because of their popularity among consumers and medical studies. Studies conducted by Thorax, a British nutrition journal, conclude that deficiencies of Vitamins A, C and E could lead to increased cases of asthma. Research by LifeSupplemented.org reveals that Vitamins are still part of the foundation to a well balanced lifestyle. In addition, Vitamin D and K2 have been getting significant attention as of late due to scientific data and studies.

Recently, Vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency was considered one of the leading public health concerns by the American Public Health Association. Several conditions like osteoporosis, high blood pressure and sugar levels and metabolic syndrome may all be averted with proper Vitamin D dosages. Another bone strengthening nutrient is Vitamin K2, which has a published report by Clinical and Experimental Rheumatology indicating high K2 levels in healthy children while showing low levels with those impaired by poor bone quality.

The basic well-known essentials, known as the B-Vitamins continue to hold more than a billion dollar share of the entire nutrient market. Nutrients like Vitamin B1 (Thiamine), B3 (Niacin), B6 (Pyridoxine), B9 (Folic Acid) and B12 (Cyanocobalamin) all play pivotal roles in supplementing the body. B-Vitamins will always be important for the body because of their role in metabolizing carbohydrates as well as backing the cardiovascular system and digestive tract through oxidative processes. Pyridoxine in particular has shown to be a proven help for the immune system and can even aid allergies and asthma conditions.

While the B-Vitamins are formulated and mixed into thousands of products a year, others like Betaine, PABA and Biotin (Vitamin H) are still needed for heart, digestion and skin care products. PABA and Biotin both offer compositions that aid skin problems due to eczema, dermatitis, sunburn and dryness. While Betaine is becoming more popular in cardio and digestive products since it helps protect the heart from harmful toxins entering the bloodstream and for its ability to improve food processing. Despite all the negative publicity towards Vitamins recently, all these vitamin products offer hope for the future.

While Vitamins have faced some doubts and uncertainties about their benefits and effects, their functionality in foods and as supplements alone cannot be avoided if formulated correctly. Consumers are searching for the most efficient supplement product which has natural, quality sources to maintain and improve their health. Not to mention, people are looking to avoid doctor visits and prescription drugs from piling up on their finances, especially in this down economy.

These indications show that the vitamin industry will continue to mount at a steady rate but will need to improve its quality in order to restore its trust. This process will require stringent changes to the manufacturing process of vitamins which are often the reason for quality issues. Manufacturers may need to perfect their formulas and consistently make quality their No. 1 priority moving forward in order to maintain their share of the market. Yet, with new technological and scientific innovations such as advanced manufacturing processes and emerging ingredient breakthroughs coupled with GMP regulations going into effect, manufacturers with renewed strategies and visions can expect to govern the Vitamin industry.