Best Overall Multi-Vitamin Product?

[ravadongon]

My dad sells Biomedica's Biotress at his surgery (http://svc002.bne153p.server-web.com/prod2577.htm), so that's what I've been using. It's really good

[danephillips]

Just another company to charge over priced product so the downline
guy makes money .......







http://www.plasmatvs.name lowest prices

[Lavrik_AK]

Just another company to charge over priced product so the downline
guy makes money .......

Someone's gonna make the money. It might as well be someone you know and trust instead of some faceless monolithic company. If every multi was made the way Double X is, they'd all cost $50/month. Do your homework.

[Scorpio19]

Great multi...beats gnc mega, ultra men, opti-men hands down. And combined during the day with some extra C,E,B-complex and Calcium/Magnesium will beat every super multi pak on the market as well. Why buy overpriced paks when you can build your own?

[danephillips]

Well most people buy the walmart brand that has stuffers
in the multi-vitamins ..pure junk ...

Animal Pak is a great product .....



Give me a sample of this multi-vitamin


I bet anyone to try solid whey

[Farmrodd2223]

How intersting

[Scorpio19]

...bump

[reconstrukti0n]

a doctor told me to cycle vitamins.I tend to trust the guy most of the time, this guy is a brain and has never been wrong in any of the questions i have taken to him from this site. But cycle a multi vitamin?? i cant see the logic in that. what do you all think.

[skinnybb]

I'm a long time browser, but a newbie poster. I hope I don't offend anyone in this thread, but I feel I must write something to counter all the misinformation that's being "promulgated" by the so called scientific nutritional companies, and to a lesser degree disseminated by the members on this forum, most of whom are extremely educated and informative in the art of body building, but seem to be convinced of the efficacy of their brand of supplements by the advertising prowess of these companies.

EVERY SINGLE multivtamin brand and formulation that has been mentioned in this thread will never be a truly complete nutrient source. It will ALWAYS be an amalgam of unnatural substances to the body. It will ALWAYS strain the body by requiring that it detoxify their unnatural structures and chemicals. It will NEVER be utilized, absorbed, and retained the same as food nutrients. It will NOT be able to prevent advanced protein glycation end-product formation the same as food nutrients. It will NEVER be able to have the antioxidant effects the same as food nutrients. It will ALWAYS be composed of petroleum-derivatives, hydrogenated sugars, acids, and/or industrially-processed rocks, and it will NEVER build optimal health the same as food nutrients.

The truth is that only foods, or supplements composed of 100% foods, should be relied upon as not containing non-food vitamin analogues.

That said, I would claim that there is not much difference between the brands mentioned in the thread. A 90serving, $6 bottle centrum would be equally beneficial as a vitamin/mineral source as an 44serving $20 Animal Pak, or the 30serving $300 VS3 brand. The latter products just contain additional ingredients that you may/may not justify spending 10000% more over the CostCo. brand multis. (of course, I would recommend multis which contain more food-form vitamins/minerals, than those which contain more synthetic vitamins/minerals)

The positive effects people are touting over one brand or another is just a placebo effect, or the effect of the added ingredients, but when it comes to the actual vitamins and minerals in the pills, there is VERY LITTLE difference.

There are really only two types of vitamins sold: food vitamins and non-food vitamins. Food vitamins will normally state something like "100% Food" on the label. If a label states that the product contains USP vitamins or 'pharmaceutical grade' nutrients, then it should be obvious that the product is not food. This is also not equivalent to 'food-based' vitamins, as there are almost always USP vitamins mixed with a small amount of food. This mixing does not change the chemical form of the vitamin, so it is still a vitamin analogue and not a food vitamin.

Some other companies (that do not use the term 'food-based') mix foods with the vitamin analogue and seem to imply that the vitamin is a food. For example, if a label states something like Vitamin C (Vitamin C, acerola) then it is also normally a synthetic mixed with a food. If the product were a food, it would normally state that the vitamin C was in food or from acerola and not use the term 'vitamin C' twice in a row on the label (many companies mix ascorbic acid with acerola).

