Vitamens--what do you use?
Posted by Capture on Mar 30, 2008 · Member since Jul 2007 · 3981 posts
I'm looking into new vitamens and supplements! I have recently started back at the gym and I am expended a ton of energy! I know some people just eat more--but I would rather eat what is normal for me and use some supplements to heal from working out. Any suggestions? I'm on the poor student plan so keep your suggestions reasonable!
I use Nature's Way Alive, which I purchase through Vitamin Shoppes. I love them and they seem to give me increased energy and supplement what I can't get through my diet.
They come in an iron-free, no-iron and low-iron formula
http://www.vitaminshoppe.com/store/en/browse/sku_detail.jsp?id=NW-1177#directions
I use Nature's Way Alive, which I purchase through Vitamin Shoppes. I love them and they seem to give me increased energy and supplement what I can't get through my diet.
They come in an iron-free, no-iron and low-iron formula
http://www.vitaminshoppe.com/store/en/browse/sku_detail.jsp?id=NW-1177#directions
Thanks Mal! I think I'll take a trip to the ye old viteman shoppe soon and check out what they have :)
Here's a review of Alive! brand multis.
http://www.naturalnews.com/001535.html
Everything he says is exactly what Alive! wants people who pick up their product to think, but i don't think it's as virtuous a product as it's made out to be. Most "whole food" vitamins (Alive! being among the cheapest) use isolated synthetic vitamins and minerals and then add "chaperones" or "messengers" (or even the brand's own inventive trademarked term for the same thing- ha!) that are supposed to replicate all of the known and unknown natural chemical substances found in food that help us absorb nutrients (such as bioflavonoids for vitamin C). Usually these chaperones are added in the form of sugar or yeast. Then they throw in a few crumbs of real foods so that there are some recognizable ingredients on the label and the consumer thinks that all of the nutrients listed are from these foods. But you couldn't get 1500IU of vitamin A from three tablets if they were pure carrot. Nor could you get 15mg of zinc if they were pure pumpkin seeds. Alive! lists ascorbic acid (the synthetic version of vitamin C) right on the label; some companies mysteriously state: "from food source". They also use cyanocobalamin, the inferior and cheaper form of B12.
I think it's best to get nutrients from (real) whole food sources, supplementing with spirulina, chlorella, wheat grass, nettles, and the like, but of course that can rack up a bill. Don't you think the government should provide "free" (thanks to our taxes) high quality supplements to all citizens to save on crazy medical bills down the line, not to mention provide for a more intelligent society? ....heh.