Uncover 5 ways Balchem’s Vital Trio can help you succeed in the dietary supplements market

Lindsay Cole

In today’s health-conscious world, consumers are shifting focus from addressing specific health needs to supporting their holistic health and well-being. A recent FMCG Gurus survey revealed that over three quarters (79%) of global nutritional supplement consumers stated that they are looking to improve their overall well-being, as opposed to specific health needs.¹ Moreover, almost half (45%) of these individuals only take one supplement.¹ As such, there is an opportunity for brands to create innovative supplement solutions that offer multiple health benefits in one, single, convenient dose.

To help dietary supplement manufacturers create breakthrough products that address consumers’ holistic health ambitions, Balchem has developed a Vital Trio of ingredients, combining Albion^® Magnesium bisglycinate chelate, vitamin D3, and the world’s only patented double microencapsulated vitamin K2, K2VITAL^™ DELTA. Keep reading to discover five ways this unique combination can give brands a competitive edge in the dietary supplements market.

1. Harness the untapped market potential of three ingredients

With over a billion views on TikTok for the hashtag magnesium, it is fair to say that this essential mineral has gone mainstream. But the magnesium trend is more than just a social media fad, with the US market witnessing an exceptional 25.5% growth rate in 2023, surpassing the anticipated 2-3% expansion.² Despite this, up to two thirds of consumers in the Western world do not get enough magnesium from their diet alone, emphasizing the need for supplementation.³ By combining the potential of magnesium with additional ingredients, brands can support consumers’ magnesium intake while also creating nutritional solutions with a competitive edge.

The global vitamin D market is also on the rise, forecast to increase at a 12.1% annual growth rate from 2023 to 2029.⁴ Vitamin D – also known as the sunshine vitamin – is synthesized when ultraviolet rays from sunlight strike our skin.⁵ However, with many people not getting adequate sun exposure, combined with few foods containing vitamin D, around half (50%) of the global population has vitamin D insufficiency, and around one billion people worldwide have vitamin D deficiency.⁶ As such, increasing vitamin D intake is a priority. Vitamin D3, in particular, presents an exciting opportunity for brands to support vitamin D intake, as it is proven to increase serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] (the measure of vitamin D nutrition) more effectively than other forms of vitamin D.⁷

In addition to magnesium and vitamin D, the Western diet is notoriously low in vitamin K2, meaning vitamin K2 supplementation is also key.^8,9 The vitamin K2 market is ripe with opportunity, predicted to grow at an annual rate of 14.9% from 2024 through 2030.¹⁰ In 2023, North America predominantly led this space with a whopping 35.6% of the total market share.¹¹ However, the unstable nature of vitamin K2 has resulted in many products not meeting their label claim, and therefore not delivering the health benefits promised to consumers. For instance, Balchem ran analytical tests on over 267 consumer products of different formats and formulations. Shockingly, only 16% of them contained at least 90% of the vitamin K2 amount claimed on the label, and many contained no vitamin K2 at all.¹² As such, there is an opportunity for brands to seek out vitamin K2 ingredients with superior stability to develop unique formulations that meet their label claim.

By combining magnesium, vitamin D3 and vitamin K2, supplement manufacturers can leverage the combined market potential of each individual ingredient to create breakthrough multi-functional health solutions.

2. Satisfy consumer demand for holistic health supplements

Balchem’s Vital Trio of ingredients are vital to supporting consumers’ holistic health ambitions, providing essential support in the following areas:

• Calcium regulation – Vitamin D3 facilitates calcium absorption into the bloodstream and the synthesis of vitamin K dependent proteins.¹³ Vitamin K2 activates a protein that deposits calcium into the bone.¹² While vitamin D3 and K2 take center stage as the perfect pair to regulate calcium, magnesium plays a pivotal role as the indispensable enabler, ensuring that this wellness combination functions flawlessly. Magnesium and calcium work together to help support nerve conduction, muscle contraction and a normal heart rhythm.¹⁴
• Bone health – Magnesium acts as the catalyst for unlocking the full potential of vitamin D3 by converting it into its active form.¹⁵ This helps to maintain the balance of calcium in the body, which is essential for the growth and preservation of our bones.¹⁶ Magnesium in combination with vitamin D3 also boosts the absorption of vitamin D3, raising serum levels of 25(OH)D concentrations more effectively than vitamin D3 alone.¹⁷ Also at work here, vitamin K2 supports calcium uptake for strong bones.¹⁸
• Heart health – Vitamin K2 plays an important role in heart health, contributing to arterial elasticity^19,20 and a healthy circulation system.^21,22
• Immune support – Vitamin D3 helps to modulate the immune response and immune cell activity, while magnesium is essential for optimal immune function and regulating inflammation.^23,24
• Musculoskeletal health – Balchem’s trio of ingredients can potentially support musculoskeletal health and athletic performance too, as vitamin D3 and magnesium are both associated with supporting muscle function.^5,13

3. Overcome formulation challenges with superior ingredients

Balchem’s Vital Trio of ingredients is designed to overcome common formulation challenges that manufacturers face when combining multiple ingredients, such as stability. How? Balchem’s cutting-edge ingredient – K2VITAL DELTA – the first vitamin K2 to be microencapsulated in special double-coated beadlets – offers superior stability in most environments. This means manufacturers can develop blended supplements and explore new formulations that meet their label claim. And guess what? It’s the only patented preparation to preserve vitamin K2 in combination with calcium, magnesium and other dietary minerals.