The basic difference between minerals found in foods and those found in processed rocks (industrial mineral salts) is chemical. The other major difference is that humans are not supposed to directly consume soil components.

Minerals are normally found in food and in the body attached with some peptide. When humans eat plants (or animals) they are consuming minerals in those forms. With the exception of sodium chloride (common table salt), humans do not normally (in any significant quantity) consume minerals in the chemical forms known as mineral salts.

I could write pages on this topic but I'll just leave a sample of food vitamins, and their synthetic counterparts found in every single one of the multivitamins mentioned on the thread.

Primary Chemical Vitamin Form in Food
1. Vitamin A/Betacarotene; retinyl esters; mixed carotenoids
2. Vitamin B-1; thiamin pyrophosphate (food)
3. Vitamin B-2; riboflavin, multiple forms (food)
4. Vitamin B-3; niacinamide (food)
5. Vitamin B-5; pantothenate (food)
6. Vitamin B-6; 5'0 (beta-D) pyridoxine
7. Vitamin B-9; folate
8. Vitamin B-12; methylcobalamin; deoxyadenosylcobalamin; Choline (food); phosphatidyl choline (food)
9. Vitamin C; ascorbate (food); dehydroascorbate
10. Vitamin D; mixed forms, primarily D3 (food)
11. Vitamin E; RRR-alpha-tocopherol (food)
12. Vitamin K; phylloquinone (food)


Vitamin Analogue Chemical Form (Often Called Natural)
1. Vitamin A acetate; vitamin A palmitate; betacarotene (isolated)
2. Thiamin mononitrate; thiamin hydrochloride; thiamin HCL
3. Riboflavin (isolated); USP vitamin B2
4. Niacin (isolated); niacinamide (isolated)
5. Pantothenic acid; calcium pantothenate; panthenol
6. Pyridoxine hydrochloride; pyridoxine HCL
7. Folic acid
8. Cyanocobalamin; hydroxycobalamin; Choline chloride; choline bitartrate
9. Ascorbic acid; most mineral ascorbates (i.e. calcium ascorbate)
10. Vitamin D1 (isolated); Vitamin D2 (isolated); Vitamin D3 (isolated) ; Vitamin D4; ergosterol (isolated); cholecalciferol (isolated); lumisterol
11. Vitamin E acetate; Mixed tocopherols; all-rac-alpha-tocopherol; d-l--alpha-tocopherol; d-alpha-tocopherol (isolated); dl-alpha-tocopheryl acetate; all acetate forms
12. Vitamin K3; menadione; phytonadione; naphthoquinone; dihydro-vitamin K1


Food based vitamins are up to 15 times more potent, better absorbed, and retained longer in the body than their non-food counterparts.
Food based minerals are up to 25times more potent than those found in the multivitamins mentioned on this thread.

So in conclusion, I would recommend a general multivitamin that costs no more than $20/month's supply, and use the rest of your money to buy a all kinds of fruits and vegetables, mix them all in a juicer, and drink them 3-4x a day. You'll end up spending the same amount of money, but you'll feel better, have better recovery, have more energy, live longer, etc.

I hope this has helped those who are confused about the hype of multivitamins.

cheers

[danephillips]

First Doctor MD that is are not taught nutrition and know very very little
about nutrition ....They make their money on prescription remember.

Cycle nutrition is crap - your body need nutrition to function
without the right amounts of nutrition your body gets sick.
Most people bodies are crying for nutrition...



Fact food manufactured today have little or no nutrition left in them.

Also the body cannot and will not get all it's nutritional value of any foods
no matter how pure the food.

3) There is a world of difference between supplements ,unlike what you said.
Purchase only pharmaceutical grade supplements .Supplements must meet pharmaceutical standards for supplement.

