Multivitamin Info Thread

[Zanderini]

In light of all the threads on different vitamins and minerals i have decided to make a thread pulling together tons of info on multi vitamins:

heres some info from the AOR site to start off:

Deficiencies vs. Imbalances
It has been well-established that the diet of mainstream society is rampantly deficient in essential nutrients. The need to redress these deficiencies has necessitated the existence of multivitamin formulations, and these formulations react to perceived deficiencies. If a study suggests we are not getting enough vitamin A, supplement manufacturers will often add an arbitrarily large amount of vitamin A to their multivitamin formulations. If another study emphasizes the importance of zinc, large amounts of zinc might be added in similar fashion. While this might make some short-term sense, it does not take into account that all nutrients work together and in synergy. For example, zinc depends on copper for optimum utilization, preferably in a 10 to 1 ratio. Therefore, any supplement manufacturer who adds more zinc to their multivitamin formulation will have to increase copper content proportionately. Failure to do so will result in an imbalance of this important ratio, leading to the suppression of copper-based antioxidant enzymes. Another example of these arbitrarily conceived amounts are the B-complex vitamins. One might be struck by the fact that multivitamins always seem to list their B-complex in precisely the same amounts. It is always the same 50 or 100 milligrams for each and every B vitamin (except for folic acid). What are the chances of the body optimally needing precisely the same amounts of half a dozen different B vitamins, each with its own exclusive biological role to play?

Quality vs. Quantity
The imbalance created by adding disproportionate amounts of certain nutrients is compounded by the fact that the composition of those nutrients is too often not of the optimal source. Therefore, excessive amounts of these synthetic and/or inferior nutrients can be at best wasteful, and at worst toxic or even harmful. Some studies have shown that extreme amounts of synthetic beta-carotene, for example, can lead to the body's carcinogen-detoxifying network becoming unbalanced, resulting (astonishingly) in the activation of genes related to the cancer process.

So what is the answer to this random, arbitrary, ad-hoc approach to the formulation of daily multivitamins? The short answer is vigilance, especially from consumers, health professionals and supplement manufacturers.

Here is a great link to tons of multi info also from AOR
http://www.aor.ca/assets/Research/pd...5_article1.pdf

Will keep updating and post about specific vitamins and minerals that are avaliable for sale here

Best forms of Vitamins:
-Vitamin A:Full spectrum mixed carotene sources,retinyl palmitate
-Vitamin C: Ascorbic acid,Rose hips, Magnesium ascorbate
-Vitamin D:Cholecalciferol
-Vitamin E: mixed sources of Tocerpherols and Tocotrienols
-vitamin K: Menatetrenone
-B1: Benfotiamine
-B2: Riboflavin 5' Phosphate
-Vitamin B3(niacin): inositol Hexanicotinate
-B5: Pantethine
-Vitamin B6:Pyrodoxil-5-phosphate
-Vitamin B12: methylcobalin
-Folic Acid: 5-Methyltetrahydrofolate

[Zanderini]

Some good multis:

Controlled Labs Orange Triad



Reasons to take
-Good Forms of vitamins
-45 days
-Digestion,Joint, and Immune Complex
Cons
-None to me
-For some Joint support is not needed

[Zanderini]

Gaspari Anavite



Reasons to Take
-Fairly good forms of vitamins,not as good as triad
-Contains LCLT and Beta Alanine in proper doses
-You will feel a difference in performance
-May not be the best health related Multi
-No underdosed prop blends of herbs

[B]Cons[B/]
-people may get BA and LCLT from other sources
-It is quite expensive

[Zanderini]

AOR Ortho Core

Reasons to take
-Very best forms of vitamins and minerals in proper ratios
-Very high quality
-Trusted source with lots of research
-May be used in half doses due to potency

Cons
-Too expensive for many

[Zanderini]

Source naturals Life force



Reasons to Take
-Cost effective
-Very high quality vitamin Forms
-Small dose of 2 pills
-Different versions such as Mens, womens, and v caps and gels i believe

