Swedish pharmacy chain, Apotek Hjärtat, has launched a vitamin C gummy recovered from human urine. The idea came from agency, Wenderfalck, and it’s a response to one of the health & wellbeing movement’s unfortunate side-effects, the normalisation, and indeed aggressive promotion, of supplements.

Vitamin P(ee), developed in collaboration with a researcher at the Biomedical Centre at Uppsala University,turns wasted (excreted) vitamin C into new supplements, to highlight the consequences of unnecessary supplement consumption and encourage people to rethink what their bodies actually need. While excess vitamin C is simply excreted through urine, excessive consumption of certain vitamins and minerals can have serious health consequences. Vitamin P(ee) makes something that would otherwise be flushed away impossible to ignore.

Consumption of dietary supplements has soared globally in recent years. In Sweden, and no doubt throughout the world, consumption often exceeds recommended doses and supplements are also taken unnecessarily.

“Vitamin P(ee) is a symbol of how supplements can literally become money down the toilet when they’re not used correctly. Supplements are primarily intended to address a confirmed deficiency or complement the diet when needed,” stated Annika Svedberg, chief pharmacist at Apotek Hjärtat.