3-10% active ingredients
Did you know, most over the counter (OTC) medicines contain only 3-10% of the active ingredient? The rest is fillers, binders, dyes, parabens, and artificial colors.
So, what’s the purpose?
Some fillers have a legitimate and critical purpose. First and foremost, that tiny percentage of the active ingredient is difficult to administer the proper dosage in such small measurements. Some active ingredient dosages are too small to sustain a small tablet on their own. The fillers bulk the dose to administer safely and efficiently.
Other fillers are flavoring that makes the medicine palatable, and some preservatives extend shelf-life. Some fillers affect the rate of disintegration, and some coatings may delay absorption too quickly.
The ingredients utilized as inactive fillers deserve some scrutiny:
75% inactive fillers: In the most common pills, for instance, 75% contain inactive filler ingredients, according to a study in Sciencemag.org. The problem comes in what is used as a filler, which can often be the cause of many allergic reactions and uncomfortable side effects due to such ingredients as talc, lactose, and gluten.
55% difficult to digest fillers: Researchers found that 55% or more drugs contain fillers that are difficult to digest. These sugars are known to be linked to negative symptoms like abdominal pain and bloating in some, and diarrhea or constipation in others.
Genexa makes big swap – 60-95%
Genexa knew they could do better when it comes to those inactive fillers. Instead of fillers like gluten, talc, and lactose, Genexa replaced them with organic ingredients, including tapioca, rice bran, and maltodextrin, for example.Over 60 common fillers have been swapped in Genexa organic medicines. This practice ensures that anyone who uses Genexa brand ingests healthy and wholesome ingredients. Visit the FAQ page to get answers to the most frequent questions.
Consumers stepping back – 40% seek natural solutions
Natural alternative medicine continues to grow, treating ailments as small as a cough or as massive as cancer. Interest continues to climb in natural over-the-counter (OTC) medicines. Back in 2015, Drugstore News already noticed 11 percent growth in the natural OTC market. The most popular category was natural cough/cold/immunity remedies – accounting for 40% of the total OTC market.
The organic connection: 6.3% growth
From strawberries to bedsheets, the US trend toward organic products continues to gain in popularity. Consumers seek produce and proteins free from pesticides and other chemicals. Others claim reduced anxiety sleeping on organic fiber bed sheets.
Organic food sales in the US rose 5.9% this year to $47.9 billion. That total accounts for nearly half of the global organic sales that recently crested $100 million. Organic sales were responsible for 5.7% of the total food sales, up 2.3% from 2018. This market overall grew 6.3% to $52.5 billion after an 11% increase in non-food sales ($4.6 billion).
In the same way that organics are sought out in foods, that very drive also exists when seeking out medications. Genexa is pioneering concepts around bringing the same organic practices to OTC medications to meet those new expectations.
75% of Millennials align buying to sustainability
The Organic Trade Association credits millennials for seeking transparency in the supply chain. With their help, organic is now considered mainstream. According to a Neilsen report, millennials are inspired by the effort to support sustainability. A notable shift occurred in 2018 when collaboration and activism started moving the needle in how organic plays in environmental initiatives and sustainable practices. The report also found that around 75% of millennials were aligning their buying habits to environmental values, twice that of the baby boomer generation. Millennials are also more agreeable to paying a higher price for those sustainable ingredients.
87% have a drive to avoid GMOs
GMO foods have been genetically modified with DNA from another plant, virus, or animal. The largest benefit to US farmers using GMOs is for pest control with reduction or elimination of chemicals. The result built a wall between two different opinions and extended the need for more data to prove the safety of these crops long-term.
In a consumer conducted by Health Focus International, 87% is the percentage of those in the survey that had an unfavorable opinion of GMOs, citing non-GMO foods as being somewhat or much healthier than the alternative. They also believe that genetically modified crops are worse for the environment. Another survey by Packaged Facts found very similar results in public opinion.
Consumers want cleaner medications
Clean OTC medicines are the future, with secure footing and ongoing growth. Become a Practitioner Partner and share organic, clean OTC alternatives with your patients.