Do Gummy Vitamins Work for Children?

In a nutshell, yes, the vitamins in gummies work. Just like traditional vitamins, such as tablets, capsules or soft capsules, the vitamins in gummies contain essential vitamins and minerals that the body needs. These vitamins and minerals are necessary for health and help convert food into energy, strengthen bones and teeth, promote vision, promote muscle health, provide antioxidant benefits, strengthen the immune system, and provide many other health benefits. However, if you want to improve your child's health, it is best to avoid buying vitamins in the form of gummies.

Vitamins and nutrients are essential for children's growth and development, but gummies are often made with artificial colors, high-fructose corn syrup, and dipped in sugar crystals. This can be harmful to children's growth and development despite the packaging that labels them as healthy. The gelatin and pectin used to hold gummy vitamins together can stick to the teeth and, combined with sweet sugar, cause tooth decay. If your doctor has told you to take something and you're having problems with other types of supplements, gummies can be a useful alternative.

But it is important to think twice before taking vitamins in gummies due to their high sugar content and sometimes questionable ingredient lists. Tests have also shown that some companies don't add enough of certain vitamins or minerals, and gummies have lower amounts than what they say on the label. Parents and caregivers should also ensure that children don't consume too many gummy vitamins, which can easily be mistaken for candy. Eating a couple of vitamin gummies throughout the day can add up to a lot of sugar.

Gummies labeled sugar-free omit the sugar but replace it with citric acid which wears down tooth enamel. Additionally, some gummy vitamin companies have not tested their products for heavy metals which can be dangerous for children's health. When selecting a vitamin in gummies it is important to do your research: read the label, check the ingredients and information on the supplement, and check the recommended doses. Since the vitamins in gummies were originally designed as fruit snacks, not to retain nutrients, many vitamin gummy companies have trouble controlling the amount of ingredients in each gummy.

What's more worrying is that the amount of certain ingredients in vitamin gummies may not match the numbers on the back of the bottle.