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The right supplements added to hectic, on-the-go lifestyles can make it easy for parents to nurture their loved ones from the inside out. Each family can pull together its own unique cupboard of quality ingredients and products—to address nutrition, immunity, first-aid and general health—that cater to particular needs and tastes.

Family is the patchwork quilt from which we take comfort on difficult days; it is the many unique, colorful and odd pieces and people that make the refuge we call home.

It’s the very quirks and characteristics that make a family “normal.” But whatever the range of family members under one roof, and whatever the situation—nuclear or not, family is not about numbers or names, it is about the care and nurturing that this sometimes motley group provides. It’s about relationships. And retailers can provide a variety of nutritious and comprehensive quality products to parents to nurture the little, middle and older ones.

“The market for effective dietary supplementation for the average American family is skyrocketing in direct response to the growing challenge for families to practice a healthy lifestyle,” said Mark J. Neveu, Ph.D., chief scientific officer, Health Plus International Inc.

Doug Ingoldsby, president and chief executive officer (CEO), ALL ONE/ Nutritech Corp., agreed: “Vitamin and mineral supplements are becoming increasingly mainstream as time goes on. More people are discovering the health benefits of supplements, especially parents looking out for the welfare of their families.”

Covering nutritional building blocks for each individual is important to ensure the health of the entire family. Chris Meletis, N.D., director of science and research, Trace Minerals Research, noted: “A family that works on their health as a unit is healthier and [this can] serve as a bonding venture.”

Along with exercise and rest, supplementation can play a key role in maximizing health. Retailers have the chance to work with each family to find what works best for their ages and tastes and put together a comfortable and unique health regimen that gets them through the longest days.

MMM….Multi’s

A fundamental staple to start the day is the multivitamin to cover the basics bodies need, so it needs to be convenient. “No matter how amazing a supplement regime is, if it’s not convenient or costs a huge amount of money, it will not be used consistently,” said Ingoldsby.

Meletis added: “A multivitamin for one and all is essential to all members of an average family since the Standard American Diet causes a void in essential nutrients. Supplementation is important to maintaining optimal health, dealing with stress, providing antioxidant protection and bolstering brain chemistry.”

The prevalence of multivitamin use is growing among the youngest children.¹ This is evidenced in one study of a national random sample of 3,022 infants and toddlers age 4 to 24 months where it was found that of the 8 percent of children given some form of supplement, 97 percent (usually the first-born child or picky eaters) receive only one—a multivitamin and/or mineral supplement.

Taking this information to heart, many manufacturers use the latest technologies and research to bring new and easy ways to deliver nutraceuticals as well as improve the more traditional pill form.

Powders, for one, offer parents vitamins, minerals and high protein that can be added to a favorite shake or beverage to get through a busy day. There are also specially formulated powders for children; ALL ONE developed a hypoallergenic, iron-free product, with no additives, sugars or colorings that can be mixed into a child’s favorite juice.

According to Ingoldsby, powdered and liquid supplements are becoming popular “due to their increased absorption rate and convenience for small children, and anyone who has trouble swallowing pills.”

Liquid vitamins offer an easy-to-take version of essential nutrients to the entire family. One offering, Organic Life Vitamins from Peter Gillham’s Natural Vitality, is a liquid food-based multi-nutrient that includes organic raspberry and cranberry extracts and is sweetened with organic agave nectar. Liquids are even becoming easier to use. Health Plus, for example, used nanotechnology to develop ready-to-go spray nutrients. These spray products are particularly effective for people who have digestive disorders or dislike taking pills or capsules. “The technology is ideal for people who take certain medications that interfere with gastrointestinal absorption,” Neveau said.

The foundational multivitamin in pill form is another easy way for adults to bring convenient whole food nutrition with them through the day. American Health® developed its “More Than a Multiple™” line with a cornucopia of whole food vegetable/fruit concentrates, omega-3 and -6 fatty acids, carotenoids and herbal complexes. Angelica Vrablic, Ph.D., manager of nutrition research, American Health, explained whole food concentrates in these supplements offer a more wholesome choice for families. “They provide the beneficial photochemicals found in fruits and vegetables that are not available in some supplements,” she said.

