As consumer awareness of the benefits of immune health in the pandemic age has increased, so has their knowledge and discernment of higher-quality ingredients in these products to help improve their overall health. One of the more significant trends that evolved to help meet the needs of these savvier consumers was an increase in client requests for more bioavailable ingredients for their formulations to make them more readily absorbed by the body. Among the key bioavailable ingredients of which we have increased usage to enhance product formulation are liposomal vitamin C and mineral amino acid chelates.

Liposomal vitamin C

The liposomal vitamin C product we developed combines the immune-boosting properties of vitamin C with the enhanced bioavailability effects of liposomes (Pharmaceutics. 2020;12[3]:264). The natural encapsulation of lyophilic and hydrophilic nutrients within liposomes safeguard the ingredients through the destructive elements of the gastric system, ensuring delivery to the cells and tissues.

The encapsulation technology has allowed us to avoid over-formulation to make up for potential gastric loss. Instead, we can formulate products with a lower input of vitamin C, confident that the formula is delivering that reduced amount without any degradation of the nutrient. The lower input of the material also has allowed product developers to add more ingredients in the formula with fewer capsules. We use less vitamin C material since the liposomal technology allows for enhanced bioavailability to support that ingredient, along with other immune category ingredients like echinacea, ginger, etc.

Amino acid chelated vitamins and minerals

Amino acid chelated micronutrients are chemically combined to amino acids to form complexes.  As a result of this binding, some of these types of compounds may improve mineral absorption (J Nutr. 2014 Feb;144(2):132-6.)

Since the human body cannot produce minerals, they must be obtained through the diet. However, many are difficult to absorb. For example, a chromium fact sheet for health professionals on the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS) website notes dietary chromium absorption only ranges from about 0.4 to 2.5%. Chelating these micronutrients helps boost their absorption rate.