The Numbers:    

– Over 173 million Americans chew gum (calculated by Statista based on the U.S. Census data and Simmons National Consumer Survey )

— Nearly 15 percent of all chewing gum sold make a promise as a health-enhancing supplements

– One in 10 Americans over the age of 1 are deficient in vitamins B6 and C (National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey).

 

The Idea:

Why not ‘deliver’ good stuff in gum?

Penn State researchers chose two vitamin-supplemented products to see if chewed vitamins could be absorbed into body.  The Study was published in Journal of Functional Foods.

A placebo identical gum product was infused with a host of vitamins: retinol (A1), thiamine (B1), riboflavin (B2), niacinamide (B3), pyridoxine (B6), folic acid, cyanocobalamin (B12), ascorbic acid (C), and alpha-tocopherol (E).

Participants had blood levels measured after chewing and noted an  increase some more so than others.

Not surprisingly the water soluble vitamins were absorbed better than fat soluble ones (vitamin-A derivative retinol and the vitamin-E derivative alpha tocopherol)

 

The Results:

YES! Gum is an effective delivery means for at least some vitamins. More studies need to be done according to researchers.

 

Better chewing coming sooner than later