Targeted Delivery of Calciferol Using Hydrogel Encapsulation in Food and Medicine

Abstract

Calciferol, an essential vitamin, is often limited in dietary sources and synthesized by the body through sunlight exposure. Supplementing calciferol is crucial to meet various physiological needs, such as developing bones and teeth, supporting immune functions, enhancing cardiovascular and pulmonary health, and regulating genes associated with malignancy. To address the challenges of effective calciferol delivery, hydrogels have emerged as an innovative solution that significantly enhances its bioavailability and therapeutic efficacy. Hydrogels are intricately designed to encapsulate and protect calciferol, facilitating its targeted delivery to specific absorption sites within the body. Their unique chemical and structural stability allows them to withstand the harsh conditions of the gastrointestinal environment, making them superior to other delivery systems like liposomes, Pickering emulsions, niosomes, and nanoparticles. This review highlights the potential of hydrogel systems for the targeted delivery of calciferol in both the food and pharmaceutical sectors. It covers a range of essential topics including preparation techniques, characterization, stability studies, targeted delivery mechanisms, applications in food and medicine, safety as well as regulatory guidelines, future prospects, and challenges.