[Zanderini]

-Based on research taking cheap vitamins with poor forms of vitamins(centrum,One-a-day, opti-men,etc..) may actually be worse than not taking any multi at all. Inferior forms of nutrients may make you have trouble and deplete you of natural and other forms of nutrients from food if they are not properly balanced

-Do not be swayed by tons of extras as they do not matter much compared to the proper forms of vitamins. Always check the size of the blend and the amount of the ingredients in the blend. Larger doses of less things are Better then more things with a lower dose

- More tabs/percentages are not always better check the forms. Some of the best multis are only 2-3 tabs or capsule

[winjones]

wow good thread man

[VPX_Sports]

wow good thread man

this.

OP, what multi do you personally use

[Zanderini]

Multi vitamins with Total price and daily price comparison

-Orange Triad= 29.89 or .66$/Day
-Life Force=10.99 or .37$/Day
-Anavite=28.98 or .97$/Day
-Animal Pak=26.98 or .61$/Day or 1.22$/Day at 2 packs
-Ortho Core=45.99 or 1.53$/Day or .77$/day at 1/2 dosing

As you can see Price doesnt really mean better quality. it could mean a few things:
-More extras
-better quality
-More Marketing
-Cheaper=better in life forces case

-In Conclusion Multis are great for health and longevity if you get the right ones. Although you may not feel a difference between different multis (even though people claim they do) there really is vast differences in the quality and forms and it will pay off to do your research and find out what makes a good multi and decide from there

-Feel free to add to my posts any links or info you find available, my info is just a start for beginners

[Zanderini]

wow good thread man

Thanks man i hope i could help out. I figured after seeing the repetitive animal pak vs triad threads i would make something to help those people out.

this.

OP, what multi do you personally use

I personally use Triad when i can afford it and mainly use life force. If i cant afford a solid quality multi i dont use one. It really hard to convince people to leave there cheap crap multi since that cant feel it and they have the something is better than nothing mentality

[Zanderini]

Animal Pak



Reasons to take
-Good forms of most vitamins
-Lots of performance blends
-Very good track record
-Convenient "paks" for transit

Cons
-Tons of Pills
-Poor B-Vitamin Forms
-Expensive at full dosing
-May not be dosed fully at 1 pack
-Lots of Performance Blends

NOW ADAM
http://www.nowfoods.com/?action=item...&item_id=13564
Could not find a good photo so here the link to profile and also some good info
Reasons to use
-good vitamin forms
-Cheap Price
-No crazy performance blends that are underdosed
-Specific mens multi with saw palmetto
-Available in Caps,Tabs,and gels

[Zanderini]

Opti-men (For Comparison)



Reasons to take
-Very Cheap
-ON has a good quality standard
-None other than that i can think of

Cons
-Underdosed Performance blends
-Poor forms of almost all vitamins and minerals
-Hyped and marketed
-Inferior Tablet type

Do not buy into this multi. I posted it for comparisons sake since it is popular

[YoungEx20]

Is it safe to argue that besides AOR Orthocore that Life Force is the best multi because it has the best forms? And that the low cost of it makes it the best cost/benefit multi available on BB.COM?

[Zanderini]

Is it safe to argue that besides AOR Orthocore that Life Force is the best multi because it has the best forms? And that the low cost of it makes it the best cost/benefit multi available on BB.COM?

I would say so. Unless you need the additional joint and digestion support of OT or the BA/LCLT for convenience in Anavite

[pretend]

Deficiencies vs. Imbalances
It has been well-established that the diet of mainstream society is rampantly deficient in essential nutrients. The need to redress these deficiencies has necessitated the existence of multivitamin formulations, and these formulations react to perceived deficiencies. If a study suggests we are not getting enough vitamin A, supplement manufacturers will often add an arbitrarily large amount of vitamin A to their multivitamin formulations. If another study emphasizes the importance of zinc, large amounts of zinc might be added in similar fashion. While this might make some short-term sense, it does not take into account that all nutrients work together and in synergy. For example, zinc depends on copper for optimum utilization, preferably in a 10 to 1 ratio. Therefore, any supplement manufacturer who adds more zinc to their multivitamin formulation will have to increase copper content proportionately. Failure to do so will result in an imbalance of this important ratio, leading to the suppression of copper-based antioxidant enzymes.