Carotenoids, one of these benefits, may counteract free radical activity in the colon,² liver³ and the cardiovascular system.⁴ In addition, gender-specific offerings in this line of multiples include specialty nutrients for specific benefits—saw palmetto in the men’s product for prostate health, and black cohosh for women’s hormonal needs, for example.

A fun delivery system is the gummy vitamin. There are several companies offering gummy formulas. Rainbow Light

introduced Gummy Bear Essentials™ and Gummy Power Sours™ Multivitamin & Multimineral formulas, which are naturally fruit flavored and available in single-serve packets kids can take with them in a back pack. Other natural product companies working the gummy fields include Hero Nutritionals, with its Yummi Bears line, and Nutrition Now’s Rhino Gummy Bear vitamins.

Micro, Macro Support

Even with a multivitamin/mineral product supplying the basics, many family members may have specific nutritional needs they’ll need to address. Women of child-bearing age, for example, are urged to take folic acid to reduce the risk of neural tube defects. Studies have also shown higher intake of vitamin B6 may reduce the risk of colorectal cancer⁵ and Parkinson’s disease in women.⁶

“Folic acid and vitamin B12 also work together in protecting the heart against cardiovascular disease,” Neveau said. “A study shows adding this nutritional duo to the diet may have an even greater impact on lowering homocysteine levels than folate alone.” As women are more prone to mood disorders, Neveau also noted studies suggest folic acid can prevent depression and dementia.⁷

But the Bs aren’t just for women. “Most teens and adults should take a B complex, a vitamin C, a multi-mineral and coenzyme Q10 [CoQ10],” Neveu said. The vitamin-like CoQ10 has shown beneficial actions against many major factors for atherosclerosis, including blood pressure,^8,9,10 hyperlipidemia¹¹ and oxidative damage.¹² CoQ10 also improves cardiac function and output in congestive heart failure (CHF) patients.^13,14

Teens also need zinc, a critical mineral important for the bone enzyme alkaline phosphatase, according to Meletis. “It helps kids ward off colds and acne,” he said. “For young menstruating women, essential fatty acids, magnesium and B vitamins can lessen menstrual cramps. For gentleman, zinc and selenium serve to bolster immune function and protect the prostate.”

In fact, selenium addresses lipid peroxidation,¹⁵ and low levels of the mineral have been linked to increased homocysteine and risk of cardiac death.¹⁶ Levels of fellow minerals magnesium and chromium have also been inversely associated with risk of various heart problems, including hypertension, heart attack, CHF and arrhythmias.^17,18,19

Magnesium should be in everyone’s cupboard, Meletis said. “Better still, it should be on the kitchen counter,” he added. “It is estimated 80 percent of the population doesn’t get the minimum daily requirement of magnesium. This is important because magnesium influences many bodily processes including digestion, energy production, bone formation, muscle function, creation of new cells, activation of B vitamins and relaxation of muscles. It assists in the functions of the heart, kidneys, adrenals, brain and nervous system. Lack of sufficient magnesium can interfere with any or all of these processes.”

Iron is a required nutrient, and supplementation may be necessary if a child does not consume meat. In fact, children up to 3 years of age are at high risk for iron-deficiency anemia if they don’t meet the Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs) for iron of 10 mg/d. And approximately 25 percent of adolescent girls have iron deficiencies, with nutrient-dense foods being replaced by empty calorie junk foods.

Women also need iron. In a study group of young women ages 18 to 35 years, with varied iron status, Iron treatment significantly improved cognitive performance.²⁰ Furthermore, significant improvement in hemoglobin was related to increased speed in completing cognitive tasks.

Calcium is another important ingredient to family health. “If your multivitamin doesn’t include 1,000 mg of calcium in the daily serving, a calcium supplement with magnesium and vitamin D to help facilitate absorption is recommended for adults and children over 4 years of age,” said Marci Clow, MS, RD, senior director, technical services, Rainbow Light.

