Abbott has launched arachitol gummies in India, a dietary supplement that helps to maintain the required levels of Vitamin D sustainably. Formulated with additional essential micronutrients such as calcium and curcumin, they help support bone health and immunity. Launched in orange fruit flavor, these gummies are approved as health supplements by the Food Safety and Standards Authority in India, the company said in a statement.
It further explained that arachitol gummies are a dietary supplement for daily Vitamin D, calcium and curcumin requirements in children and adults. Each gummy contains 200 IU Vitamin D, 300 mg calcium and 5 mg curcumin. One arachitol gummy per day is recommended for children above three years of age, and up to two arachitol gummies for adults.
The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR 2010) recommends a daily supplement of 400 IU/day (international units of measurement) of Vitamin D for Indians under situations of minimal exposure to sunlight. According to a recent study, despite India being a tropical country with an abundance of sunlight, 76 per cent of Indians have Vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency, especially in the 18-30 age group. Limited sunlight exposure, air pollution obstructing UVB rays, high melanin levels and low intake of fortified foods are some of the major causes of Vitamin D deficiency, said the statement.
Recently, studies have suggested that maintaining healthy levels of the vitamin is vital to support one’s immunity and response to infections and research is still underway to uncover more on the mechanisms underlying this relationship. One key role of Vitamin D, for instance, is helping protect the body against various infectious microorganisms through increased production of natural chemicals that help in destroying invading bacteria and viruses, the statement concluded.