Packing a punch: Lycored unveils highly concentrated D3 for multivitamin applications

20 Aug 2021 --- Lycored is expanding its vitamin D range with a launch of a highly concentrated, microencapsulated D3, branded Capsudar D3 1000E. The format creates new opportunities for synergistic products that combine vitamin D with other ingredients due to its smaller format.

Big things come in small packages
Capsudar D3 1000E delivers 1 million IU per gram of vitamin D3. This ultra-high concentration – 2.5 percent that of pure vitamin D3 – frees up more “space” for formulation with other vitamins, minerals and actives.

“Thanks to our Capsudar encapsulation technology, we were able to create a powerful, super-concentrated D3 that overcomes formulation challenges and offers opportunities for fabulous pairings with a range of other actives,” affirms Lippert. 

Vitamin D3 oxidizes easily, is sensitive to light and usually needs to be kept in a vacuum in the dark. 

Lycored’s precision microencapsulation technology turns fragile, volatile and easy-to-spoil ingredients into stable powders that remain viable throughout the rigors of processing, packaging and storage. It also ensures that the actives are released effectively in the body. 

A core of calcium phosphate is spray-coated with a layer of vitamin D3, and both are surrounded by a protective outside layer. This format means that Capsudar D3 1000E can also provide 81 mg toward a 1 g daily dose of calcium.

Capsudar D3 1000E is suitable for hard shell and tablet applications.Paired to perfection
Vitamin D is one of a handful of ingredients approved for immunity claims in Europe, making it a popular micronutrient to add to formulations. 

“It’s a micronutrient that works best in combinations with other vitamins and minerals,” adds Lippert.  

Capsudar D3 1000E is well suited to be paired with magnesium and vitamin K, making it ideal for multivitamin supplements, notes the company. 

Lycored states that taking vitamins D and K with calcium is more effective than taking calcium alone, and magnesium assists in the activation of vitamin D.

A combination of calcium and vitamin D is recommended for populations such as seniors to reduce the risk of fractures, the company supports. 

Other research funded by Kappa Bioscience has shown synergistic benefits of taking vitamin D3 with K2. 

Some of its most recent findings that studied K2 and D3 in COVID-19 patients specifically indicated that K2 should always be taken with D3 to balance calcium metabolism. 

COVID-19 brings vitamin D to the fore
The pandemic also spotlighted the role of vitamin D in immune health, with groups most likely to be deficient in the micronutrient being disproportionately impacted by COVID-19. 

In light of the correlating evidence, the UK government offered free vitamin D supplements to over 2.5 million people in England deemed vulnerable to COVID-19 last winter. 

“One of the effects of the pandemic – and lockdowns – has been a surge in demand for vitamin D, points out Lippert,” says Christiane Lippert, global product manager, vitamins, at Lycored.

A recent survey by Lyored shows two in three consumer respondents indicated that they were concerned about not getting enough vitamin D, due to spending less time outdoors.

Vitamin D for formulations
Lycored’s latest ingredient adds to its comprehensive vitamin D range, which includes encapsulated D2 and D3, and solutions for tablets, capsules, soft gels, gummies and beverages. 

Available in all global markets, Capsudar D3 1000E is suitable for hard shell and tablet applications. With a short ingredient list, it is free from silicon dioxide, maltodextrin, carbohydrate and sugar. It is also kosher, halal and vegetarian.

Research continues to unveil more links between vitamin D and overall wellness. A recent US study found a link between higher vitamin D intake to a decreased chance of developing young-onset colorectal cancer. 

By Missy Green