46 replies to this topic

[Jim Pesmark]

Currently i take one a day for men. Is there a better brand ? Thanks for the help

[pamojja]

Which brand? One-A-Days usually can't pack in all in one capsules, often they contain to much iron, copper or manganese. The cheaper forms as well as for example unhealthy folic acid instead of methylfolate. Etc.

 

There are good Two-Per-Days out there. Though even from them I only would take part of to avoid certain nutrients in excess. And add other usually never sufficient in multies, like magnesium.

 

Really good multies are really expensive, come with a varied of other stuff (amino-acids and phytochemicals) and are divided in up to a dozen capsules to be taken daily. Even there it is arguable what would be 'best', since there are just too many individual requirement and sensitivities, for any one multi considered the best for each and everyone. Most really don't need a multi. But just those nutrients which are most in deficiency and are simply never covered by any available multi out there. Like magnesium, omega-3 fish oil, vitamin D3 or K2. Etc.

 

So it depends on what you want to accomplish with the multi. Any health concerns?

Edited by pamojja, 09 December 2016 - 12:01 PM.

[gn1tmac]

I've been taking AOR ortho-core for many years. Its not a 1 pil per day multi, but i have settled on taking half the recommended dosage (i take 3 caps per day)

 

ortho-core is decent, i still take a magnesium and K2 separately 

[Jim Pesmark]

i just want to keep my self healthy and stop geting sick alll the time.  can you recomend a good brand i can use ? i would prefer something where i only need one or two pills a day. the ones i take now are just called one a day for men you can find them at www.oneaday.com. i have tryed google searching it and there are jsut so many brands i dont know what to choose.  

Edited by Jim Pesmark, 10 December 2016 - 12:28 AM.

[pamojja]

i just want to keep my self healthy and stop geting sick alll the time.  can you recomend a good brand i can use ? i would prefer something where i only need one or two pills a day. the ones i take now are just called one a day for men you can find them at www.oneaday.com. i have tryed google searching it and there are jsut so many brands i dont know what to choose.  

 

So you do get sick all the time?

 

Your One-A-Day is a good example of what to avoid. In ill-health 1 or 2 pills a day probably wont do much for you. In this other post at an other forum describe what I think the essentials in covering basics, once health has already deteriorated. Specific conditions again need specific nutrients in much higher doses. Though the examples given are specific for the EU (where it's much more difficult to find good quality at a reasonable price), most products are originally from the US and more easy available there.

 

 

PS: read also the beginning of the second page of that thread, where I give the reasons for my choices, and how to distinct. So you can choose yourself. And of course without good diet, lifestyle and attitude it's an uphill battle.
 

Edited by pamojja, 10 December 2016 - 02:38 PM.

[brosci]

I'm currently taking Legion's Triumph.  It's 8 capsules per day.  I wish it had a little more B12 / Folate, and choline would be nice, but I suppose you can always add more if needed.

[timar]

In my informed opinion there is no reason to spend more than a dime or two a day for a basic multivitamin/mineral-supplement. It may be reasonable to spend money on other supplements, depending on your personal dietary habits, health conditions and aspirations, but a basic multivitamin neither has to be expensive nor require you to take numerous pills per day.

 

I personally take and recommend Life Extension's Two-per-Day at 1/2 dose (that's one per day ).

 

The only downsides is that it is short on magnesium, at 1/2 dose somewhat short on folate and - like most multis - it doesn't contain vitamin K. For me, that's perfectly fine, as I eat a lot of greens, nuts and regularly drink highly mineralized water, so I get plenty of those nutrients anyway. If your dietary habits are not as healthy as mine, you should consider adding a magnesium and a vitamin K2 supplement. Now add some fish oil and maybe curcumin and you got a very decent basic stack.

Edited by timar, 12 December 2016 - 12:09 PM.

[Baten]

I personally take and recommend Life Extension's Two-per-Day at 1/2 dose (that's one per day ).

 

I think LEF's Two-per-Day capsules are quite noticeable during digestion, it's like there's a gigantic green pill is slowly dissolving in my stomach (which is kind of the case).

 

I really like these mini-tablets by Rainbow Light: link. I take up to two of them per day, seem great so far. Not too cheap, not too costly.

[pamojja]

I really like these mini-tablets by Rainbow Light: link. I take up to two of them per day, seem great so far. Not too cheap, not too costly.

