Pharmavite’s Nature Made brand has debuted a new immune health supplement that contains nutrients consumers often lack. ImmuneMax is a stick pack powder that when mixed with water creates a fizzy, orange-flavored beverage that contains 2,000 mg of vitamin C, 25 mcg (1,000 IU) vitamin D, and 20 mg of zinc. It also delivers seven essential B vitamins to help support energy metabolism, and nervous system function, according to the company.

Dr. Susan Hazels Mitmesser, vice president of science and technology, Pharmavite, discussed the product as well as the importance of immune-supporting nutrients and how they support optimal health.

Vivian Rhoads, divisional vice president, innovation, Pharmavite, also discussed innovation in today’s immune-support supplement market, and how ImmuneMax complements the brand’s existing product portfolio.

Nutraceuticals World (NW): What factors influence a healthy, functioning immune system?

Susan Hazels Mitmesser: A healthy immune system is influenced by many factors both internal and external. Your immune system works daily around the clock, and can be affected, either positively or negatively by lifestyle factors such as diet, exercise, environmental exposures, stress level, and quality of sleep.

Like any good operating system, the immune system is continually running in the background. It goes into overdrive if it encounters a potentially dangerous bug or germ, but it’s not just lying around dormant until that happens. It’s constantly producing cells, chemicals, and proteins to maintain its basic everyday functions, while also responding to restore our basic everyday health.¹

Good nutrition is very important. The body’s main defense mechanism relies not only on micronutrients like vitamin C, vitamin D, and zinc, but also on macronutrients (fats, carbohydrates, and proteins) to keep the cells of the immune system functioning and in check.¹ We say “in check” because while these defense mechanisms are helpful in moderation, they can be harmful when they are under or over-performing.

An example of this is the inflammatory process, which is part of innate immunity. Inflammation occurs in an infected or injured part of the body to help get crucial immune cells, messengers, and antibodies to the affected areas. If that inflammation sticks around for too long (chronic inflammation) it can lead to tissue damage and even chronic disease.

The importance of sleep is vastly overlooked in general, but especially when it comes to immunity. A lack of sleep contributes to a variety of health concerns, including a weakened immune system.²

Stress can weaken the immune system and make you more prone to illness.³ There are a lot of options for managing stress, such as yoga, meditation, spending time in nature as well as adaptogens, such as ashwagandha and nutrients such as L-theanine and magnesium that help you adapt to stress.

Physical activity is not only a great way to cope with stress, but it may even help reduce the risk of some chronic diseases that could weaken the immune system.³ It’s important to find a workout/exercise routine that works for you; if it’s something you enjoy you will likely do it more and stick with it. We always recommend checking with your healthcare provider before starting a new exercise program.

NW: Which immune-supporting nutrients are people (Americans) typically deficient in? What are the implications for overall health?

Mitmesser: Recent research published in Nutrients (June 2020) demonstrates that according to NHANES U.S. population data, American adults have a number of nutrient gaps in important immune health nutrients such as vitamins A, C, D, E and zinc.⁴

Vitamin C: About 46% of Americans are not meeting their vitamin C needs from food alone, and this increases to 85% if you are a smoker. Smokers need more vitamin C due in part to the increase in oxidative stress caused by smoking.

Vitamin C is crucial to immune health as it stimulates the production and function of white blood cells, which help fight infections. Those who are deficient will therefore negatively impact their immune systems’ ability to fight infections. Vitamin C is also important for wound healing, in collagen production, and for increasing the absorption of iron from food. Iron is needed for growth, development, energy metabolism, and oxygen transport.

Vitamin D: About 95% of Americans are not meeting their vitamin D needs from food alone and approximately one third are vitamin D deficient. Most people are aware that we can make vitamin D through sun exposure, however, it takes 15 minutes of full sun exposure in the middle of the day, every day, without sunscreen, to accomplish meeting vitamin D requirements through sun exposure. This is not something most people can accomplish, nor want to accomplish.

Vitamin D receptors are found all over the body, including in most immune cells. Vitamin D helps to regulate the body’s immune response, which can reduce vulnerability risk. It is important to get enough vitamin D not only to support proper functioning of the immune system but also to keep the bones and teeth strong. Vitamin D aids in the absorption of calcium, maintains adequate calcium and phosphate concentration in the blood to enable normal bone mineralization, and helps to keep bones from becoming thin and brittle. Also, low levels of vitamin D can cause muscle weakness, pain, and loss of muscle strength.

Vitamin A: About 45% of Americans are not meeting their vitamin A requirements from food alone. Vitamin A helps to produce white blood cells, which fight off bacteria and viruses. Interestingly, vitamin A was initially coined “the anti-infective vitamin” because of its importance in the normal functioning of the immune system. A form of vitamin A, retinoic acid, is produced by antigen-presenting cells including macrophages and dendritic cells, found in mucosal interfaces and associated lymph nodes. Retinoic acid appears to act on dendritic cells themselves to regulate their differentiation, migration, and antigen-presenting capacity.

Vitamin A is essential for healthy eye function and healthy vision, as it is directly involved in photo chemical reactions in your retina.

