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News18
16-06-2025
- Health
- News18
Indians Popped 163 Crore Bottles Of Health Supplements in May—Enough to Stack 75 Mount Everests
Last Updated: Data shows that the three largest categories—vitamins, nutraceuticals, and calcium supplements—account for over 80 per cent of the total nutritional market Indians consumed nearly 163 crore bottles or strips of nutritional health supplements in May, the latest data shows. Stacked one on top of another, this would rise 75 times higher than Mount Everest, or nearly 30,000 times the height of the Burj Khalifa, considering each bottle or strip is 15cm in average height or length. Syrups, capsules, and tablets made up the bulk of this consumption, reflecting a strong preference for easy-to-use formats. According to Pharmatrac data, India's nutritional market was valued at Rs 20,747 crore as of May 2025 and in quantity sales, it sold 162.97 crore units. 'The nutritional market has almost 1.4 times of what it was five years back. Vitamins, nutraceuticals and calcium products contribute to this market and its growth," Sheetal Sapale, vice-president, commercial, at Pharmarack told News18. 'If one looks at the quantity consumption, the market does not show any seasonality pattern. This indicates a general increase in demand over the years, rather than a season or disease condition-driven consumption pattern." The data shows that the three largest categories—vitamins, nutraceuticals, and calcium supplements—account for over 80 per cent of the total nutritional market. The rest includes anti-oxidants, mineral supplements, appetite stimulants, biotin and combinations and caloric solutions. According to Dr Sumit Ray, medical director at Delhi-based Holy Family Hospital, the rise in multi-vitamin sales can be attributed to both lifestyle changes and dietary gaps. 'The increase in the sale of vitamins is probably due to a combination of factors. One is more awareness of health and fitness needs among the middle and upper class. The other reason is an increasing intake of fast food ordered through online food delivery platforms, leading to less balanced and nutritious diets, which may lead to more deficiencies". Also, Ray noticed that 'there is increased drive by the pharmaceutical industry to advertise and push the sales of these products, looking at what's called the 'wellness' market". What was once a supplementary or therapeutic product category seems to have now turned into a lifestyle mainstay. Over the last three years, many top pharma and FMCG players have entered or aggressively expanded into this space. These include Tata Consumer (with Tata GoFit), Micro Labs (Micro Wellness) P&G (Centrum), Nestlé–Dr. Reddy's joint venture, Cipla Health (Endura Mass), HUL (OZiva, Wellbeing Nutrition), among many others. From Doctor's Desk To Daily Habit What was once the domain of prescriptions has now become a household norm. 'Vitamin, minerals and calcium tablets have quietly found their spot, often on top of the fridge or bedside in Indian homes, no longer seen as doctor-only advice but woven into daily routines and also easily available online," said Dr Maninder Dhaliwal, an expert in paediatric pulmonology at NCR-based Amrita Hospital. Analysing the sales of the segment, Dr Rajeev Jayadevan, chairman, research cell, Kerala State's Indian Medical Association (IMA), noted a shift in user preference toward targeted formulations. 'The sales of vitamins and minerals are trending to favour more targeted supplements such as those purportedly designed for specific purposes like bone health, ageing, hair loss, memory and beauty enhancement," he said. The latest data shows that the vitamins, minerals and nutraceuticals sustained volume-led growth with particular combination drugs such as calcium with calcitriol and L-Methylfolate and L-Methylfolate with methycobalamin and pyridoxine. While the first combination is used for bone health, nerve support, and correction of nutritional deficiencies, the second helps to treat neuropathy, anaemia, and heart health. This shows, Jayadevan said, as the profile of users changes over the years, there appears to be diminishing interest in non-specific, plain supplements such as 'B-complex vitamins", which were popular many years ago. 'In the US, the supplement industry has such a strong hold that even perfectly healthy individuals commonly purchase them without a medical indication. India is likely to follow in that direction." However, Dhaliwal cautioned against blind consumption driven by trends. 'Here's the honest truth, we ideally should not be swallowing these supplements just because a social media reel says it's 'life-changing.' We should be listening to our bodies, reading our labs and talking to doctors." First Published: June 16, 2025, 13:01 IST News india Indians Popped 163 Crore Bottles Of Health Supplements in May—Enough to Stack 75 Mount Everests
Time of India
06-05-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Gloves cannot replace hand hygiene: WHO
New Delhi: Medical gloves cannot replace hand hygiene, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said on Monday, as it pushed govts to promote infection-control in hospital settings. According to the UN health body, while medical gloves serve a vital role in preventing transmission of infection, for example when there is risk of exposure to blood and body fluids, they are not a substitute for cleaning hands at the right time. Gloves can become contaminated just like hands and are often misused, such as being worn indefinitely while health workers switch between patients or when they are performing multiple procedures for the same patient, the WHO said. Many Indian experts have also raised concerns over the prolonged use of the same gloves by healthcare workers leading to an increased risk of hospital-acquired infections . "Continued use of gloves is not an uncommon sight in hospitals. In fact, post Covid such instances have gone up. We need to create awareness among healthcare workers for correct usage," Dr Sumit Ray, medical director of Holy Family hospital, said. He added that gloves should only be used by a doctor or nurse before a sterile procedure or when anticipating contact with blood or another body fluid. According to the WHO advisory, gloves aren't recommended when contact with blood, another body fluid, non-intact skin and mucous membrane have occurred and have ended. Also, it suggests that damaged or used gloves shouldn't continue to be worn as they are considered infectious and require high-temperature incineration or specialised treatment, adding strain to already burdened waste management systems. "Medical gloves can reduce the risk of infection, but they are never a replacement for hand hygiene," said Dr Bruce Aylward, WHO assistant director-general, Universal Health Coverage, Life Course. Last year, the Union health ministry issued a directive asking healthcare workers to remove all types of jewellery below their elbow while on duty. Director general of health services Atul Goel also stressed on the need to develop and enforce a policy to restrict the use of mobile phones in patient areas and critical zones such as ICUs, HDUs, post-operative wards and operation rooms to reduce infection spread in hospital settings. A study published in 2021 in the Journal of Preventive Medicine and Hygiene, which looked at the sources of fungus in the medicine ward and ICU of a leading hospital, found that out of 60 healthcare workers, 20 (33 per cent) showed fungal carriage. Aprons/hospital scrubs were contaminated in 17 (28 per cent) and hands in 3 workers (5 per cent). The aprons and scrubs mainly carried moulds belonging to the Aspergillus species, while hands were contaminated with Candida species. Electronic devices and stethoscopes had no fungal contamination, the study noted.