One study demonstrates a high calcium diet supplemented with dairy products during adolescent pregnancy resulted in higher maternal vitamin D and folate serum levels and higher newborn weight and bone mineralization.²¹

The micronutrients calcium and vitamin D are especially important in pregnancy. Of a trial with 48 pregnant women, more than half had either severe or moderate vitamin D deficiency at some point—60 percent in the first trimester, 48 percent in the second and 47 percent in the third trimester. “It is recommended that the importance of calcium supplements with vitamin D in pregnant women be stressed for these individuals,” concluded researchers.²²

Calcium plus vitamin D supplementation also had a small effect on the prevention of weight gain, especially for those reporting previously inadequate calcium intake, in a Department of Health and Human Services-supported study.²³

Isn’t That Special?

Beyond basic nutrition, specialty nutrients, like essential fatty acids (EFAs), are vital for good health. Such products are becoming more popular as they can help a family compensate for nutritional “holes” in fast-food diets. “We see specialty supplements becoming more mainstream,” Vrabic said. “Products that were once in niche categories such as fish oils and Ester-C® are being used by a much broader range of consumers.”

According to Douglas MacKay, N.D., research advisor, Nordic Naturals, omega-3 EFAs and fiber are two glaring omissions from the Standard American Diet that have major implications associated with their deficiency. “Deficiency of omega-3s can result in multiple problems in children, specifically related to attention, learning and visual development,” he said. “For adults, heart disease, metabolic syndrome, cognitive decline (dementia), chronic inflammation and the list goes on.”

For the average family, a combination omega-3-6-9 supplement would ensure each member is receiving all of the essential fats in their diet, suggested Kristin Troutman, products category coordinator, Bioriginal. “As these fats have multiple health advantages, each individual would benefit,” she said. “Father, for example, may be interested in the heart health properties of the omega-3, while the children would profit from its brain boosting potential. Mother, on the other hand, may enjoy the skin health benefits of the omega-6.”

A recent research review confirmed EFA's benefits to the skin, noting, “There is strong circumstantial evidence from both experimental and clinical studies to support a role for omega-3 in the prevention of non-melanoma skin cancer.”²⁴ Another study found positive effects from eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) on UVR-related cancer risk in humans, reducing sunburn susceptibility and possibly skin cancer.²⁵ “Reduction in this range of early markers, i.e. sunburn, indicate protection by dietary EPA against acute UVR-induced genotoxicity; longer-term supplementation might reduce skin cancer in humans,” wrote researchers.

The quantity and strength of evidence for effects of omega-3 fatty acids on neurological conditions assessed vary greatly.²⁶ However, people who eat fish or fish supplements have been known to score 13-percent higher in IQ tests and are less likely to show signs of Alzheimer’s Disease (AD).²⁷

And, in a Swedish study, the importance of DHA for protective and even preventive effects were demonstrated.28 “We are now starting to realize the importance of DHA in the brain as being not only a structural component of brain cells, but moreover, a natural compound guarding the aging brain cells from degradation by neurotoxic mechanisms,” said Yvonne Freund-Levi, M.D. and lead researcher in the study.

Dads especially can appreciate the heartfelt difference of omega-3 EFAs, especially since 28 percent of American men died from heart disease in 2003 (www.CDC.org). The benefits of EFA supplementation can be seen in heart rhythm, which has been linked to decreased risk of heart attack, stroke, cardiac arrest and reduced CVD mortality—especially sudden cardiac death.^29,30,31Fish oil leads the healthy heart brigade. While some research has discovered a link between long-term intake of fish and reduced incidence of atrial fibrillation,³² trials on fish oil and arrhythmia have delivered mixed results. A six-center trial found fish oil supplementation did not reduce risk of either ventricular tachycardia (VT) or V-Fib.³³ Meanwhile Harvard Medical School scientists delivered contradictory results, as regular fish oil consumption in people at high risk of ventricular arrhythmias seemed to decrease potentially fatal incidence.³⁴

And, EFAs and iron were involved at distinct stages of increased growth (but not activation) of human T cells (the cellular foot soldiers of immune defense).³⁵

Immune function is another important area where specialty compounds can make a real impact. Immune products tend to start with vitamin C. Ester-C®, from American Health, features vitamin C with naturallyoccurring metabolites for quick absorption; it may also be gentler on the digestive system than other forms of vitamin C.