 

Everyone's sensitivity to capsules is different. Personally don't feel anything about Two-per-Day dissolving in my stomach. Others I know get stomach upset even with the tiniest capsules.

 

Rainbow Light contains much too much folic acid, methylfolate would be best. The easiest way to know you're not affected by a gene-variant making folic acid even dangerous to you (might get enough already from hidden in fortified food), would be a simple homocysteine blood-test (fasted).

[timar]

 

I personally take and recommend Life Extension's Two-per-Day at 1/2 dose (that's one per day ).

 

I think LEF's Two-per-Day capsules are quite noticeable during digestion, it's like there's a gigantic green pill is slowly dissolving in my stomach (which is kind of the case).

 

I really like these mini-tablets by Rainbow Light: link. I take up to two of them per day, seem great so far. Not too cheap, not too costly.

 

 

I agree with pamojja that the Rainbow Light contains an overdose of folic acid. I wouldn't recommend to take them unless you have your MTHFR genotype checked.

Btw. the Two-per-Day pills are neither green nor particularly large (in fact, they are smaller than most common multivitamin/minerals). Are you sure you don't confuse them with some other product?

 

I have never felt any digestive discomfort from the Two-per-Day, but I have from other supplements if I didn't take them before or during a meal. Multivitamins, in particular, should be taken with food anyway for optimum absorption.

[pamojja]

Btw. the Two-per-Day pills are neither green nor particularly large (in fact, they are smaller than most common multivitamin/minerals). Are you sure you don't confuse them with some other product?

 

Lefs Two-per-Day capsules are green (from chlorophyll), lefs Two-per-Day pills are brown. Same dosages. Think he simply confused the capsules with pills.
 

[timar]

Ah, I see. I didn't even realize there is a capsule version. Maybe @Baten should try the pill version. It seems reasonable to assume that they they dissolve more gradually in the stomach.

[Baten]

Ah, I see. I didn't even realize there is a capsule version. Maybe @Baten should try the pill version. It seems reasonable to assume that they they dissolve more gradually in the stomach.

 

Yes my bad, I meant these.

[calusses are from lifting weights  ]

 

They do have a 'multivitamin' taste when taken, so I might have to try the tablet version next time.

About the Rainbow Light multi, I never really considered the follic acid. I guess there'd be no harm if I take the remainder at one-per-day.

Finding the 'perfect' multi is hard indeed.

Edited by Baten, 14 December 2016 - 10:05 AM.

[stan08]

What does everyone think of Garden of Life, MyKind Organics, Men's Once Daily, Whole Food Multivitamin?

Supplement Facts
Serving Size: 1 Tablet
Servings Per Container: 60
Amount Per Serving % Daily Value
Vitamin A (as Beta Carotene from Organic Food Blend) 5,000 IU 100%
Vitamin C (from Organic Food Blend) 60 mg 100%
Vitamin D (D3 from Lichen) 1,000 IU 250%
Vitamin E (from Organic Food Blend) 30 IU 100%
Vitamin K (K Complex with K2 MK-7) 80 mcg 100%
Thiamin (Vitamin B1 from Organic Food Blend) 2 mg 130%
Riboflavin (Vitamin B2 from Organic Food Blend) 2 mg 120%
Niacin (from Organic Food Blend) 20 mg 100%
Vitamin B6 (from Organic Food Blend) 10 mg 500%
Folate (from Organic Food Blend) 400 mcg 100%
Vitamin B12 (Methylcobalamin from Saccharomyces cerevisiae) 18 mcg 300%
Biotin (from Organic Food Blend) 300 mcg 100%
Pantothenic Acid (from Organic Food Blend) 10 mg 100%
Calcium (from Organic Food Blend) 5 mg 2%
Magnesium (from Organic Food Blend) 2 mg 2%
Zinc (from Organic Food Blend) 5 mg 35%
Selenium (from Organic Food Blend) 70 mcg 100%
Manganese (from Organic Food Blend) 1 mg 50%
Chromium (from Organic Food Blend) 120 mcg 100%
Certified Organic Food Blend
Organic Sesbania grandiflora (leaf), Organic Apple (fruit), Organic Guava (fruit & leaf), Organic Amla Berry (fruit), Organic Holy Basil (leaf), Organic Annatto (fruit & seed), Organic Moringa (leaf), Organic Lemon (peel), Organic Beet (root), Organic Broccoli (stalk & flower), Organic Carrot (root), Organic Spinach (leaf), Organic Tomato (fruit), Organic Strawberry (fruit), Organic Lantana camara (aerial), Organic Wrightia tinctoria (aerial), Organic Cherry (fruit), Organic Blackberry (fruit), Organic Green Bell Pepper (fruit), Organic Brussels Sprout (leaf), Organic Ginger (root), Organic Blueberry (fruit), Organic Garlic (bulb), Organic Green Onion (bulb), Organic Raspberry (fruit), Organic Parsley (leaf), Organic Cauliflower (flower & stem), Organic Red Cabbage (leaf), Organic Kale (leaf), Organic Cucumber (gourd), Organic Celery (stalk), Organic Asparagus (flower & stem) 603 mg +
+ Daily Value not established.