Zinc: About 16% of Americans are not meeting their zinc requirements from food alone. Zinc supports a healthy immune system with its role as an antioxidant and by supporting growth and normal function of immune cells. Zinc also plays an important part in normal growth and development. It has a structural role in proteins and cell membranes. As an antioxidant, zinc neutralizes free radicals, a type of unstable molecule, to help keep cells throughout the body healthy.

Vitamin E: About 83% of Americans are not meeting their vitamin E requirements from food alone. Vitamin E supports a healthy immune response by increasing the response of antibodies, helping T and B cell function. Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant that is beneficial for the body’s tissues. It helps to stop lipid peroxidation caused by free radicals (or helps neutralize free radicals).

It is a fat-soluble vitamin that works to protect the fatty areas of the body including the cell walls and the brain. In fact, the brain is 60% fat. The fatty acids in the brain are highly susceptible to oxidation. When there is high oxidative stress in the brain it can lead to cognitive decline.

NW: Can you discuss the new product, how/why it was developed, and the science behind the formulation?

Mitmesser: Nature Made ImmuneMax is a fizzy drink powder mix that provides 2,000 mg of vitamin C, 25 mcg (1,000 IU) vitamin D, and 20 mg of zinc. Also included are seven essential B vitamins to help support energy metabolism and nervous system function.

The ImmuneMax concept is a meaningful way to differentiate NatureMade versus other national leading brands; ImmuneMax provides two times the vitamin C and zinc as other brands. These nutrients are critically important to a highly functioning immune system.

ImmuneMax comes in a great tasting tangy orange powder form, easily mixed in water, for fast absorption. The product encourages hydration as the powder is to be added to 8 oz. of water. We are always looking for innovative ways to bring the gift of health to life for our consumers.

NW: Was this formulation in development before the coronavirus? Or is it a direct response to the focus on/need for immune support?

Vivian Rhoads: We were already in development on a powder formulation for an immunity product given it’s a popular product form for consumers. However, due to an increase in consumer demand for products that may help support immune health, we reassessed the priorities of our innovation projects to accelerate the launch of other key immunity products in the gummy format (which also debuted at retail in September).

NW: How does this product complement Pharmavite’s/Nature Made’s existing portfolio of immune health products?

Rhoads: Our immunity portfolio includes all the essential items such as vitamins C and D in established product forms, but we’ve also been exploring ways to expand our immunity portfolio beyond traditional forms to serve a wider consumer base.

While we’ve experienced success with new additions to our portfolio like Nature Made Elderberry Gummies, Nature Made ImmuneMax helps our brand expand beyond tablets, softgels, and gummies into a new product delivery system and a new packaging format—a fizzy drink powder in a stick pack—to help consumers support their immune system with a delicious tasting product whenever and wherever they are. This is just the beginning of our expansion into new formats and ingredients over the next 12+ months.

NW: Can you speak to the product format (stick pack powder) and what effect that has for delivery/bioavailability/absorption, as well as convenience?

Mitmesser: Immune Max is delivered in a powder form for easy mixing in water and fast absorption of the nutrients. It’s portioned in single serving stick packs which make it convenient to pop in your purse, or backpack or have handy in your desk. It is a delicious tangy orange flavor with other natural flavors that you just mix with 8 oz. of water; it’s also easy to integrate into one’s daily routine and encourages the benefits of hydration.

NW: What’s your assessment of innovation in the immune supplement market today?

Rhoads: Since the pandemic started, there’s been an increase of activity in the immunity VMS space to address consumer interest in proactively maintaining strong immune systems. However, there is still low consumer awareness of what the immune system actually is and how it works. Most consumers describe the immune system as the absence of illness, which is usually related to cough and cold. We believe that our role in the VMS industry, given our scientific foundation, is to start to educate consumers on the immune system and how to proactively support immune health all year long.

As a broadline brand, we can offer a breadth of offerings, from single letter vitamins or minerals to combined solutions, like Nature Made ImmuneMax, to serve different consumers in different occasions throughout the year.

The immunity VMS segment is also an entry point for new users to VMS, making it very relevant for brands in the marketplace to offer different product formats, different sensorial experiences, and also different ingredients from traditionally used botanicals like elderberry to vitamins and minerals in varying amounts to cater to different consumer needs and preferences.


References

1. Oregon State University. “Nutrition and the Immune System” Infographic. 2015. Linus Pauling Institute, Micronutrient Information Center. Accessed on March 16, 2020. https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/sites/lpi.oregonstate.edu/files/lpi-immunity-infographic.pdf
2. Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. “How to Keep Your Immune System Healthy.” 2018. eatright.org. Accessed on March 16, 2020. https://www.eatright.org/health/wellness/preventing-illness/how-to-keep-your-immune-system-healthy
3. Morey, JN et al. Current Directions in Stress and Human Immune Function. Curr Opin Psychol. 2015; 5:13–17. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4465119/
4. Reider CA, Chung RY, Devarshi PP, Grant RW, Hazels Mitmesser S. Inadequacy of Immune Health Nutrients: Intakes in US Adults, the 2005–2016 NHANES. Nutrients. 2020 Jun;12(6):1735.