[Scorpio19]

I'm a long time browser, but a newbie poster. I hope I don't offend anyone in this thread, but I feel I must write something to counter all the misinformation that's being "promulgated" by the so called scientific nutritional companies, and to a lesser degree disseminated by the members on this forum, most of whom are extremely educated and informative in the art of body building, but seem to be convinced of the efficacy of their brand of supplements by the advertising prowess of these companies.

EVERY SINGLE multivtamin brand and formulation that has been mentioned in this thread will never be a truly complete nutrient source. It will ALWAYS be an amalgam of unnatural substances to the body. It will ALWAYS strain the body by requiring that it detoxify their unnatural structures and chemicals. It will NEVER be utilized, absorbed, and retained the same as food nutrients. It will NOT be able to prevent advanced protein glycation end-product formation the same as food nutrients. It will NEVER be able to have the antioxidant effects the same as food nutrients. It will ALWAYS be composed of petroleum-derivatives, hydrogenated sugars, acids, and/or industrially-processed rocks, and it will NEVER build optimal health the same as food nutrients.

The truth is that only foods, or supplements composed of 100% foods, should be relied upon as not containing non-food vitamin analogues.

That said, I would claim that there is not much difference between the brands mentioned in the thread. A 90serving, $6 bottle centrum would be equally beneficial as a vitamin/mineral source as an 44serving $20 Animal Pak, or the 30serving $300 VS3 brand. The latter products just contain additional ingredients that you may/may not justify spending 10000% more over the CostCo. brand multis. (of course, I would recommend multis which contain more food-form vitamins/minerals, than those which contain more synthetic vitamins/minerals)

The positive effects people are touting over one brand or another is just a placebo effect, or the effect of the added ingredients, but when it comes to the actual vitamins and minerals in the pills, there is VERY LITTLE difference.

There are really only two types of vitamins sold: food vitamins and non-food vitamins. Food vitamins will normally state something like "100% Food" on the label. If a label states that the product contains USP vitamins or 'pharmaceutical grade' nutrients, then it should be obvious that the product is not food. This is also not equivalent to 'food-based' vitamins, as there are almost always USP vitamins mixed with a small amount of food. This mixing does not change the chemical form of the vitamin, so it is still a vitamin analogue and not a food vitamin.

Some other companies (that do not use the term 'food-based') mix foods with the vitamin analogue and seem to imply that the vitamin is a food. For example, if a label states something like Vitamin C (Vitamin C, acerola) then it is also normally a synthetic mixed with a food. If the product were a food, it would normally state that the vitamin C was in food or from acerola and not use the term 'vitamin C' twice in a row on the label (many companies mix ascorbic acid with acerola).

The basic difference between minerals found in foods and those found in processed rocks (industrial mineral salts) is chemical. The other major difference is that humans are not supposed to directly consume soil components.

Minerals are normally found in food and in the body attached with some peptide. When humans eat plants (or animals) they are consuming minerals in those forms. With the exception of sodium chloride (common table salt), humans do not normally (in any significant quantity) consume minerals in the chemical forms known as mineral salts.

cheers

How about greens+ or multi+ ...the powder ..they say its from real food.it may be true but it costs a heck lot more (about 3x as much as your average multi)

[skinnybb]

First Doctor MD that is are not taught nutrition and know very very little
about nutrition ....They make their money on prescription remember.

Agreed. Most doctors are not well versed in nutrition simply because it is not their field of speciality. Sports medicine specialists, and nutritional physiologists on the other hand, seem more knowledgeable about the subject.

Cycle nutrition is crap - your body need nutrition to function without the right amounts of nutrition your body gets sick.
Most people bodies are crying for nutrition...

Fact food manufactured today have little or no nutrition left in them.

Also the body cannot and will not get all it's nutritional value of any foods
no matter how pure the food.