Vitamin C offers a protective benefit attributed to its antioxidant actions. Oxidative stress increases the antioxidant requirements of the white blood cell macrophages and lymphocytes.³⁶ Vitamin C supplementation increases antioxidant glutathione concentration in lymphocytes,³⁷ and normalizes monocyte adhesion to endothelial cells.38 Long used against the elusive common cold, vitamin C has shown mixed results in cold prevention, according to a major review.³⁹

After vitamin C, many natural product consumers turn to botanicals— and particularly echinacea—to both treat and prevent colds and other immune dysfunctions. “Recent understanding of the pathogenesis of the common cold will help families utilize very specific characteristics of the Echinacea plant to take days off the familiar symptoms of the cold,” said Omar Cruz, professional division manager, Gaia Herbs. “We introduced two new products stemming from this research—Quick Defense, formulated to support onset cold symptoms; and Whole Body Defense, formulated to provide preventive support during the cold and flu season.”

Echinacea even has powerful antioxidative activity, as one study comparing three botanicals found that al though the amount of phenol compounds in ginkgo tincture was statistically significantly greater than in echinacea or ginseng, the effectiveness of ginkgo tincture was 52.7 percent lower than the echinacea tincture.⁴⁰

These immune-support products can help form the basis of a natural first aid kit. “The family cupboard should have a natural first aid kit with remedies for colds and flu, sleeplessness, sore throats, headaches, and other common complaints,” said Matt Warnock, president, Ridgecrest Herbals. “These, too, will vary based on the ages, predispositions, and general health of the family.”

MacKay agreed, noting, “Many minor infections can be handled at home with a little TLC and natural medicine [such as] vitamin C, elderberry, colostrum, and others.”

For cleaning minor wounds, herbal salves and tinctures can help guard from infectious microbes. Among herbs used traditionally are antimicrobials such as goldenseal,⁴¹ echinacea⁴² and garlic.⁴³ From the kitchen cupboard, honey can also contribute additional antimicrobial action to cuts and other open wounds, and proved more effective on bacteria than antibiotics.⁴⁴  

Feverfew is a useful herbal fever remedy⁴⁵ and also effective for use in fighting migraine headaches.⁴⁶

Effective Marketing

Retailers hold a prime position for delivering product information and science to parents shopping for their family’s nutritional needs.

Retailers can create dedicated structure/function statements in sections related to specific family health concerns. “Encourage the development of an educated staff that can intelligently address the most commonly associated conditions with regard to family health,” said Cruz, who also suggested developing an in-house library. “The staff or store library [should] contain books such as An Encyclopedia of Natural Healing for Children by Mary Bove, or even the classic School of Natural Healing by John Christopher, as both deal very effectively with overall family health and familiar conditions.”

Gaia Herbs also offers (free to retailers) an herbal compendium, “Traditional Medicines from the Earth”, which describes the history, key functions, healing principles, safety evaluation and potential herb/drug interactions for more than 60 top-selling herbs.

Offering product demos is also important. Sampling supplements is a great way for consumers and their children to find new products and pique their curiosity; this is particularly effective for new delivery systems such as drinkable powders or gummies. Ingoldsby took the demo one step further, creating single-serving packet samples so customers can “feel the difference” before they buy a product.

Meletis suggested retailers draw attention by developing a one-stop, four-sided family kiosk with a “kids’ side, woman’s side, men's side and a ‘Basic 4’ side, including EFAs, antioxidants, mineral blends and immunity” to cover the fundamentals.

But, when the day is done, and all the crazy stresses have faded into the calm blue twilight—it’s all about relationships. And the relationships retailers build with their customers are the ties that bind. “A personal approach makes all the difference,” said J.P.

Bornneman, chairman and chief executive officer (CEO) for Hyland’s Inc. “The value proposition for independent retailers is their personal relationship with customers and their ability to use that relationship to provide access to high quality natural health solutions that can solve problems.”

To view the references for this story, click here.

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