I often get asked so what are the best vitamins supplements. But first let me explain more about what vitamins are in this article.
Table of contents:
- What are The Best Vitamin Supplements?
- What are vitamins?
- Function and Benefits of vitamins,
- Are Vitamins good for you?
- How do vitamins help in a busy lifestyle?
- How to find the best supplements on the market?
A multivitamin is a group of essential vitamins, antioxidants and minerals. Vitamins and supplements are mostly plant based and are used to add to or supplement a diet poor in essential trace minerals, vitamins and minerals. Vitamin supplements provide the core elements for optimum health care. Vitamins mineral formulations may be available in tablet form, capsules, powders, gels or liquids in a inject-able form in the best vitamin supplements.
Now, a vitamin for health can have a minimum of three or four nutrients that do not include herbs or drugs. These nutrition and vitamins should be in a dose less than the upper tolerable limits specified by the FDA for safe best vitamin supplements. Supplements should not cause adverse health risks.
Before we start looking for the best vitamin supplements brands, lets look where vitamins come from. A vitamin is an organic compound found in nature. This is essentially required in very minute amounts to help the human body to perform daily cellular tasks such as detoxing, cell building and cell repairing. These vitamins are not produced by the body alone. They must be sourced in sufficient quantities from an external source and provided in the diet.
Vitamins generally don’t include some of the essential nutrients such as the essential fatty acids like omega 3 fatty acids, essential amino acids or dietary minerals. These later nutrients are needed in dosages much more than those found in vitamins. For optimum health our bodies require 13 essential vitamins for daily body functions in the best vitamin supplements.
Here is a list if some vitamins that are crucial for optimum health. They are betacarotene, Vitamin C,Vitamin D3,Vitamin E in the form of natural mixed Tocopherols, Vitamin K, Vitamin B1, Vitamin B2, Vitamin B3, Vitamin B6, and Vitamin B12.
Some Of The Functions & Benefits Of The Best Vitamin Supplements In Our Bodies
Vitamins have so many functions in our bodies. They take on activities as as hormone-like function in mineral metabolism regulation as seen in Vitamin D. Vitamin D helps calcium and phosphate to be better absorbed. This creates healthier remodeling of teeth and bones. “When synthesized in the kidneys, calcitriol circulates as a hormone, regulating the concentration of calcium and phosphate in the bloodstream and promoting the healthy growth and remodeling of bone. Vitamin D also prevents rickets in children and osteomalacia in adults, and, together with calcium, helps to protect older adults from osteoporosis.”
Another essential nutrient is Vitamin E. Vitamin E has many biological functions. The antioxidant function is considered to be the most important function of vitamin E and is the one it is best known for.[19] As it is fat-soluble, it is incorporated into cell membranes, which protects them from oxidative damage. However, there are other functions that have also been recognized to be of importance. a-Tocopherol has a regulatory effect on enzymatic activities.
Another example is the B complex vitamins. The B Complex vitamin group is the largest group of vitamins in the vitamin family. B vitamins are a group of water-soluble vitamins that play important roles in cell metabolism. B Vitamins act as precursors to create enzyme cofactors that work as catalyst enabling enzymes to work properly in body metabolism.
The B vitamins were once thought to be a single vitamin, referred to as vitamin B (much as people refer to vitamin C or vitamin D). Later research showed that they are chemically distinct vitamins that often coexist in the same foods. In general, supplements containing all eight are referred to as a vitamin B complex. Individual B vitamin supplements are referred to by the specific name of each vitamin (e.g., B1, B2, B3 etc.).
Vitamins also work in loosely held enzyme catalyst groups as seen in coenzymes. These coenzymes act as an detachable molecule whose function is to carry a chemical group or electrons between molecules. This is seen widely in the activity of folic acid in the body
Are Multivitamins Good For You?
Let us look when vitamins started to become popular. About 60 years ago US consumers were introduced to the “One A Day” multivitamin. Today millions of people worldwide take a multivitamin. Most of the products on the market have more than 4 or 5 essential nutrients present in their formulation. Though for optimum health you need to have at least 48 of the essential vitamins and minerals. These must be in high strength formulation to be rated as the best vitamin supplements. Very few product formulations have all the essentials nutrients present to be rated in the best vitamin supplement category.
Now Calcium is one mineral that is sold separately. We need much larger dosages of calcium than that seen in multivitamins. Calcium is needed for the bones, teeth and muscular contractions in the body. This is one of the reason we need larger amounts of Calcium than that seen in a multivitamin.
Multivitamins are certainly good for you as they help to boost the immune system. Nutritional supplements to fight certain cancers as well as help the cardio vascular system by preventing cardiovascular disease.