A chopped up bag of carrots, spinach, brocolli, berries, pears, grapes, etc. has a far better quality of vitamins and minerals than what you'll find in any multivitamin bottle, albeit at a lower overall potency, but the numerous side benifits of taking food-form vitamins and minerals greatly outweight that factor. It is ludricrious to state that food manufactured today has little or no nutrition left. Eggs, and lean meats are arguably the best complete sources of protein, not protein powders. Fruits and vegetables are the best complete sources of vitamins and minerals, not multivitamin pills. Brown rice, sweet potatoes, yams, and the like are the best sources of complex carbohydrates, and fiber, not a tub of n-large2.

Supplements are just that - they are meant to supplement a healthy diet comprised of natural foods, since these days, it is rather difficult for people to take in 6-8 balanced meals per day.

Similarly, pharmaceutical vitamin supplements are complements to their food-form vitamins, and can never substitute the importance of a diet high in fruits and vegetables.

3) There is a world of difference between supplements ,unlike what you said. Purchase only pharmaceutical grade supplements .Supplements must meet pharmaceutical standards for supplement.

You should read what I wrote more carefully. I never wrote that there wasn't a difference between supplements. I wrote that there is not much difference between the brands of multivitamins mentioned in this particular thread. I'm sure there are low-grade multivitamins out there that were not mentioned in this thread, and I know there is a world of difference in the myriad supplements that are out there (protein powders, creatine, etc.), but bear in mind that we are talking about a specific subject.

I am just stressing that people should take a multivitamin, but consume copious amounts of fresh fruits and vegetables, and in my opinion, it's far better to buy a centrum-type brand of multi-vitamin, and use the remaining money to purchase 10lbs of fruits and veges a week, and juice it all up.

I still mantain that for the best gains, and for the best well-being, one should have a diet rich in fruits, and vegetables, lean meats, and good fats. A multivitamin is very important, but they're all pretty much the same, since they're all synthesized vitamins, and not food-form vitamins.

cheers!

[skinnybb]

How about greens+ or multi+ ...the powder ..they say its from real food.it may be true but it costs a heck lot more (about 3x as much as your average multi)

Just go to www.greenspluscanada.com and see the ingredients for yourself. The multi+ is almost the same as any other brand of multivitamin. The greens+ do have phytonutrients, and come from a variety of natural sources and contain bioactive minerals, so I'm sure it's good for you, but the vitamins are the same as everywhere else.

I would still recommend a general multivitamin (unless you can find one with food-form minerals and vitamins, and I've looked all over, and can't find any..), and lots of fruits and vegetables (7-12servings per day). It's still cheaper, and it cannot be equalled by pills, just like real food cannot be equalled by powders.

cheeers!

[Itln Stln]

Sounds good. but does it make your ego bigger as well?

What are you trying to say!

[Scorpio19]

Just go to www.greenspluscanada.com and see the ingredients for yourself. The multi+ is almost the same as any other brand of multivitamin. The greens+ do have phytonutrients, and come from a variety of natural sources and contain bioactive minerals, so I'm sure it's good for you, but the vitamins are the same as everywhere else.

I would still recommend a general multivitamin (unless you can find one with food-form minerals and vitamins, and I've looked all over, and can't find any..), and lots of fruits and vegetables (7-12servings per day). It's still cheaper, and it cannot be equalled by pills, just like real food cannot be equalled by powders.

cheeers!

VERY TRUE!

[Lavrik_AK]

Well, i aint aussie but i think we all react the same to multi's. I am using Centrum and it is actually keeping me from overtraining, so its good stuff - it actually absorbs. I used to use some other brand and all i was pissing is pure neon yellow.

My father-in-law, who, unfortunately, doesn't use a multi at all, is a drug/alcohol counselor. Because of the overall physical state of substance abusers, his groups were visited by a nutrition specialist, who cited Centrum as one of the worst at being absorbed into the body.

He told of one time when a patient of his was x-rayed (for something unrelated to vitamins) in his abdominal area. He said to his patient he could tell that he was taking vitamins. The man was surprised and said, yes I am, how did you know? The doc said, pointing to the x-ray, Well, here's the one you took today, here's the one from yesterday, and here's the day before that. All 3 were being pushed down his intestinal tract completely intact. They were Centrums!

