Gummy Vitamins: Why Are They Popular, And Are They Safe?

According to a recent report by Straits Research, the global gummy vitamins market share was valued at $7.2 billion as of 2022 and is estimated to reach $12.47 billion by 2031.

This is only one of many signals that gummy vitamins and supplements are on the rise. There has also been an uptick in companies — such as TopGum and Nourished — that are offering personalized gummy supplements to consumers. 

In this article, we’ll examine why gummy supplements are becoming so popular and whether they’re safe to consume.

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Why are gummy supplements so popular?

There are several factors that could have led to the uptick in interest in gummy vitamins and supplements:

• People take their vitamins. Contrary to popular belief, people actually do take their vitamins. According to the Council for Responsible Nutrition, almost 75% of American adults take dietary supplements and 92% agree that they’re essential to their health. Given that there’s a gummy equivalent for most supplements now, from multivitamins to melatonin to Vitamin C, it makes sense that they would see high adoption rates. 

• Gummies are easier to consume. The Straits Research report found that around 38% of American individuals have difficulties swallowing medicines. This makes vitamins a great alternative for people who might have trouble ingesting standard tablets for supplements and multivitamins.  

• Increase in chronic diseases. According to the Straits Research report, the rise in gummy vitamin consumption can also be tied to the uptick in chronic diseases, which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says are still the leading causes of death and disability in the United States. Using vitamins as a preventive health tool may explain the growing interest in gummies. 

Are gummy supplements safe and effective? 

While generally considered safe, there are a few potential downsides when it comes to gummy vitamins and supplements: 

• They’re high in sugar. Another reason why gummy supplements and vitamins are so popular is because they taste good — likely due to the added sugars that are found in most brands. Natalist’s anti-nausea gummies, for instance, contain 6 grams of sugar per recommended serving size. The same goes for Flo’s PMS gummies. Which means that one serving size of these supplements is about a quarter of the recommended sugar intake for women. (1)

• They’re not regulated. It’s important to be aware of the fact that dietary supplements, while regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), are categorized as food, not drugs, which means they’re not held to as high of a standard. This means that quality may vary widely. A small JAMA study of 25 melatonin gummy brands found that most products were inaccurately labeled. and could expose users to a dose 40-130 times higher than necessary to produce intended effects. 

• They degrade faster. Gummy vitamins are known to have a limited shelf life compared to traditional supplements, which means they become less potent with time. (2) The problem with this is that manufacturers will often add more vitamins than listed to account for this degradation, making overdoses more likely. In fact, the same JAMA study found that the melatonin products they analyzed could expose users to a dose 40-130 times higher than necessary to produce intended effects. 

All of this to say: it’s important to do your research. One way to ensure you’re choosing high-quality gummy vitamins and supplements is to look for quality assurance seals from independent third-party organizations such as the NSF, Consumer Lab, or the U.S. Pharmacopeia (USP) Dietary Supplement Verification Program. 

Key Takeaways

• A new report finds that the gummy vitamins market is estimated to reach $12.47 billion by 2031. 
• Gummy vitamins have been growing in popularity for a variety of reasons, but their effectiveness is an ongoing conversation. 
• Most gummy vitamins are likely safe to take, as long as people do their research to choose the right brands.