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Working with BetterYou on prescribable oral vitamin D supplements
Our Human Nutrition and Exercise Research Centre is helping BetterYou assess whether its oral spray vitamin D is more effective than capsules in supporting nutritional repletion in groups prone to be low in vitamin D.
What is BetterYou?
Quality of life through nutritional confidence is a right everyone deserves. Through informed choice, pioneering science and absorption excellence, BetterYou empowers individuals to optimise their health whilst doing zero harm to our environment or communities.
Based in Barnsley, UK, BetterYou believes traditional supplementation methods are increasingly denying a growing number of customers from effective nutritional support. An estimated 30% of people in the UK can’t or would simply prefer not to take another tablet or capsule if given an alternative choice.
The result is increasing numbers of people who aren’t receiving the nutritional supplementation they need the most.
BetterYou represents the next chapter in nutritional supplementation. It specialises in nutrient supplements in new, accessible applications – such as oral sprays, bath soaks, transdermal creams, gels, and hydration waters.
While BetterYou primarily aims to position their products in the over-the-counter market, it has also worked on the appropriate compliance standards for prescribable vitamin D.
What was the business problem?
As part of case-building for prescribable oral vitamin D supplements, BetterYou needed to evaluate supplementation responsiveness by need-state and compare the effectiveness of oral sprays and capsules.
Additionally, BetterYou needed more information on the likelihood of greater compliance, preference, and health benefits if users have a choice of method to take supplements.
Ultimately, BetterYou needed to know whether oral spray vitamin D is more effective than capsules in supporting nutritional repletion in older adults and ethnic groups. Both groups are prone to low vitamin D status.
This became the basis of the project.
"This research provides an excellent opportunity to support and engage with local, at-risk communities in the Newcastle area, and will help contribute to the evidence base surrounding vitamin D supplementation"
Lecturer in Human Nutrition and Dietetics, Newcastle University
What is the Human Nutrition and Exercise Research Centre?
Newcastle University’s Human Nutrition and Exercise Research Centre (HNERC) combines the expertise and facilities of the School of Biomedical, Nutritional, and Sports Science and Population Health Sciences Institute into a premier research and consultancy centre.
In 2024, HNERC for Business was launched – an internal partnership across Newcastle University to provide a coherent “one stop shop” for commercial partners developing or testing products, evaluating health benefits or seeking to validate functionality.
HNERC for Business is becoming an integrated offering across our skills and knowledge areas, bringing together agile and rapid costing with a solid track record of robust science and gold-standard reporting. From commercial research and product testing, to training and continuous personal development, the centre’s consultancy and expertise are designed to help your business grow.
What did HNERC provide?
The project was built on a foundation of key assets and skills at Newcastle University, including experienced academics with excellent knowledge of the issues and real-world trials experience.
Andrea is a qualified and registered dietitian who has done considerable relationship-building across underserved and minoritised communities in the North East. Anthony is an experienced industry collaborator with skills in trial design and analysis. Bernard had previously developed relevant trial designs for BetterYou’s research, and has excellent working knowledge of the scientific challenges and MHRA regulations on nutrient interventions.
Newcastle’s track record of engagement with minoritised and older adults, vitamin D research, and the ability to design, deliver and analyse randomised controlled trials positioned them as the ideal collaborative partner.
The University’s established infrastructures and networks, coupled with community-embedded research outreach sites to support recruiting and engagement with key demographic groups, also proved essential.
“There has never been a more important time for a health brand to invest in its scientific foundations or customer relevance and our work with Newcastle University to better understand product absorption rates, delivery mechanism benefits and competitive performance has become fundamental to our communication programmes. Their work, quite simply put, is best in class.”
Andrew Thomas, CEO, BetterYou Ltd
What was the result of the project?
While BetterYou has had a clinical study relationship with Bernard for many years, this collaboration is the organisation’s most ambitious and commercially focused project to date.
Working in partnership with the Human Nutrition team at Newcastle University has rapidly become an essential part of BetterYou’s brand strategy.
The BetterYou project is ongoing and will report its findings in late 2025.
"The fact that our scientific investment has increased as a proportion of our total spend for the last six years is, in part, a testament to the relevance, commercial understanding and the accommodating working relationship that defines the HNERC team"
CEO, BetterYou Ltd
Could HNERC help your business?
Might HNERC for Business have the skills, expertise, and facilities to help you with your business needs?
Find out more, or email us with your questions. We’ll assess what you need and put you in touch with the right experts for you.