Today there is more and more evidence that many brands of multivitamins are not delivering what they say they do on their labels. To get more information about this go to the Nutrisearch.com website.
So how do vitamins work in a busy lifestyle?
The main function of best vitamin supplements is to bridge the gap of a normal or poor diet with that of a good diet. This in turn gives us what we are missing in nutrients in that meal. Today we are eating too much of too little. In other words we are eating foods that are nutrient deficient. Foods that are too high in protein, fats, sugars and starch. Most of the foods that are consumed in the Western world are highly processed and stripped off their core vitamin goodness. These foods are then fortified with synthetic forms of vitamins antioxidants. These synthetic forms of vitamins are cheap and are not what the body needs.
Hence we see that multivitamins do play a big role in today’s fast paced lifestyle of fast foods and long hours at the office. But this should not replace a well balanced diet. I would suggest that you try to eat as balanced a diet as possible. The diet should include lean protein, good fats and high quality fruit and vegetables. In addition you should supplement with a high potent multivitamin that is the best on the market. Don’t fall for fortified foods with vitamins as most of these are not organic in nature and are man made. Secondly we need supplements to have the correct amounts, well balanced, in the right potency, bio available and safe for our bodies.
Always buy a multivitamin that is Pharmaceutical grade. In addition look for a potency guarantee that what’s on the label is in the bottle. As far as my knowledge goes only one company gives that guarantee world wide. For more information on that particular company please request a copy of my newsletter.
This leads us now to, What Is The Best Multivitamin Brand?
When you start to look for the best multivitamin brands its best to first go to the local chemist and ask what are the best vitamin supplements that are most popular. Then ask the chemist why these are considered as the best vitamin supplements. Is it the price that is the fundamental factor or is it the quality of the vitamins? Then ask the chemist if there is any third party studies on the market. Are these studies readily available for you to look at which are the best vitamin supplements. Do they show which brands are more beneficial and safe for human consumption.
Most often you will find that the staff at your local chemist shop will have no clue as to what’s inside the bottles. They are paid to sell the vitamins not a particular brand. This makes it hard for you as the consumer and so you need to do your own research.
Now this task is not as hard as it may seem. Rather its relatively easy as long as you are prepared to do a little ground work in finding the best multivitamins brand.
I have made that task easy with three steps below:
- Go to the website called www.NutriSeacrch.com and look at what this particular independent website has to inform you on which brands of multi-vitamins are safe providing the optimum levels of nutrients. You will be surprised to see most of the popular brands are not as well rated. The question you need to ask yourself where is you money going.
- I recently found a YouTube.com video called “Vitamins Tested And Rated“. This was aired in Australia in August of 2007 and compared all the popular brands of vitamins in the country label against label. In that report you will find the best multivitamin brand in Australia. I have similarly seen a video in the US as well as Malaysia.
If you are happy with the information provide in the NutriSearch.com website as well as the YouTube video, please feel free to get our newsletter where we will send you all the information on how to get these high quality vitamins at wholesale prices.
You may not be aware that only a few multi vitamin manufacturers actually guarantees that what’s on the label is in the bottle. Most of the brands from the US and other countries are not Pharmaceutical, Grade nor FDA approved. Yet! There is only one such Utah based company in the US that gives a potency guarantee and pharmaceutical grade as well. For more information get our newsletter!
Is There Anything Like All Natural Vitamins?
There are many formulations of multivitamins on the market that say they are all natural multivitamins. This is all so confusing as we need proof that they are what they claim to be. Third party independent studies are far better than a company proclaiming that they are the best natural multivitamin on the market. There are many companies that used terms such as organic, natural or plant based to lure consumer sales of their products.
Today typically many companies are using synthetic forms of vitamins in their formulations. One of the reasons for this is its cheaper to have synthetic ingredients in formulations. Another reason may be the science behind the products are questionable. If you were to take these vitamins and antioxidants and feed them to organisms you will see that these creatures do not survive on a synthetic vitamin. So why would you give your body a supplement that would kill micro organisms in culture.
A good example is the “Apple Test” as seen on YouTube.com. Here a few popular brands of well know supplement manufacturers were taken. In the test the effects of free radical damage was observed. If an apple cannot be protected from oxidative damage due to free radicals, how can your cells be protected.
Don’t fall for the hype that vitamins must be organic and herbal. When we look at organic products we need to also look at the source of these products. Are the products certified organic as well as the manufacturing process is of pharmaceutical grade to deliver the safest products for our health. The same goes for being herbal. Herbs are great as long as they are free from bacteria, fungus and pesticides. They need to be transported in a clean safe environment to market.