[koolaid71]

I take the Vitality Pack.

They are made by a company called Melaleuca "The Wellness Company"

They use something called Fructose Compounding to deliver greater quantity of minerals to your cells. They hold scientific patents in US & Canada.
Absobtion is around 80 - 95%...according to said patents.

They have given me increased energy, and took away headaches I had almost daily for years. Other multi's I tried did not do this. I've been using this product without interuption since '99.

I'm a very happy customer

[NonCon]

Check out DX7. Nothing beats it.

[lamby]

how are twin lab daily caps?

[Seventh Son]

Dx7

[Scorpio19]

what's dx7

[bts327]

Agreed. Most doctors are not well versed in nutrition simply because it is not their field of speciality. Sports medicine specialists, and nutritional physiologists on the other hand, seem more knowledgeable about the subject.



A chopped up bag of carrots, spinach, brocolli, berries, pears, grapes, etc. has a far better quality of vitamins and minerals than what you'll find in any multivitamin bottle, albeit at a lower overall potency, but the numerous side benifits of taking food-form vitamins and minerals greatly outweight that factor. It is ludricrious to state that food manufactured today has little or no nutrition left. Eggs, and lean meats are arguably the best complete sources of protein, not protein powders. Fruits and vegetables are the best complete sources of vitamins and minerals, not multivitamin pills. Brown rice, sweet potatoes, yams, and the like are the best sources of complex carbohydrates, and fiber, not a tub of n-large2.

Supplements are just that - they are meant to supplement a healthy diet comprised of natural foods, since these days, it is rather difficult for people to take in 6-8 balanced meals per day.

Similarly, pharmaceutical vitamin supplements are complements to their food-form vitamins, and can never substitute the importance of a diet high in fruits and vegetables.



You should read what I wrote more carefully. I never wrote that there wasn't a difference between supplements. I wrote that there is not much difference between the brands of multivitamins mentioned in this particular thread. I'm sure there are low-grade multivitamins out there that were not mentioned in this thread, and I know there is a world of difference in the myriad supplements that are out there (protein powders, creatine, etc.), but bear in mind that we are talking about a specific subject.

I am just stressing that people should take a multivitamin, but consume copious amounts of fresh fruits and vegetables, and in my opinion, it's far better to buy a centrum-type brand of multi-vitamin, and use the remaining money to purchase 10lbs of fruits and veges a week, and juice it all up.

I still mantain that for the best gains, and for the best well-being, one should have a diet rich in fruits, and vegetables, lean meats, and good fats. A multivitamin is very important, but they're all pretty much the same, since they're all synthesized vitamins, and not food-form vitamins.

cheers!

Good post...rep for you.

[bts327]

Food based vitamins are up to 15 times more potent, better absorbed, and retained longer in the body than their non-food counterparts.
Food based minerals are up to 25times more potent than those found in the multivitamins mentioned on this thread.

So in conclusion, I would recommend a general multivitamin that costs no more than $20/month's supply, and use the rest of your money to buy a all kinds of fruits and vegetables, mix them all in a juicer, and drink them 3-4x a day. You'll end up spending the same amount of money, but you'll feel better, have better recovery, have more energy, live longer, etc.

I hope this has helped those who are confused about the hype of multivitamins.

cheers

another good post

[Pioneer]

ok so ive basically seen two supplements...Multi Pro 32x and Animal Pak

one has 3 pills to consume the other has 10 or 11, different post say different things.

WHICH ONE IS BETTER? someone post something conclusive the guy guy above did only this time make it about these two multi's.

[Shortfuze]

As far as multis go, I like to find a combination of affordability, quantity and quality. I have tried AST Multi Pro 32x because a lot of respected members on this forum swear by it. I have personally never used Animal Pak but a large majority folks say that its really good. I say that if you can afford it, go for the major brands. Right now, I'm using NOW Ecogreen multi(Iron free). It is less expensive, lasts for 60 days( I take 2 a day), and quality wise it seems alright. I have no complaints.

cheers!