[timar]

They do have a 'multivitamin' taste when taken, so I might have to try the tablet version next time.

About the Rainbow Light multi, I never really considered the follic acid. I guess there'd be no harm if I take the remainder at one-per-day.

Finding the 'perfect' multi is hard indeed.

 

The tablets certainly do look smaller to me. And, yes, on 1/3 dose you get 267 mcg of folic acid from the Rainbow multis, that's tolerable.

 

What does everyone think of Garden of Life, MyKind Organics, Men's Once Daily, Whole Food Multivitamin?

 

Well, at least it's iron-free and not overdosed on any component. However, I generally object to so-called "whole food" multivitamins. Why? Because I generally object to nonsensical marketing humbug. Obviously, whole foods are not multivitamins and multivitamins are not whole foods. To suggest otherwise is not only dishonest but bordering on outright scam, particularly if the marketing and the discription on the bottle seeks to imply that the vitamins and minerals contained in such multis were sourced from plants. This is - with very few exceptions - not the case, as it would be economically unfeasable to the extreme and would necessarily render the product many times more expensive than it actually is. In reality, such brands generally use the same synthesized chemical compounds found in other brands but instead of putting them straight into the pills, they grow yeast on them, or they blend them with vetegables so that they end up dispersed in some cellular matrix. That doesn't make them any more "natural" though. To the contrary, you often find the cheapest and actually less natural form of vitamins in those products (such as synthetic vitamin E or folic acid), conveniently "hidden" behind the whole food label and targeted at customers who are basically critical about the supplements they take but really lacking the specific knowledge to judge their quality, thus relying on trivial attributes such as "natural".

[Baten]

What does everyone think of Garden of Life, MyKind Organics, Men's Once Daily, Whole Food Multivitamin?

 

Looks pretty great from my perspective. I see that they have a 40+ variant with some iodine and slightly higher dosages all-around. Taking that one at 3x 0.5 tablet a day seems nearly perfect to me. $55.79 a bottle though, ouch.

[stan08]

 

They do have a 'multivitamin' taste when taken, so I might have to try the tablet version next time.

About the Rainbow Light multi, I never really considered the follic acid. I guess there'd be no harm if I take the remainder at one-per-day.

Finding the 'perfect' multi is hard indeed.

 

The tablets certainly do look smaller to me. And, yes, on 1/3 dose you get 267 mcg of folic acid from the Rainbow multis, that's tolerable.

 

What does everyone think of Garden of Life, MyKind Organics, Men's Once Daily, Whole Food Multivitamin?

 

Well, at least it's iron-free and not overdosed on any component. However, I generally object to so-called "whole food" multivitamins. Why? Because I generally object to nonsensical marketing humbug. Obviously, whole foods are not multivitamins and multivitamins are not whole foods. To suggest otherwise is not only dishonest but bordering on outright scam, particularly if the marketing and the discription on the bottle seeks to imply that the vitamins and minerals contained in such multis were sourced from plants. This is - with very few exceptions - not the case, as it would be economically unfeasable to the extreme and would necessarily render the product many times more expensive than it actually is. In reality, such brands generally use the same synthesized chemical compounds found in other brands but instead of putting them straight into the pills, they grow yeast on them, or they blend them with vetegables so that they end up dispersed in some cellular matrix. That doesn't make them any more "natural" though. To the contrary, you often find the cheapest and actually less natural form of vitamins in those products (such as synthetic vitamin E or folic acid), conveniently "hidden" behind the whole food label and targeted at customers who are basically critical about the supplements they take but really lacking the specific knowledge to judge their quality, thus relying on trivial attributes such as "natural".

