Multivitains - Do you take them? Which brand?

[Kelemvor]

Howdy,

I'm just wondering how many people take a MV and what brands you might take.

I've heard that the main once (Centrum, On a Day, etc) are basically all the same as long as you compare the ones geared towards the same people.

I've also heard that Target, Sams Club, etc brands can be good or bad depending on how they are made.

I know that Consumer Reports compared like 20 difference ones a few years ago but i wasn't able to find a link to their results.

So, do you take some? If so, which ones? have you changed brands and noticed a difference at all? Are there some that are known to not be as healthy or not dissolve as well or anything like that to stay away from?

Thanks!

Update:
I know you should get vitamins from food. I know we should all eat healthier and follow the official guidelines. I know MVs aren't going to cure cancer or anything else.

I'm just asking if you know you don't eat as healthy as you should and want something to supplement the vitamins you take in normally by following the recommended dosage and everything else.

 

[Kaido]

Nope, I don't take any. I don't see the point - our bodies were designed to process meat and natural stuff from the ground, i.e. fruit, veggies, graints, etc. Why not just eat healthier? There has been some interesting research on the negative effects of vitamins lately:

http://www.webmd.com/prostate-...ns-and-prostate-cancer

I like this guy's approach - get your vitamins through food:

http://cbs4denver.com/seenon/m...er.risks.2.679383.html

 

[TecHNooB]

Originally posted by: Kaido
Nope, I don't take any. I don't see the point - our bodies were designed to process meat and natural stuff from the ground, i.e. fruit, veggies, graints, etc. Why not just eat healthier? There has been some interesting research on the negative effects of vitamins lately:

http://www.webmd.com/prostate-...ns-and-prostate-cancer

I like this guy's approach - get your vitamins through food:

http://cbs4denver.com/seenon/m...er.risks.2.679383.html

Multivitamin covers all the bases, including the ones missed No harm taking 1 a day.

 

[Riverhound777]

I take the Men's One-a-day from Costco.

 

[superstition]

It's wrong to say that mega-doses of vitamins and minerals is harmful therefore people shouldn't take supplements. The key is to get supplements that stick with the RDC daily value, although I avoid supplements containing iron, as there is growing evidence that iron supplementation of non-menstrual adults who don't give blood regularly isn't a good thing. You'll notice that most "men's" supplements lack iron.

And, getting vitamins/minerals from food can be risky, too. Brazil nuts, for instance, can cause selenosis (selenium toxicity) if people eat too many of them. Just because food is "natural" doesn't mean it's perfect.

The avoid lead contamination, look for US Pharmacopia on the label, according to CR.

 

[KoolDrew]

I just take a cheap once-a-day multi-vitamin.

 

[gururu2]

I used to work for the company that made Nature Made vitamins. I worked in all aspects of development, small and large scale production, quality control, and marketing. I can tell you that the production facility was top notch and the grade of materials was excellent. The quality control was also very good. It was common knowledge that a great number of vitamin producers ran questionable facilities, such as GNC. Point being that not all manufacturers are the same. Ten years later, I will go out of my way to get Nature Made, just because I trust the people and the materials behind the products.

Currently I am only taking Fish Oil supplements (Double Strength Fish Oil)

 

[irishScott]

Guys should never take anything with iron. We recycle 90% of our supply, and the remainder is easily acquired through almost any diet. Excess iron increases the odds of long-term prostate problems (inclnotuding cancer). I'll see if I can dig up the link...

As for the nay-sayers, if you have the time/discipline/resources to eat a perfect diet, go ahead by all means. Please enjoy chugging the several glasses of orange juice per day to get 500 mg of vitamin C, eating a couple of pounds of pounds of vegetables to get enough lutein for your eyes (alright, it's not a vitamin, but you get my point.

And for those people who think they do nothing, maybe you can tell me how my allergies all but evaporated once I got proper amounts of zinc and vitamin c via a multivitamin. Both have been proven to strengthen the immune system, and the allergies left literally days after I started taking said vitamins. No other changes, and no major allergies since for over a year.

Also, a lack of Vitamin D has been linked to depression (among many other things). 15 minutes of sun a day will produce all you need, but during the winter, no one north of Georgia gets enough sun to make difference, and you need considerable skin exposure for it to be effective. Not very easy on a 30 degree day. Optimal way to get it is a supplement.

Folic Acid is actually absorbed better via supplements than naturally.

The problem with saying "multivitamins do nothing" is that each multivitamin contains significantly different amounts of various nutrients, so while some may be effective, others might be worthless or even negative.