Today with the aid of science, scientist are capable to extract the phytochemicals seen in plants, fruits and vegetable to give us those minute amounts of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants at optimal levels for the best health. Phytochemicals are biologically active chemical compounds that occur naturally in plants (phyto means “plant” in Greek). Phytochemicals are the molecules responsible for the color and organoleptic properties (properties affecting the organs and the senses).
So Which Are The Best Natural Multivitamins On The Market Today?
When researching the best product to take you need to consider whether the product is:
1. Manufactured to pharmaceutical-grade using Good Manufacturing Processes (GMP)
2. Potency guaranteed (not just high potency)
These factors will ensure the product is not just manufactured to food grade criteria (example, think of the difference of creating an anti-biotic to making a pizza) and also that the product delivers what it says it will do on the label.
Below I have listed 18 criteria that you should consider that have been taken from teh NutriSearch website. When you start looking for the best vitamins on the market we need to look at brand comparison. The NutriSearch.com study is a independent research and review which is in its 10 th year in publication and has just released its 5 th edition. The study is called the Comparative Guide To Nutritional Supplements, conducted by NutriSearch.com and is the most comprehensive study that is done by comparing supplements against supplements against a blended standard that is based on 18 criteria below. In the guide you will find a multivitamin comparison chart that is well worth researching.
How To Start Your Best Vitamin Supplements Comparisons:
Now the 18 criteria are on which products were compared against are.
- Completeness
- Potency
- Mineral Forms
- Bioactivity of Vitamin E
- Gamma Tocopherol
- Antioxidant Support
- Bone Health
- Heart Health
- Liver Health (detoxification)
- Metabolic Health (glucose control)
- Ocular Health
- Methylation Support
- Lipotropic Factors
- Inflammation Control
- Glycation Control
- Bioflavonoid Profile
- Phenolic Compounds Profile
- Potential Toxicities
For more information on how this study was conducted please visit NutriSearch.com
Once you are convinced that the products are what you are looking for you need to look at the company that manufactures them.
Here is a quick check list to see if the manufacturer follows strict guidelines:
Integrity
Does the manufacturer follows strict Pharmaceutical GMP guidelines for manufacturing nutritional supplements. Does the label have a potency guarantee that guarantees what’s on the label is in the bottle. Are there clinical studies done that can support the product effectiveness. Does the manufacturing have the approval of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA approval).
A good multivitamin manufacturer should be able to produce what is known in the industry as the COA (Certificate of Analysis) for each batch of supplements they produce. This is an indicator of the quality of the supplement. It is a documented evidence of the Quality Control Testings carried out which gives the exact details about the Compliance and the Quality of the product.
Safety
As`mentioned above if the products are manufactured to Pharmaceutical GMP, which are the most stringent safety standards for manufacturing facilities, then the company is following a very high standard of manufacturing and are safe to consume. The products will be shown to be free of harmful contaminants and contains the actual ingredients listed.
Bioavailability
Bioavailability is used to describe the degree at which a substance is absorbed into our living system. The best bioavailability is seen when an ingredient or nutrient is administered directly into the blood stream. This will deliver a 100% delivery rate. When nutritional supplements are taken orally the effectiveness of bioavailability decreases when the nutrient is converted to a salt by the stomach acids (hydrochloric acid).
A good multivitamin should be in the chelated mineral form in order to be absorbed at a much higher level by the body systems. Minerals in the chelation forms are more expensive and most formulations on the market avoid them. The best way is to look at the science behind the company that manufactures nutritional supplement products.
Synergy
Synergy is important because it is what happens when many different vitamins, minerals, herbal extracts, and specialty nutrients work or interact with one another for an advantageous outcome. Research has proven that vitamins are not very effective on their own. They need other nutrients to compliment them to improve their effectiveness. This action is termed synergistic, that is they work in synergy with each other.
In simple terms this is when one plus one does not equal two but is equal to 11. The whole is far greater than the sum of its parts. For example the bioavailability of calcium supplements is more far enhanced with the presence of Vitamin D3 and magnesium. These two ingredients help the absorption of Calcium.
By shopping randomly for food supplements we may buy different vitamins that may not be in the right balances and ratios need for the best synergy to take place for absorption. We also need to be aware that just adding vitamins to our daily health routine may create toxicity. It is important to take supplements that are in the right amounts and right potencies.
A good manufacturer should be transparent with ingredient amounts and dosage requirements.
Transparency
Look for a company that is science based and manufactures its own multivitamins.
Guarantee
Most manufacturers offer either a 30 day or 60 day money back guarantee on their products. Look to see what consumer reviews are on these products. Doctor forums are another place to visit to see if the products are openly recommended to patients.
