Are beauty from within beverages useless?

Scientists at the University of Toronto investigated many vitamin waters, energy drinks and novel juices sold in Canadian supermarkets to assess them for their micronutrient composition.

In a report published in the journal Applied Physiology, Nutrition and Metabolism, the novel beverages sold in Canada were found to contain extensive nutrient enrichment.

Product claims included nutritional attributes such as immune support, and antioxidant support, whereas some beverages made claims relating to specific nutrients.

Are Vitamins B6, B12 and Niacin necessary?​

In particular, the products listed vitamins B6, B12, C and niacin on the labels. With the exception of vitamin C, the report authors claims that young adults are already consuming sufficient daily quantities of these specific nutrients in their daily diets.

Although the report does not make any specific reference to beauty from within or nutricosmetic beverages, many of the additional nutrients discussed in the report are included in such products.

According to Euromonitor, the global beauty from within market is projected to hit a value of $5 billion in 2015, with the biggest market for such products being in the Asia Pacific region.

"Little or no benefit from the nutrient additions"​

"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,"​ Naomi Dachner, a researcher in Nutritional Science as the University of Toronto said.

"Most of the nutrients permitted for addition are allowable at levels well above nutrient requirements, and, the new guidance is not designed to steer manufacturers towards the addition of nutrients that would address existing nutrient inadequacies in the population."​

According to the authors of the report, the study raises questions about the measures that need to be taken to ensure that consumers of these beverages are not misled or exposed to unnecessary nutrient loads with no or little benefits.