Is My Multi Any Good?

We are all guilty of buying a supplement based on its pretty label, creative packaging or famous logo. Our emotions kick in and drive us to the product that is most visually pleasing even though we know the contents are more important than the label.

Since there is minimal regulation in regards to nutritional supplementation you must be educated in order to understand what you are getting.

You can look at ten calcium supplements on the shelf and they can contain ten different types of calcium. Some formulations will have extremely poor absorption and others may contain harmful toxins such as lead. How do you know what to do?!

AlignLife has a quality control and research department that evaluates our nutritional products every year to assess what products will be allowed to be offered through our offices and web store.

Due to our concern of patients taking ineffective or perhaps harmful products, AlignLife offers free nutritional consultations to review your nutrient intake and their specific formulations. Just as your medication intake is monitored by a qualified physician, your nutrient intake should receive the same stringent monitoring by a physician that is trained in nutrition and supplement formulations.

1. FORMULATIONS

Many nutritional companies take advantage of the lack of quality control regulations for supplementation. They formulate cheap products using sub-grade nutrients that may never get absorbed. In my professional opinion, I would estimate that over 85% of supplements are made of extremely low-grade nutrients that will not have a positive effect on your body and may in fact cause harm.

Here are some of the cheapest/ inactive grades of nutrients that have lower rates of absorption.

Check your multivitamin and see what you find!!

Less Absorbable Formulations
MAGNESIUM	Magnesium Oxide
CALCIUM	Calcium Carbonate
B12	Cyanocobalamin
B6	Pyridoxine HCL
VITAMIN C	Ascorbic Acid
VITAMIN D	Ergocalciferol

Should Not Be in Multivitamin

IRON

COPPER

The following are the formulations that you want to see in your multivitamin because they are considerably better absorbing as well as being biologically active as soon as you swallow the tablet.

Highly Absorbable Formulations
MAGNESIUM	Magnesium Citrate Magnesium Fumarate Magnesium Malate Magnesium Succinate Magnesium Tartrate Magnesium Aspartate
CALCIUM	Calcium Ascorbate Calcium Pantothenate Calcium Citrate Calcium Fumarate Calcium Malate Calcium Succinate Calcium Tartrate
B12	Hydroxocobalamin
B6	Pyridoxine-5-Phosphate
VITAMIN C	L-Ascorbate
VITAMIN D	Cholecalciferol

2. FILLERS/ADDITIVES

Your multivitamin should not contain any additives or fillers. Many companies use highly allergic fillers and additives such as citrus, MSG, wheat, gluten, corn, starch, sugar, soy, yeast, sulfate, phosphates, casein or other milk additives.

Some of these additives are neurotoxins and others can cause an allergic response. It is best if your vitamin is void of these compounds.

3. CONFLICTING INGREDIENTS

One of the major functions of your multivitamin is to act as an anti-oxidant. Therefore, you should not have pro-oxidants (substances that promote oxidation and the opposite of anti-oxidants) in the formulations or it will decrease the effectiveness of the multivitamin.

Your multivitamin should not contain iron or copper since they are pro-oxidants. If they are needed, you should take them in a separate formulation. Including them with the anti-oxidants will reduce their effectiveness.

4. ABSORPTION

Most vitamin supplements that we have tested over the last decade did not dissolve in the allotted time causing decreased absorption. If your multivitamin does not break down within an hour in warm water than it will most likely not breakdown efficiently inside your body.

What good is taking a product if you can not absorb it?

A cheap vitamin becomes expensive when it is never absorbed.

Unfortunately, many vitamin companies do not test for dissolution (breakdown) of the tablet. Without quality control you have no idea if your investment in nutrients has any value after you swallow the tablet.

Below is an example of an x-ray with an undigested multivitamin in the intestinal tract. Could this be your supplement?

It is not only important for people to be taking the correct supplementation but it is important to understanding the interaction and synergism between different supplements. Everyone should have their nutrient intake monitored by a nutritionist or a qualified physician educated in nutrition. This will create the safest and most effective outcomes.