 

 

I agree on your assessment on pretty much every other "whole food" multivitamin.  However, the way this one is marketed and described makes it seem like all the vitamin/minerals came from the Organic Food Blend listed on the bottle.  If true, then it shouldn't be the same cheap synthesized chemical compounds.  However, as you noted, it would seem that the price should be much higher than it is (which is already pretty high) if that was the case.

[timar]

I can tell you with 100% certainty that there is definitely no way 603(!) mg of pulverized fruits and vegetables could possibly provide all those vitamins and minerals. If "the way this one is marketed and described makes it seem like all the vitamin/minerals came from the Organic Food Blend listed on the bottle" it is simply because it is even more fraudulently marketed than that other products.

[mccoy]

Very interesting thread, but sorry for my ignorance (I've just started my supplementation scheme), I have a lingering doubt which you guys have probably heard before: I carefully input all my food into the crono-meter app, so I have a clear overview of the dietary micronutrients I ingest. Why should I take multis if many micronutrients are already above 100% RDA? Also, since we all know the homeostatic mechanism, the excess micronutrients will be probably eliminated by the body and it might even happen that the natural micros absorption is limited by the high amount of synthetic compounds I'd take with supplements. Right now I'm trying to supplement only the food-provided micros that do not reach on the average 100% RDA. Do you guys find any drawbacks in this approach? Any literature cases of harmful effects of multivitimanis (megadosages excluded) or are the harmful effects  limited just to some specific cases above cited (iron, folic acid, and so on) and can we avoid them by careful choice of the supplements?

[timar]

Well, there are a few points to consider:

 

1) It is indeed possible to get 100% of the RDA - and in some cases much more - of nearly all micronutrients by eating a varied, even half-decent diet.

 

2) There are a few exceptions to this rule: Vitamin D, which is actually a pro-hormone synthesized in the skin, iodine and selenium - depending on the soil levels in the region where you live, vitamin B12 if you are a vegan and long-chain omega 3 fatty acids if you don't regularly eat fish.

 

3) For some micronutrients, intake levels much higher than the RDA may be beneficial. This is because a diverse set of criteria have been employed historically in establishing the current RDA - sometimes biomarkers associated with optimum health, sometimes mere prevention of deficiency symptoms.

 

4) The above point is particularly true if you have chronic disease conditions or are of advanced age.

 

5) Don't be lured into a false sense of control by cronometer. After all, it relies on avarage values. Micronutrient content of real food often varies widly, depending on the variety, the soil and the climate in which it has been grown, on transport and storage as well as on the way it is prepared and cooked. A multivitamin is a convenient way to fill gaps in the diet, either because of fasting or having eaten badly for a day or two - or because some food you regularly eat has in fact much lower levels of certain micronutrients than you would expect by looking at the avarage.

 

 

Edited by timar, 14 December 2016 - 05:11 PM.

[pamojja]

4) The above point is particularly true if you have chronic disease conditions or are of advanced age.

 

5) Don't be lured into a false sense of control by cronometer.

 

My experience too. Cron-o-meter is good to see probable deficiencies, maybe good enough in good health.

 

Once you look at lab work from different angles and with a health condition you find imbalances, deficiencies or toxicities, cron-o-meter could never have spotted.

 

Biochemical individuality and various differing genetics makeups make us all react differently to different nutrients, and one's medicine easily turns to poison for another. Best for a multi would be the smallest common denominators, where everyone could to well with. And in dividable doses, as with Two-per-Day. Then add those nutrients still deficient according to your biochemical individuality in separate supplements.

 

Edited by pamojja, 14 December 2016 - 05:21 PM.

[stan08]

 

What does everyone think of Garden of Life, MyKind Organics, Men's Once Daily, Whole Food Multivitamin?

 

Looks pretty great from my perspective. I see that they have a 40+ variant with some iodine and slightly higher dosages all-around. Taking that one at 3x 0.5 tablet a day seems nearly perfect to me. $55.79 a bottle though, ouch.

