Vitamins and Minerals: Building Blocks for Immunity!

by Lisa Schofield | November 1, 2021

When customers come in for immune-support products, don’t forget vitamins and minerals.

Plato’s declaration, “Necessity is the mother of all inventions,” underscores the connection between brands and consumers, according to Chris Meletis, ND, director of clinical education, Utah-based Trace Minerals. “There are few greater motivators than fear and safety,” he asserted.

This is motivating consumers to gather all things immune support. “The benefit of single vitamin or mineral supplements is they can be used selective to augment an existing wellness protocol to achieve desired and target levels of a given nutrient. Many of my patients will use an immune formula, yet add a little extra zinc, vitamin C or other item to meet their individualized goal,” he said.

Dawn Thorpe Jarvis, senior director of nutrition science & educational content, Garden of Life LLC, Florida, noted that in the past year, she has seen the company’s consumers turn to specific vitamins and minerals, such as its Vitamin Code D3 5,000 IU, Vitamin Code Zinc and all forms of Vitamin C including mykind Organics Vitamin C sprays. “We saw huge increases in demand for all of these items in addition to anything containing elderberry,” she said.

Vitamins D and C, and minerals, such as zinc, have been trending in sales, observed Vanessa Pavey, ND, education scientist, Life Extension Precision Operations Inc., Florida. Currently, she said, one of the key reasons consumers take vitamins and minerals has been to support overall health, but as the pandemic continues, many have been seeking out vitamins and minerals more specifically to support the immune system. “Other growing areas of interest include promoting restful sleep and balancing the stress response.”

Snapshot: Vitamins and Immunity

According to Neil Edward Levin, CCN, DANLA, senior nutrition education manager, NOW, Illinois, the huge increase of consumer shopping for vitamins C and D, during both last year and this year, is a testament to people’s knowledge that these vitamins have important roles in human healthy immune function.

Levin, who lectures at international medical conferences about vitamin D, pointed out that one of the most important roles for the vitamin is for immune health, a fact typically not very well known among medical staffers or the general public during most of the last decade. However, retailers should be aware that with the publication of numerous studies and recommendations last year, combined with the unprecedented demand for vitamin D products, consumers are now very aware of that link to immune health. “Vitamin D acts as an immune system modulator, positively influencing expression of cytokines and enhancing the activity of macrophages. This vitamin also supports the normal activity of neutrophils, monocytes, natural killer cells and epithelial cells lining the respiratory tract/lungs to protect against environmental factors,” he explained.

“Vitamin D used to be regarded as a bone supplement, however consumers now recognize it as much for immunity as for bones,” agreed Jim Daily III, PhD, president, Daily Manufacturing, Inc. of North Carolina.

Katherine Cole, manager of research and development for California-based ChildLife, observed, “We’re also starting to see an awareness develop in consumers of the importance of vitamin D for immune health. It’s not common knowledge yet, but it’s a start.”

Meanwhile, other vitamins are being noticed by consumers in a way they haven’t been, due to the major favorable press about vitamin D and immunity. Vitamin C, for years, has been known as the “immune vitamin,” mostly from the landmark research by Dr. Linus Pauling who took massive amounts daily. Vitamin C has numerous studies showing it plays roles in the growth and functions of immune cells and antibody production.

Vitamin A has also been associated with immune support, although this association is not one most consumers make. “Of course,” Levin added, “vitamin A is one of the fat-soluble vitamins that are associated with skin health, along with vitamins D and E.”

A hallmark of the past 18 months is increased stress, so customers are likely looking for stress management supplements to take with their immune support, based on the knowledge that stress temporarily weakens immune resilience. To this end, B vitamins/B complex are often connected to stress reduction. Levin explained the difference in B12 forms and how they relate to supporting immune function. “Certain forms of vitamin B12—denosylcobalamin and its precursor cyanocobalamin—are supportive of energy production, which plausibly relates to immunity since that is an energy-intensive function. But methylcobalamin supports a separate non-energetic metabolic pathway related to liver detoxification and support for healthy brain and nerves, so its methylated form (represented by only about one third of active B12 in our bodies versus two thirds as adenosylcobalamin) probably is not as immune-supportive as the other common forms since it doesn’t expedite energy production in our bodies in the same manner.”

Snapshot: Minerals and Immunity

Similar to vitamin D, calcium has likewise been traditionally considered a bone health product, said Daily. However, calcium is also known to be essential for maintaining muscle function, normal blood pressure and is often recommended for weigh management.

Magnesium is evolving from a mineral combined with calcium for healthy bones to being used for relaxation, cardiovascular health, blood glucose management, relieving symptoms of pre-menstrual and more, Daily added. Magnesium is essential for numerous reactions in the body and is crucial for maintaining optimal health.

