Vitabiotics, the UK’s No.1 Vitamin and Mineral Company, is the first and only vitamin and mineral company to have been awarded The Queen’s Award in 2013 and 2018 for its research in the field of vitamins. We interviewed Ayşen Dincer, CEO, Vitabiotics Turkey about the details of the company, whose mission is to motivate people to support their own health by developing innovative approaches in the field of nutritional care…
How did you spend 2021 as Vitabiotics? What are your goals for 2022?
2021 has been an economically volatile year, which started with the effects of the pandemic and then felt normalization. We completed 2021 with a growth more than double the market, with our strong marketing communication, agile organizational structure and innovative product launches. As a company whose products are all imported from England, our proactive approach in the supply chain has also helped us to complete this volatile year without any stock problems. In 2022, we will continue to communicate with consumers and healthcare professionals, and continue our innovative product launches, to raise awareness about the use of vitamins and minerals tailored to their needs.
Is there sufficient awareness in Turkey about the use of vitamins and minerals?
The use of vitamins and minerals in our country has increased with the pandemic. People who want to boost immunity and live well turned to food supplements. Thus, the interest in vitamins and minerals increased gradually. During this period, the use of multivitamins that support the immune system, single vitamins such as D and C, and omega-3 supplements increased. In 2020, the Turkish vitamin and mineral market reached 10 million boxes, breaking the record of the last 5 years. Of course, this does not mean that we are conscious enough. Because the number of people who still use vitamins and minerals with the advice of neighbors, relatives and friends is quite high. Moreover, we are not used to taking vitamins, except when we get sick. The vitamin that is good for your friend or neighbor and gives him energy may not be suitable for you, using a vitamin in the wrong time and in high doses can harm your health.
If you do not have any chronic disease or a special disease, you should use daily vitamins prepared in appropriate doses for age, gender and need, instead of choosing single and high doses while taking vitamin and mineral supplements. You should also pay attention to the fact that the vitamin you use has mixed and multiple content according to your needs. In addition, you should choose products from reliable brands that do not contain preservatives, gluten, yeast, and contain doses specific to your gender and needs.
What are the reasons why not everyone can use the same vitamin?
Vitamin and mineral needs of children, adolescents, adults and the elderly are different. Moreover, it also varies by gender. Vitamin and mineral supplements should be chosen according to gender, age and needs. The clearest proof that this is not a marketing strategy is the Nutrition Reference Value (NRV) definition determined by the European Union for 13 vitamins and 14 minerals. Health authorities have defined the vitamin and mineral values that newborns, children, adolescents, adults and elderly individuals should take in the Nutrition Reference Value guide. This definition states that every age and physiological condition should be fed with different amounts of vitamins and minerals. In this case, while it has been proven all over the world that we cannot get the amount of vitamins and minerals we need with a normal diet, it is a scientific need that the supplements we will use are compatible with the amounts recommended by the guidelines and that they are specially prepared for you.
Which vitamins should we use to support our immune system?
First of all, it is very important to have a regular and adequate diet in supporting immunity. Then, vitamin and mineral supplements come into play. However, if you do not consume 7-8 servings of vegetables and fruits a day, you should definitely use a multivitamin supplement. It is important to use vitamins and minerals such as zinc, vitamin C, copper, selenium and vitamin E together with vitamin D supplementation in winter. You can use multivitamin supplements containing vitamins C and D, selenium and zinc, which are important for immunity, and you can choose mixed formulas containing amino acids as well as vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.
Recently, we have observed that the use of vitamin D has increased. How do you evaluate this situation?
Vitamin D is one of the most mismanaged vitamins in Turkey. While the safe limit we should take daily is maximum 4000 IU, ampoules containing 300,000 IU of vitamin D are poured on the bread and consumed regularly. Excessive intake of vitamin D can lead to poisoning, kidney stones and kidney failure results can be seen.
Can more than one multivitamin be used at the same time?
If the multivitamin you take is in the right formula, we can get enough vitamins and minerals that we need daily. This makes us feel more vigorous, healthy, that is, better. That’s why you don’t need to use more than one multivitamin at the same time. However, vitamin C should be taken 1000 mg per day and vitamin D should be taken separately at a minimum of 1000 units per day. The doses of vitamin C and D you take in multivitamins are not enough.
What are the dangers of using and overdoing the vitamin that our body does not need?
This condition can have many serious side effects such as kidney failure, fatty liver, vascular occlusion, overworking of certain glands and therefore hormone imbalance. In particular, single-content vitamin and mineral products are often formulated in high doses, as they are also included in the treatment. I recommend that single ingredients be used under the supervision of a doctor. Multivitamins are safer formulas compared to single vitamins. In order to prevent side effects in the world and increase the efficiency of support, innovative products specific to age, gender and needs have been developed. Preferring such products ensures that they are always in the safe range.