 

 

Ended up purchasing Paradise Herbs Multivitamin instead.  It also had reasonable doses for everything (minus the ridiculous herb/greens blends at the end of the facts panel) - http://www.iherb.com...ggie-Caps/42405.  And at about $0.25/day, a much more reasonable price than the garden of life one (not to mention the legitimacy of the whole foods claim on the product).

[mccoy]

@timar and pamojia:

 

I agree with most of your considerations, in my case I enjoy presently good health and eat in a very careful manner so I'm more interested into longevity plus physical and cognitive performance and of course a reasonable supplementation as a cautious precautionary measure is probably not harmful (always assuming that there is no negative interference with the dietary nutrients, but I do not know any relevant literature).

The two per day formula looks pretty complete (maybe lacking in K2) and reasonably priced, with the present cost of an healthy diet  it is not possible nor advisable to spend too much in supplements. Perhaps taking one half-dose per day plus a few specific custom-tailored addictions might be a sensible scheme. Thanks for the link, I'm probably going to place an order soon. 

 

There is another issue I'd like to discuss since you guys are keen on supplementation and that's omega3s but I'm going to open a dedicated thread on it since here it would be definitely off topic.

[aribadabar]

 a few specific custom-tailored addictions might be a sensible scheme

Custom addiction sounds hardly sensible but to each their own I guess 

(Yeah, I know it was a typo but could not resist...)

 

Good multi as a base + a few customized add-ons does look like the way to go.

[mrkosh1]

I used to take LEF's Life Extension Mix years ago. I stopped taking it for financial reasons. But when I took it, I felt like I had higher energy levels. The only concern I had about it was the very high levels of B6. However, I never experienced any of the symptoms of taking too much B6. Right now, I don't think I could find a multivitamin I'd be satisfied with. The top supplements, as far as I'm concerned, are almost never in a multivitamin. Even a few of the best supplements in LEF Mix are only there in small amounts.

[mccoy]

 

 a few specific custom-tailored addictions might be a sensible scheme

Custom addiction sounds hardly sensible but to each their own I guess 

(Yeah, I know it was a typo but could not resist...)

 

Good multi as a base + a few customized add-ons does look like the way to go.

 

Aribadar, I cannot resist to retort further:  I think the customized addictions would probably be sensible enough for the supplements manufacturers, even though they might like more general addictions.

[Hyperflux]

Thoughts on Doctor's Best Multiple, it has the most bioavailable forms from what I can see. I'd still take 1-2/day.

[Baten]

Thoughts on Doctor's Best Multiple, it has the most bioavailable forms from what I can see. I'd still take 1-2/day.

 

I thought it was decent with good forms and a lot of albion glycinates, B's are dosed quite high though at 3 a day.

 

What made me stay away from it was the copper, no thank you.

[e Volution]

Last time I checked the two-best are AOR Multi Basics 3 or one of the Life Extension Multis like the 2-per-day mentioned above.

 

However also as mentioned, you're better off learning a little bit about diet, and vitamins & minerals, and taking a more targeted approach with both to fill all the gaps. For example, eat 1-2 Brazil Nuts per day for Selenium, instead of supplementing it.

[Oakman]

I've been researching for some time for what I believe to be the best new multi to be the base for my supplementation protocol: 

 

Pure Therapeutics Methyl Multi without Iron approx. ($ .13 per cap for 240 capsules - Amazon S&S)

 

* Patented Albion® and Albion® TRAACS® chelated mineral complexes

• * Vitamin K2 as MK-7 (MenaQ7 Crystals- from chickpeas) 
• * MecobalActive "The active form of B12"
  * Thaimine as Benfotiamine (Benfopure®), 
• *  Quatrefolic® is the glucosamine salt of (6S)-5-methyltetrahydrofolate and is structurally analogous to the reduced and active form of folic acid so Quatrefolic® completely bypasses the "damaged" MTHFR conversion step and delivers a "finished" folate the body can immediately use without any kind of metabolization. The other advantage is that Quatrefolic® passes the gastric barrier and is absorbed mainly in the small intestine by a carrier mediated mechanism. 
• * Includes Iodine
• * Vegetable capsules
• * Absolutely NO FILLERS!
• * Manufactured in the United States, in a GMP-certified facility.
• * 2 per serving; can be halved for lower dose