Zinc is the best-known mineral for immune health. And, according to Marlena Hidlay, global marketing manager, Albion Minerals – Balchem, zinc—a nutrient found in meat, seafood, dairy and legumes—is unable to be produced in the body, therefore supplementation or fortification are the only ways to obtain it in satisfactory amounts. “While the general population usually gets enough zinc if they consume a standard American diet, at-risk demographics for zinc inadequacy include: infants, vegetarians (especially low-carb lifestyle vegetarians) and adults older than 60,” she pointed out. A zinc deficiency is associated with immune dysfunction leading to increased susceptibility to infections.

Levin noted, “Zinc products also were sought and bought by consumers at a far higher rate than usual; these include both single mineral products as well as zinc lozenges and various combinations.” Zinc affects both the innate and the adaptive immune systems, plays a role in immune response in respiratory tissues, and plays a role in the body’s normal responses to oxidative stress.”

He added that overall, minerals’ role in immunity is less well known, except for zinc; but iron, selenium, magnesium and copper all have roles in supporting healthy immune function. Selenium may be more familiar in that role than other minerals and has been shown to affect the degree to which the body can defend itself against environmental factors; with selenium deficiencies resulting in less favorable outcomes in animal studies.

There are, of course, reams of published studies about the multiple health benefits of vitamins and minerals, both singularly and in combination, and as retailers, you don’t have to be able to cite specific trials or meta-analyses.

However, steering customers to the right/correct sources of knowledge is more imperative for this category as consumers are going down internet rabbit holes and getting lost in misinformation.

“I would say customers have a very limited understanding about vitamins and minerals,” observed retailer Tim O’Brien from Find Your Healthy Place in Wisconsin. “They may have heard some basics like vitamins C, D and zinc are good for the immune system. However, I would say they don’t understand it to the point that these basic nutrients can save people’s lives in the right situation.”

Emily Crawford CNHP, RN of Garner’s Natural Life of Columbia and Lexington, SC, said that while she has witnessed an increase in consumers who are interested in vitamins and minerals and are trying to educate themselves, as part of this, “there is an increase in TikTok just telling people what to take when it may not be the best fit. That’s where we can do some work and help properly educate our communities.”

Meletis added, “There is a condition that most of my patients suffer from, I call it ‘Google-itis.’ As a society we are trained to ask Siri, Alexa and alike, ‘What is best for …’ and just like magic the consumer/patient gets a weighted answer that is the result of countless algorithms.”

Daily agreed, stating, “It is difficult for many people to separate the good information from the bad. There is a great need for reliable information for the consumer.”

The internet and social media have created an explosion of information—much of it being misinformation, Pavey emphasized. Some self-proclaimed social medial influencers often over-inflate the benefits of a vitamin or mineral, use false claims, or use FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration)-prohibited claims, which can put unaware consumers at risk.

As such, she pointed out, “here is an opportunity for brands and retailers to help bridge this gap in knowledge and help guide customers to find trustworthy information.” The silver lining in this situation, pointed out Skurzynski, is that consumers are actively reading labels and following information trails on the internet. But “while they are starting to give more thought about reading the label and understanding what is in their vitamins and minerals, consumers should also be giving thought to the efficacy of how dietary supplements absorb in their system,” she underscored.

What’s Trending Up

At first blush, one would believe that nothing much could be new in vitamins and minerals. But one would be quite wrong.

For example, according to Tonya Skurzynski, chief revenue officer, Frunutta, LLC, key changes are in delivery: “the traditional swallow vitamins are losing market share annually to alternatives like gummies, powders and drinks. Consumers are looking for alternative ways to ingest or consume vitamins and minerals without having to swallow a pill. Additionally, the proliferation of vitamins in functional waters has captured consumers’ interest as an attractive value-added to hydration.

In Pavey’s viewpoint, promoting absorption has become a focus of recent vitamin and mineral formulas. For example, she offered, vitamin C in a Liposomal Hydrogel provides up to seven times greater absorption and supports blood levels for 24 hours when compared to unformulated vitamin C.

Convenience continues to reign supreme. And in this category, said Thorpe Jarvis, consumers are looking for combinations of key immune supporting ingredients in one product, rather than buying separate vitamins and minerals.

Meletis reported that Trace Minerals has seen a significant rise of consumer demand for Liquid Ionic Zinc, Liquid Vitamin C + Ionic Zinc, Liquid Elderberry + Ionic Zinc, Liquid Vitamin D, Zinc Gummies, Power Paks with 1,200 mg Vitamin C, Elderberry Immunity Powder and Liquid Ionic Selenium.

“Vitamin D is selling like mad,” declared Levin. “All strengths and sizes, but especially higher doses in the thousands, not hundreds, of IU (100 IU = 2.5 micrograms). Zinc products also sell well, especially higher levels such as our two 50 mg products. Vitamin C continues to sell at high levels.”