That assumes that one's micronutrient intake is already in the proper ratios. Supplementing 10:1 zinc:copper is no better than 1:1 if one's diet already has a large surplus of zinc. Unless I misunderstand it, I don't think there's any benefit to additional vitamins/minerals once you have "enough", even if they are in the optimal ratio.

There's also the assumption that there actually is a deficiency in some (or all) areas. All of these formulations (ignoring the joint, BA, etc. bonus content) are based on perceived deficiencies, not necessarily actual. Real deficiencies would be difficult to determine (unless severe), so it definitely makes sense to supplement with a full spectrum of vitamins and minerals. I just have my doubts as to how much benefit there is to these "optimally tuned" products, when it only really needs to act as a safety net for an incomplete diet.

[FunkymonkAW]

Feel like going over NOW Adam as well? Seems to be another choice that most people throw around here.

[Zanderini]

Feel like going over NOW Adam as well? Seems to be another choice that most people throw around here.

Sure I will when I get back to the comp. Feel free to give me any more info

[sailingpece]

Just go with anything, a cheap multi from wall mart will fill in the gaps in your diet.

[Zanderini]

Just go with anything, a cheap multi from wall mart will fill in the gaps in your diet.

And you know this how? Why would you want to put something so low quality in your body that can cause more issues than it helps?

[Mr.Cooper69]

Great Multi's ITT. I always have a spare bottle of OT, Orthocore, and Life Force lying around.

I will give an honorable mention to anavite though, I've gone through 2 of those.

[hitbox]

man why does optimen multi recommended by many people? whats the best multi in that price range? are enzymes good in a multi? thank you

[benzel]

Just go with anything, a cheap multi from wall mart will fill in the gaps in your diet.

Did not read ANY of the above.

[FunkymonkAW]

man why does optimen multi recommended by many people?

Because ON does a fantastic job of marketing itself as the premier supplement company for the "serious" gym goer. 90% of ON's customers are too ignorant or unwilling to look at what else is on the market when they can instead walk into any Vitamin Shoppe, GNC, or grocery store and get what they're used to.

[hitbox]

has anyone reviewed the solgar v75 atthe vitamin shop?

[or_yourlivingtodie]

Just go with anything, a cheap multi from wall mart will fill in the gaps in your diet.

i c why you're red.


EDIT:
and nice thread OP, be nice if this could stay bumped on the first page.........and also if you have a chance, make 1 post with all of the ingredient profiles, just easier to see em all at once ya know?

[Dymethazine]

MHP Activite Sport looks really good but somewhat pricey.

[StrongRepublican]

Just go with anything, a cheap multi from wall mart will fill in the gaps in your diet.

Sure, it will fill the gaps nicely in a diet of motor oil and twinkies. That's why you see the Wal-Mart sponsored athletes winning shows year after year.

[Shane30794]

Members Mark Complete Multi:
450 count for $15.00

Reasons To Take:
-CHEAP~~AS~~S H I T
-No others

Cons:
too many to list

[sailingpece]

Sure, it will fill the gaps nicely in a diet of motor oil and twinkies. That's why you see the Wal-Mart sponsored athletes winning shows year after year.

Show me studies that prove any of the so called "quality" multivitamins are superior to a regular multi from walmart.

Animal pak actually has a category in their list of ingredients called performance complex. Which really is just a bunch of herbs that have no place in the scientific literature. Also it has a bunch of digestive enzymes, which if you have a normally functional digestive system should be unnecessary.

I actually use animal pak, and am not against it. But I feel like most of these extra ingredients are over hyped, and the marketing adds to the placebo affect.

[sailingpece]

Did not read ANY of the above.

For some reason I always have a Canadian disagree with me.