Unravelling the myths behind the uprise in Personalised Vitamins Industry. Let’s be honest – Visiting a drugstore aisle full of vitamins can be a mind-boggling place and an exhausting experience. Vitamins come in many sizes and forms there; from a bland/ basic pills to shiny marble-like pills. It is safe to say that a customer can drown in confusion trying to find out which pills will benefit him/her.

This has created a gap in market for tailored supplements based on various lifestyle factors which plenty of young companies are exploiting. Companies such as Alyve, allow customers to fill out a wellness profile based on their physical goals, improving cognitive shortcomings and even offering a blood test so customers can regulate the areas for improvement – all from the comfort of their own home.

Sounds too good to be true, eh? First, we must differentiate the effects of general multivitamin(s) pills and customised vitamin(s) pills. By doing some research online, it is evident that multivitamin will “not address specific nutrient deficiencies resulting from dietary preferences, lifestyle factors, or prescription medication use” (Zoereport). Companies like Alyve and Vitl go about addressing these components in order to maximise customers’ potential and help them achieve their goals. It is crucial to stress the importance because nutrients needs are impacted by several factors (age, diet habits etc.)

Gender plays a key role – as women has varied nutrient needs at different stages of their life. Research have found that women require more iron than men due to women losing iron during their menstrual cycles every month as well as during pregnancies. Women also have a faster cell rate turnover than men which means women require more calcium. Bearing all of the above in mind, it is essential to research the background of the company and make a judgement for yourself. It could be a marketing ploy and turn out to be a fad. Are they giving you the best supplementation advice? You must ask all these questions before making a decision in order to ensure you’re getting what you pay for and are maximising the benefits of using personalised vitamins.