As for negative effects from overdoses, well I admit there are plenty of those:
Taking 100 mg (the NIH "safe upper limit") of vitamin b6 was linked to dementia in women who took that dose for 10 years by the British NIH equivalent (can't remember the acronym).
Taking >2500 IU of Vitamin A has been linked to long-term bone brittleness. Note: This is vitamin A from retinol, not beta-carotene. You're body converts the latter to vitamin A as needed, so there's no danger of overdose.

Finally, old-school RDA is a joke. It was made back in the 40s for statistically large populations. Medical advances not withstanding, it was never intended for individual use. Read the numbers from modern research. (ie: NIH DRI tables for starters)
/semi-rant

To answer the OP:
I take One-A-Day men's, along with several separate supplements to get as close as possible what my research has shown to be the optimal levels of almost everything. I also take fish oil, Lutein/Zexanthin, and Psyllium (fiber) supplements.

Edit: Also, consumerlab.com does reviews of lots of health products, checks them for led content, dissolve rate for absorption, etc. Costs $50/year to read the reviews, but it's good stuff.

 

[superstition]

Finally, old-school RDA is a joke

It has flaws, but it's certainly better than megadoses.

 

[NewSc2]

I used to take the Costco Performance multivitamin (6 pills -- 1 multi, 1 b-complex, 2 calcium, 1 vitamin e, 1 ginseng), but I had a couple bad experiences with it here and there. It seemed to dissolve too quickly, and would make my stomach sour if I hadn't eaten much. I switched over to Men's One-A-Day, which worked well for a while.

Last week I purchased the Animal Pak multivitamin (11 pills!), after stepping up my weight-lifting routine and noticing a lack of energy throughout the day. Apart from needing to swallow pills the size of small rocks, I've actually found it to have a noticeable affect on my day, compared to other multis I've taken.

I've gone without multivitamins for a couple months here and there. I still would recommend taking them every day, I noticed myself having a clearer mind and my immune system was pretty strong (I wouldn't catch most of the latest bugs going around).

 

[TallBill]

I take Orange Triad becuase it has a Joint Complex in it as well.

 

[rocadelpunk]

Why do you think old people take vitamins religiously? B/c they're old enough to really feel the difference it makes : ), so might as well start now b/c they do help.

 

[Atty]

The pharmacist at my store suggest Centrum Performance, I haven't started it yet, but am considering it.

 

[kage69]

Shaklee's multi, there's not really anything equivalent I don't think.

They don't load up on cheap vitamins and skimp on expensive ones, also they make their supplements with a minimal amount of heat and no petroleum based waxes. They include 100% of biotin as well, an ingredient the vast majority of companies chose to supply in meager quantities as it's costly and time consuming to produce.

Being able to digest them in a reasonable amount of time is a big reason too. Why take something that won't even dissolve in time to be of use?

I've found if I take my Vita Leas I can go on less sleep and get far fewer headaches. :thumbsup:

Their Vita C supplement is cool too... it's a sustained release formula, important for water soluble stuff - one tablet is equal to eating an orange every hour for eight hours.


They make a boat load of stuff, but I think the basics work just dandy. Highly recommended.

 

[BlahBlahYouToo]

Originally posted by: iAtticus
The pharmacist at my store suggest Centrum Performance, I haven't started it yet, but am considering it.

i take it... came from gnc mega mens. don't really feel a difference.
but i will say, when i first started taking mega men's (coming from no vitamins), i did feel more energized for about a week or so, and then nothing thereafter.

 

[skace]

I don't take a multivitamin and this thread kind of highlights why. Some people say don't, some people say do, some people swear by xyz brand, some people say xyz brand is garbage. I don't know, just doesn't seem very concrete.

 

[kage69]

I don't take a multivitamin and this thread kind of highlights why. Some people say don't, some people say do, some people swear by xyz brand, some people say xyz brand is garbage. I don't know, just doesn't seem very concrete.

I hear ya, and used to espouse pretty much the exact same sentiments on the subject. That company Shaklee won me over by backing up everything they sell with independent, 3rd party clinical verification of everything they make and claim.

The info is out there if you don't believe me. The fact of the matter is some companies are content to run on decades old science, and some aren't. There is a very real difference between a balanced supplement that's closer to actual food than a classic vitamin, and another supplement coated in shellac that passes through your guts like a marble would.

I wouldn't take the chance of offending others by denouncing products as "garbage," (hence my brand vagueness above) but I will chime in with what I've gathered via experience and research. Consumerism meets "If you have nothing good to say.." if you like.

And before anyone accuses me of being a Shaklee salesman (I'm not) I should also mention that JuicePlus puts out a good multi as well. They, like Shaklee, emphasize hanging onto the phyto-nutrients and active enzymes contained in real produce and other foods, instead of cooking them out with heat and chemicals.


just my $0.02...