Products to Consider

ChildLife Zinc Plus is a liquid dietary supplement containing zinc and copper. Cole stated, “this product really stands out in the market because many zinc products simply contain zinc as the only active ingredient, but we’ve added an additional important trace mineral to our product: copper.” Zinc Plus also contains a specific form of zinc called zinc gluconate, which is a chelated form for optimal absorption. The liquid format, in natural mango and strawberry flavors, can appeal to children’s tastebuds.

Garden of Life’s new Dr. Formulated Vitamin D3 5,000 IU & Zinc delivers a high dose of whole-food Vitamin D3 combined with targeted nutrients to support immune function with enhanced availability, according to Jarvis. “David Perlmutter, MD created this formula with 125 mcg (5,000 IU) of Vitamin D3 and 200% Daily Value of Zinc-Quercetin Chelate, blended in a base of organically grown fruit plus clinically studied probiotic Bacillus subtilis DE111 for daily immune system support,” she described.

According to Daily, Daily Manufacturing has always been strong in the mineral category, with a great variety of different minerals and in different forms. He explained, “Daily B-vitamins have long used the ‘activated’ type that are most readily utilized, such as pyridoxal-5-phosmate instead of pyridoxine HCl and thiamine pyrophosphate rather than thiamine mononitrate. However, other vitamins are available in their optimal form as well. Although these ‘activated’ alternatives are more expensive, they offer the greatest health benefits.”

Trace Minerals Research provides a full mineral/trace mineral complex that serves as the basis for all its wellness categories. Featuring mineral salts naturally concentrated in the Great Lakes, the products offer more than 72 verified ionic minerals and trace minerals. Trace Minerals Research offers gummies, powders and liquids in the immune category to support customers’ individual preferences and absorption challenges.

Frunutta dissolvable vitamins are made for under the tongue absorption. This means we have eliminated sugars, dyes, gluten, GMOs (genetically modified organisms), preservatives, chemicals and unnecessary fillers to provide a clean supplement. “Our MicroQuick Absorb tablets take the direct route—easily place one under the tongue ensuring efficiency of absorption without the need for food, water or swallowing. After all, isn’t that the point of taking vitamins?” Skurzynski emphasized.

Speaking of bioavailability, NOW’s C-1000 Zinc Immune, which combines 1,000 mg of ascorbic acid with 15 mg of elemental zinc in one vegan-friendly capsule, utilizes TRAACS Zinc Bisglycinate, a form of zinc that has been shown in clinical studies to have superior bioavailability compared to other forms of supplemental zinc, Levin said.

Also from NOW is Effer-C packets containing essential vitamins and minerals to support optimal wellness. Effer-C provides 1,000 mg of vitamin C including Transport C-PLUS, a buffered C combined with alpha lipoic acid (known to help the body regenerate vitamin C) for fast assimilation, Levin noted. Effer-C also supplies a full complement of B vitamins, as well as seven minerals to support energy production and help restore important electrolytes. “We’ve included CoQ10 and alpha lipoic acid for added metabolic support, and 500 mg of Elderberry 10:1 concentrate per packet to better support the immune system,” Levin added.

Life Extension offers a large variety in the vitamin and mineral space, according to Kristin Chapman, product manager, Life Extension Precision Operations Inc. “We have several multivitamins, our most popular being the Two-Per-Day formula which provides a full spectrum of essential vitamins, minerals and other nutrients that meet or exceed the recommended dietary allowance (RDA). Our newest launch is the Plant-Based Multivitamin which features a full array of plant-derived vitamins plus minerals and the equivalent to three servings of vegetables and two servings of fruits.”

In addition, Life Extension offers stand-alone nutrients including Zinc Caps, Super Selenium Complex, and Vitamin D3 125 mcg (5,000 IU). The Zinc Caps provide 50 mg of zinc as highly bioavailable OptiZinc (zinc monomethionine) and zinc citrate. She described, “The Super Selenium Complex provides 200 mcg of selenium in three complementary forms: Se-Methyl L-Selenocysteine, sodium selenite, and L-selenomethionine for well-rounded cellular support, and the higher potency vitamin D3 helps fill in the gaps to encourage optimal vitamin D blood levels of 50-80 ng/mL.”

At Find Your Healthy Place, the top vitamin/mineral sellers are B complexes, vitamin C, vitamin D and magnesium. “I would say that these are primarily purchased for energy, immune system, and calming/mood benefits,” related O’Brien.

At Garner’s Natural Life, Garner reported, “there’s a big surge in vitamins C and D, and zinc. Many people are taking stacks with NAC and quercetin to help immune reliance. It’s also nice to see that many people are gifting their family and friends with these supplements to help them lessen any effects of illness.”

Conclusion

Nutrition Business Journal’s 2021 Condition Specific Report noted that in the future, supplement execs and consumers “may recall 2020 as the year of immunity” having raked in a $2.4 billion gain in sales.

Supply may still be an issue, so work closely with your brand reps so you may be immune from any potential shortages. VR