From The Straits Times    |

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Image: Cover Media

For many, vitamin-enhanced drinks are a way to get through a busy day. People are happy to splash out on the pricey beverages that promise to boost their physical strength or brain power to get them through that gym class or an all-nighter, working late on an assignment. But a new study claims the drinks have no actual benefits.

Most of these beverages claim that the nutrients and vitamins can help to improve things such as concentration, mood and productivity. Nutritional scientists from Canada’s University of Toronto and Ryerson University have now said these bold claims have no foundation in science.

According to a report published in the Applied Physiology, Nutrition and Metabolism journal, young people often get their daily intake of the vitamins in other ways already. Researchers took a look at supermarket brands of vitamin drinks and the nutrients and benefits they claimed to provide. The most common were vitamins B6, B12, C and niacin.

Aside from Vitamin C, most youngsters were already getting their daily fill of the nutrients, even without the drinks.

“While our findings suggest that consumers stand to reap little or no benefit from the nutrient additions in novel beverages, most products were being marketed as if they provided a unique benefit to the consumer through the nutrient additions,” researcher Naomi Dachner said.

The target consumers are often young adults, who might feel they need a boost during their studies, in the middle of a long day at work or after a big night out.

The report slams the drinks, claiming they do not address “existing nutrient inadequacies in the population”. Labels often claim the product will help with things like the immune system or provide antioxidant properties, but the young “target group” was often already consuming enough of what they needed.

“In addition, nutrients were often juxtaposed with messages related to performance and emotional well-being, benefits that go beyond conventional nutritional science,” the report continues.

So next time you feel you may need a boost, it could be more beneficial to make a smoothie at home. Pick your favourite fruit and/or veg and simply pop in a juicer. Alternatively, aim to take a soluble 1000mg Vitamin C tablet every day, as this is one vitamin many people do lack.

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