AST Sports performance multi pro 32X

Danye

Hi,

I usually take a multi vit in the form of ON opti men. Yesterday I went to get a new bottle and the lad behind recommend these AST sports multi vits instead.

I bought them in anyway but this morning when I went to buy them I seen this warning on the side of the bottle which said...

"Warning : This product contains chemicals known to the state of Californa to cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive harm"

Can anybody tell me what's the story with that?? How can something be sold as a multi vitamin with a warning like that? What are these chemicals that they're referring to?

atilladehun

Do you really need a multi vit? A healthy varied diet should be enough?

Thephantomsmask

Probably vitamin A, it's fat soluble and thus stored in the body so only small amounts should be supplemented. Just don't use any other vitamin A/retinol supplement in conjunction. Most vitamins usually use beta carotene which the body converts to vitamin as needed. It's the reason pregnant women are advised not to use cod liver oil. I've been using AST for the last few years, very reasonable from iherb (current customs issues notwithstanding).

Danye

atilladehun wrote: »

Do you really need a multi vit? A healthy varied diet should be enough?

I think so. My diet is ok but I doubt I get my required vitamins and minerals from diet alone.

Danye

Thephantomsmask wrote: »

Probably vitamin A, it's fat soluble and thus stored in the body so only small amounts should be supplemented. Just don't use any other vitamin A/retinol supplement in conjunction. Most vitamins usually use beta carotene which the body converts to vitamin as needed. It's the reason pregnant women are advised not to use cod liver oil. I've been using AST for the last few years, very reasonable from iherb (current customs issues notwithstanding).

Thanks for the reply. I don't wish to sound smart but how do you mean probably? Is that a guess that's the reason for the warning or are you certain? If that is the case why would they be producing a product with such high doses of vitamin a?

Anybody have any recommendations for another quality multivitamin?

Thanks.

Thephantomsmask

I'm at work so can't check the packaging but that is the only thing that springs to mind. They don't use a high dose of pure retinol iirc, mostly beta carotene which is only converted as needed and excreted in the urine otherwise but the warning is there as a lot of people would use stuff like cod liver oil or "well woman supplements" with vitamins A, D and E which have comparatively large doses and it wouldn't be a good idea to double up on doses. It's no different to chewing gum warnings about excess consumption producing laxative effects in susceptible individuals.

Danye

Thephantomsmask wrote: »

I'm at work so can't check the packaging but that is the only thing that springs to mind. They don't use a high dose of pure retinol iirc, mostly beta carotene which is only converted as needed and excreted in the urine otherwise but the warning is there as a lot of people would use stuff like cod liver oil or "well woman supplements" with vitamins A, D and E which have comparatively large doses and it wouldn't be a good idea to double up on doses. It's no different to chewing gum warnings about excess consumption producing laxative effects in susceptible individuals.

No problem. I appreciate the input.

I also take Carlson's fish oil and Vitamin D3, so regardless of the warning and the AST vitamins I might be best to change the multi vitamin regardless.

I'd much rather laxative effects than cancer or damage to reproductive organs.

Thephantomsmask

Fish oil is derived from fat in the skin and flesh of the fish, it isn't the same as cod liver oil, unless it says so on the bottle then it contains no vitamin A/retinol. All multivitamins that I've seen/used (solgar, H&B etc) have a small amount of retinol in them to the best of my knowledge. I wouldn't get too bothered about it honestly, that warning is on a bottle to be marketed in America, they have warnings for the smallest things and most of the problem with vitamin A would be an excess in pregnancy. They put vitamin A warnings on products here but they are a lot less explicit! For what it's worth, I take the recommended AST dose (2 tabs daily) plus 5000iu vitamin D, I just wouldn't be lumping a few spoons of cod liver oil or a vitamin A containing supplement on top is all.