 

[irishScott]

Originally posted by: kage69

I don't take a multivitamin and this thread kind of highlights why. Some people say don't, some people say do, some people swear by xyz brand, some people say xyz brand is garbage. I don't know, just doesn't seem very concrete.

I hear ya, and used to espouse pretty much the exact same sentiments on the subject. That company Shaklee won me over by backing up everything they sell with independent, 3rd party clinical verification of everything they make and claim.

The info is out there if you don't believe me. The fact of the matter is some companies are content to run on decades old science, and some aren't. There is a very real difference between a balanced supplement that's closer to actual food than a classic vitamin, and another supplement coated in shellac that passes through your guts like a marble would.

I wouldn't take the chance of offending others by denouncing products as "garbage," (hence my brand vagueness above) but I will chime in with what I've gathered via experience and research. Consumerism meets "If you have nothing good to say.." if you like.

And before anyone accuses me of being a Shaklee salesman (I'm not) I should also mention that JuicePlus puts out a good multi as well. They, like Shaklee, emphasize hanging onto the phyto-nutrients and active enzymes contained in real produce and other foods, instead of cooking them out with heat and chemicals.


just my $0.02...

http://www.consumerlab.com/

3rd party testing of TONS of supplement reviews (herbal, fish oil, multis, they've got practically everything).

Costs $50 / year, but it's worth it IMO.

 

[daveshel]

Insurance Formula from Bronson.

 

[superstition]

They include 100% of biotin

As far as I know, biotin is manufactured by the body so it's not very necessary to supplement it.

 

[112]

irishScott ... i do want to sign up for consumerlab.com some day but can you list a few multi-vitamin brands, that you can get at most stores, that you and consumerlab.com feel are the best? thanks.

 

[Crono]

It's nearly impossible to know what the optimal amount of vitamins is for optimal health, so I just make sure I eat natural foods (i.e. minimally processed), including plenty of fruits, and vegetables (of varying colors, shapes, and types), and whole grains. Vitamin deficiency isn't that big a problem in the U.S., especially with regular foods being fortified for decades now. It's less of a hassle and better to just eat healthy rather than worrying about vitamins or taking a multi-v "just in case".

It's pointless to try and attain optimal health using supplements, anyways. I can see why you might want to take them as a safety net, but you wont become super healthy by taking them. I know a lot of people who become obsessed with supplements, taking whey, fish oil, garlic supplements, vitamin C, vitamin E, flax, etc. and just end up wasting money. The problem is that vitamins have synergistic effects, and pharmaceutical isolation of vitamins from other essential nutrients, phytochemicals, etc. is not ideal by any means. The only ones who really gain from mass supplementation are those who really need them - if you don't need them, the companies that produce these supplements (who have a lot of misleading marketing) are the only ones who really benefit (discounting the placebo effect, of course).

Cliffs: Eat natural, healthy foods and exercise. If you develop any problems, see a doctor.

 

[irishScott]

Originally posted by: 112
irishScott ... i do want to sign up for consumerlab.com some day but can you list a few multi-vitamin brands, that you can get at most stores, that you and consumerlab.com feel are the best? thanks.

Well, they didn't evaluate the nutrition of the products, just ensured their fidelity.

They tested for the amounts of some common ingredients (ie: folic acid) to ensure that the vitamin contained what the label said it did. They also added a footnote if the amount was above the Institute of Medicine's "Safe Upper Limit" for long term doses.

I don't know if I'm violating anything by posting this, but I'll gladly remove it if I am.

http://fnic.nal.usda.gov/nal_d...id=1342&level3_id=5140

They also tested for lead contamination and dissolveability (to ensure it would break down enough to be absorbed).

The most common ones they approved are
GNC Mega Men (2 caplets/day),
GNC Mega Men Sport (2 caplets/day),
Both of the previous were above the UL for niacin
GNC Women's Ultra Mega (2 caplets/day)
GNC Women's Ultra Mega Active (2 caplets/day)

One A Day Women's (1 tablet/day)
They only checked the women's vitamin, but all other lines are produced by the same process, just different ingredients. So aside from content, they're effectively the same thing. Same goes for Centrum. I know from my own research that One A Day Men's does not exceed the UL for anything it contains.

Centrum Silver (1 tablet/day)

There were about 50 some odd products total reviewed. Hope I helped.

 

[OFFascist]

Personally I think its good to take one every once and a while, weekly, bi-weekly, monthly. So that if your diet doesnt have something in it you are atleast getting some partial ammount of it from time to time.

 

[crownjules]

Jarrow Formula 1-3 Multivitamin. Very cheap and an excellent formulation of vitamins and minerals. Like the name suggests, you can take 1-3 pills a day depending on your exact needs. I usually take 2, sometimes 3.