[bodeh6]

The New Life Force No Iron from Source Naturals is even better then before.

Supplement Facts for Tablets
Serving Size: 2 Tablets
Amount %DV
Vitamin A (as beta-carotene 10,000 IU & palmitate 2,500 IU) 12500 IU 250
Vitamin C (as ascorbic acid & ascorbyl palmitate) 500 mg 840
Vitamin D-3 (as cholecalciferol) 200 IU 50
Vitamin E (as vitamin E succinate) 200 IU 670
Vitamin K 100 mcg 130
Thiamin (vitamin B-1) 50 mg 3350
Riboflavin (vitamin B-2) 50 mg 2950
Niacinamide 35 mg & Niacin 15 mg 50 mg 250
Vitamin B-6 (as pyridoxine HCl & pyridoxal-5'-phosphate [Coenzymated™]) 50 mg 2500
Folate (as folic acid) 400 mcg 100
Vitamin B-12 (as methylcobalamin) 200 mcg 3340
Biotin 150 mcg 50
Pantothenic Acid (as calcium D-pantothenate & panthethine) 55 mg 550
Calcium (as calcium carbonate, malate, chelate, & citrate) 100 mg 10
Iodine (from kelp) 100 mcg 70
Magnesium (as magnesium chelate) 100 mcg 25
Zinc (as zinc citrate & monomethionine [Opti-Zinc®]) 15 mg 100
Selenium (as L-selenomethionine [SelenoPure™] & sodium selenite) 100 mcg 140
Copper (as copper sebacate) 1 mg 50
Manganese (as manganese citrate) 3 mg 150
Chromium (as chromium polynicotinate [ChromeMate®] & chromium picolinate) 100 mcg 80
Molybdenum (as molybdenum chelate) 100 mcg 130
Potassium (as potassium citrate) 50 mg 2
N-Acetyl Cysteine 100 mg †
Milk Thistle Seed Extract Yielding 60 mg Silymarin 72 mg †
gamma-E Complex 67 mg †
Choline (as bitartrate) 50 mg †
Inositol 50 mg †
alpha-Lipoic Acid & R-Lipoic Acid 40 mg †
DMAE (as bitartrate) 30 mg †
Grape Seed Extract (Proanthodyn™) 30 mg †
MSM (methylsulfonylmethane [OptiMSM™]) 25 mg †
Hawthorn Berry Extract (4:1) 25 mg †
N-Acetyl-L-Tyrosine 25 mg †
Turmeric Rhizome Extract 95% 25 mg †
Green Tea Extract (95% polyphenols, 35% EGCG) 25 mg †
Quercetin 25 mg †
Coenzyme Q10 20 mg †
Ginkgo Biloba Leaf 24% (50:1 Extract) 20 mg †
Bilberry Standardized Extract 10 mg †
Tocotrienol Complex (Tocomax®) 10 mg †
Rutin 5 mg †
Pepper Fruit Extract (Bioperine®) 3 mg †
Lycopene 3 mg †
Boron (as amino acid chelate) 2 mg †
Lutein (FloraGlo®) 2 mg †
Astaxanthin 100 mcg †

[bodeh6]

It only costs just over $10 a month and is complete.

[apothy]

i r teh n00b to this forum. i was just wondering, is centrum a good multivitamin when compared to the ones you guys discuss?

[dave is cool]

I started using Animal Pak about 2 weeks ago. I'm not sure how effective it is. How can you tell if a multivitamin is "getting the job done"?

[JD_MUNOZ_27]

AnimalPak, lots of pills and CHEAP!
$18.95 + 4.85 S&H...on most websites and GNC pricematch

I agree VIN Animal Pak ....but I also have plans to try different Multi's in the future I give brands about 3-6 months to prove it self , and Animal Pak (Universal) has proven it self. But dont forget there might always be better out there...

so try them and find the one that works best for you.