4. Deliver unparalleled efficacy for optimal health

To develop superior supplements, only the very best ingredients will do. That’s why Balchem’s Vital Trio uses cutting-edge ingredients with enhanced efficacy. In nature, many minerals are packaged in proteins, which can aid their absorption in the body. When creating mineral supplements, it is vital to ensure this protection too. Balchem’s magnesium ingredient is chelated, meaning it is shielded by the amino acid glycine which not only protects it from the environment in the body but supports enhanced absorption. As a key ingredient in our Albion Minerals portfolio, magnesium bisglycinate chelate has been shown in laboratory testing to have up to five times greater absorption than other magnesium salts, as well as demonstrating safety and tolerance for supplement users.^25,26,27

Similarly, K2VITAL DELTA is highly bioavailable. Thanks to its all-trans structure, the molecule’s seven double chemical bonds are set in a linear configuration, resulting in a highly bioactive form of the vitamin. This means K2VITAL DELTA has more time in the body to facilitate its essential functions and deliver important health benefits with enhanced efficacy.

5. Unlock formulation innovation

Thanks to the superior stability of K2VITAL DELTA, combined with Balchem’s protected Albion Minerals magnesium bisglycinate chelate, brands can cater to diverse consumer needs through a range of formulation possibilities that promote holistic support.

Learn more about how Balchem’s human health and nutrition portfolio can help you to satisfy the rising consumer demand for multi-benefit holistic health solutions: Specialty Brands | Balchem Human Nutrition and Health

1. FMCG Gurus (2023), Nutritional Supplement Trends in 2023. Available at: FMCG Gurus
2. Nielsen xAOC sales period ending 1/27/2024
3. Schwalfenberg GK, Genuis SJ, The Importance of Magnesium in Clinical Healthcare, Scientifica (Cairo). 2017;2017:4179326.
4. ProConnect Insights (2024), Vitamin D Market Analysis: Exploring Future Demand Trends and Growth Opportunities for 2032.
5. National Institutes of Health, Vitamin D. Available at: https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminD-HealthProfessional
6. Cleveland Clinic, Vitamin D Deficiency. Available at: Vitamin D Deficiency: Causes, Symptoms & Treatment (clevelandclinic.org)
7. Trang, H. M., et al., Evidence that vitamin D3 increases serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D more efficiently than does vitamin D2. The American journal of clinical nutrition, 68(4), 854–858, (1998).
8. Halder M et al., Vitamin K: Double Bonds beyond Coagulation Insights into Differences between Vitamin K1 and K2 in Health and Disease, Int J Mol Sci; 19;20(4):896, (2019). doi: 10.3390/ijms20040896. PMID: 30791399; PMCID: PMC6413124.
9. Beulens JW, et al, The role of menaquinones (vitamin K₂) in human health, Br J Nutr;110(8):1357-68, (2013). doi: 10.1017/S0007114513001013.
10. Vantage Market Research, Vitamin K2 Market Size USD 3834.4 Million by 2030. Available at: Vitamin K2 Market Size USD 3834.4 Million by 2030 (vantagemarketresearch.com)
11. Ibid.
12. Kappa Bioscience unpublished study.
13. van Ballegooijen AJ, Pilz S, Tomaschitz A, Grübler MR, Verheyen N. (2017). The Synergistic Interplay between Vitamins D and K for Bone and Cardiovascular Health: A Narrative Review. Int J Endocrinol. 2017:7454376.
14. National Institutes of Health, Magnesium. Available at: https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Magnesium-HealthProfessional/
15. Rosanoff, A., et al., Essential Nutrient Interactions: Does Low or Suboptimal Magnesium Status Interact with Vitamin D and/or Calcium Status?, Advances in nutrition (Bethesda, Md.), 7(1), 25–43, (2016).
16. Uwitonze, A. M., & Razzaque, M. S, Role of Magnesium in Vitamin D Activation and Function, The Journal of the American Osteopathic Association, 118(3), 181–189, (2018).
17. Cheung, M. M., et al., The effect of combined magnesium and vitamin D supplementation on vitamin D status, systemic inflammation, and blood pressure: A randomized double-blinded controlled trial, Nutrition (Burbank, Los Angeles County, Calif.), 99-100, 111674, (2022).
18. National Institutes of Health, Vitamin K. Available at: https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminK-HealthProfessional/
19. Knapen M.H.J. et al., Menaquinone-7 supplementation improves arterial stiffness in healthy postmenopausal women. A double-blind randomised clinical trial, Thromb Haemost; 113(5):1135-44
20. Vermeer C and Vik H, Effect of Menaquinone-7 (vitamin K2) on vascular elasticity in healthy subjects: results from a one-year study, Vascul Dis Ther; Vol. 5 Pages 1-4, (2020).
21. Hariri E. et al., Vitamin K2 —a neglected player in cardiovascular health: a narrative review, Open Heart;8:e001715, (2021).
22. Gast GC et al., A high menaquinone intake reduces the incidence of coronary heart disease, Nutr. Metab. Cardiovasc. Dis., 19(7):504-10, (2009).
23. Aranow C. (2011) Vitamin D and the immune system. J Investig Med. 59(6):881-886
24. Ashique S, Kumar S, Hussain A, et al. (2023) A narrative review on the role of magnesium in immune regulation, inflammation, infectious diseases, and cancer. J Health Popul Nutr. 2;42(1):117.
25. Hartle, J., Morgan, S., & Poulsen, T. (2016). Experimental Biology Meeting.
26. Ashmead, S., & al, Toxicologist, Proceedings of Society of Toxicology, Abstract 2457, (2016).
27. Schuette, S., et al., Bioavailability of magnesium diglycinate vs magnesium oxide in patients with ileal resection, J Parenteral Enteral Nutr, 18:430-435, (1994).