Last week we asked the question, “Can You Trust Your Multivitamin?”
A report from ConsumerLab.Com stated “defects found in 33% of multis [multivitamins] put to the test.” This was based on analyses of 45 different multivitamin/multimineral products.
As we reported, we were not terribly surprised at the results. That’s because you have no way of knowing where your vitamin formula originates. Were the ingredients made in China or Slovakia? Were the pills manufactured in India, Croatia or Thailand? Nothing on the label will tell you where your dietary supplements were actually assembled into a final product.
In our opinion, the Food and Drug Administration does not monitor vitamins or dietary supplements adequately. That leaves consumers pretty much on their own.
We take vitamins and minerals ourselves and we care about quality. Although we eat very healthy food, we may not be getting enough magnesium, vitamin C or B vitamins from our diet.
That’s why we were excited to find a company that shares our passion for quality control of vitamins and minerals. They also have developed a method for personalizing the formulations to match an individual’s needs. We also like the idea that the vitamins and minerals come in a special spiced apple gel packet. That way you do not have to swallow a bunch of big pills. And they are assembled in the United States.
Do People Care About Vitamin Quality?
We wanted to learn whether people might be interested in two formulas, a multivitamin and a “cardio” formula. Within one day of describing the test in our Friday newsletter the multivitamin sold out. We only have a few of the cardio formula supplements left.
An Important Question from a Reader:
Julie asks:
I’d like more specific info about exactly what vitamins, etc. are in the supplements for testing. And what is “cardio”?
This is a great question. Here is the formulation that we arrived at after analyzing the latest research:
vitamin A (mixed carotenoids): 2500 IU
vitamin B1 (thiamine mononitrate): 15 mg
vitamin B2 (riboflavin): 1.3 mg
vitamin B3 (niacinamide): 30 mg
vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid): 10 mg
vitamin B6 (pyridoxine): 25 mg
vitamin B7 (biotin): 300 mcg
folic acid (L-methylfolate): 400 mcg
vitamin B12 (methylcobolamin): 25 mcg
vitamin D (cholecalciferol): 1000 IU
vitamin E (natural d-alpha-tocopherol): 30 IU
vitamin K1 (phylloquinone): 150 mcg
vitamin K2 (MK-7): 300 mcg
magnesium (magnesium citrate): 100 mg
coenzyme Q10 (ubiquinol): 200 mg
omega 3 fats: 300 EPA, 150 DHA
choline (choline bitartrate): 400 mcg
The B vitamin levels will vary depending upon your personalized answers on the website. That is what we mean by individualized nutrition. We have tried to match the formula to your special needs. One does not have to have heart disease to benefit from this “cardio” formula. We think it makes sense for anyone.
Update:
Due to tremendous interest in this program the survey has been completed and all available multivitamin and cardio supplements have been spoken for. We will keep you informed of any future developments. Thank you for your interest.
