Are vitamins... vitamins?!

purplecow1977

I want to take a supplement to ensure I get all my vitamins.

Picked up a multivitamin for 1.99 in Aldi today.
I noticed in pharmacies, Tesco etc the brand Multibionta or whatever it is called is 8 or 9 euro for pretty much the same thing.

Are they? Are vitamins just vitamins and is that just clever branding?

Alf Veedersane

Compare the list of ingredients, item by item, and you'll at least have an idea where/if any gaps exist.

ch750536

Best vitamins I could find based on what actually gets into your bloodstream is the better you range.
Multi
D

2 adults, 2 kids works out at 66c per day

purplecow1977

How do you know what gets into your bloodstream? Looking at the back of the Aldi ones, it gives 100% RDA Vitamin A, C, B3, Iron etc..... I'm just wondering how good it is?

Alf Veedersane

Simplest way around it is to eat a balanced diet and get your nutrients that way

purplecow1977

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

Simplest way around it is to eat a balanced diet and get your nutrients that way

That's not really the question I asked, but thanks. I want to take a supplement for now, I don't think that there's anything wrong with that, I'm simply asking if the 'quality' is the same for cheaper brands as more expensive ones.

Alf Veedersane

The only way to compare is look at the profile of ingredients. If they compare the mg of each and they're the same, there won't be much difference.

That said, one thing that you can't compare on packaging is how readily absorbed by the body the vitamins in the supplement are.

Greenmachine

Some will use different binders affecting their absorption. Cheaper one like calcium carbonate will reduce absorption. Prescription control affect someone vitamins, which mean that you if they contain above 100% of the RDA you will have to buy them in a pharmacy.

papu

purplecow1977 wrote: »

How do you know what gets into your bloodstream? Looking at the back of the Aldi ones, it gives 100% RDA Vitamin A, C, B3, Iron etc..... I'm just wondering how good it is?

You put it in your mouth.
If you have an excess you just pee it out.

Alf Veedersane

Greenmachine wrote: »

Some will use different binders affecting their absorption. Cheaper one like calcium carbonate will reduce absorption.

Magnesium oxide as well, I think

purplecow1977

papu wrote: »

You put it in your mouth.
If you have an excess you just pee it out.

Haha I was just wondering what ch750 meant above when selecting vitamins!

I'm eating a LOT of vitamin C (so much broccoli!) but I want to up my iron intake.

Alf Veedersane

purplecow1977 wrote: »

Haha I was just wondering what ch750 meant above when selecting vitamins!

I'm eating a LOT of vitamin C (so much broccoli!) but I want to up my iron intake.

An excess with a Vit B complex, for example, will make your pee look like your diet is comprised entirely of highlighter markers.

Bear in mind the RDA is more a minimum requirement for most nutrients.

helliwen

purplecow1977 wrote: »

I'm eating a LOT of vitamin C (so much broccoli!) but I want to up my iron intake.

Have you been told by a doctor that you need to up your iron intake? Otherwise, if you're eating a balanced diet (red meat, dark green leafy veg) and not losing iron for some reason (heavy periods, pregnancy, other bleeding) then you should be getting enough.

Remember heating can cause a large loss of vitamin C (I assume you're cooking your broccoli?) and that you need vitamin C to absorb iron.

As Alf said, eating a balanced diet really is the best way to ensure you're getting the full spectrum of micro nutrients that you need. (Except for vitamin D which is obviously an issue in Ireland!) I learned that foods often come with other components that can help micro-nutrients to be absorbed and used better than the body than when they're taken in supplement form.

ch750536

Won't get vitamin D from a balanced diet.

Also, veggies etc are not what they used to be. Many veggies are pretty deficient these days for different factors.

No harm in supplementing with minimum RDA levels. I consider the minimum RDA to be way too low anyway.

ch750536

purplecow1977 wrote: »

How do you know what gets into your bloodstream? Looking at the back of the Aldi ones, it gives 100% RDA Vitamin A, C, B3, Iron etc..... I'm just wondering how good it is?

The better you range is absorbed through the membranes in your mouth when you spray it. Pills etc have to be digested and lose potency through this process.

Our digestive efficiency is not always assured, particularly when we are unwell or out of sorts. As an oral spray MultiVit bypasses processing by the digestive system and instead delivers the multi-nutrient formulation straight into the bloodstream via the rich vascular system within the mouth.

To further aid absorption into the system the solution is micro emulsified and all the active ingredients are in their most bioavailable form. This ensures faster and more reliable supplementation.

purplecow1977

helliwen wrote: »

Have you been told by a doctor that you need to up your iron intake? Otherwise, if you're eating a balanced diet (red meat, dark green leafy veg) and not losing iron for some reason (heavy periods, pregnancy, other bleeding) then you should be getting enough.

Remember heating can cause a large loss of vitamin C (I assume you're cooking your broccoli?) and that you need vitamin C to absorb iron.

As Alf said, eating a balanced diet really is the best way to ensure you're getting the full spectrum of micro nutrients that you need. (Except for vitamin D which is obviously an issue in Ireland!) I learned that foods often come with other components that can help micro-nutrients to be absorbed and used better than the body than when they're taken in supplement form.

I can't remember my totals now but I think yesterday I was only at 19% iron intake. Plenty of vitamin C, usually about 200%+. I know that supplements are second best to the actual food, but I am not getting enough iron (I don't eat much red meat, just once a week, and I don't know if broccoli counts as a dark green leafy veg??) but this is my diet for the time being so I just want to ensure that I'm getting the best nutrition I can.

I asked a simple question and am not really interested in the debates about supplements V diet as at the moment, I am interested in taking a supplement.

No I haven't been told by my doctor to increase my iron intake but if something is listed as the RDA I want to try and fulfill that target.

Thanks for the comments thus far.

helliwen

purplecow1977 wrote: »

I asked a simple question and am not really interested in the debates about supplements V diet as at the moment, I am interested in taking a supplement.

Glad you got the answers that you needed anyway.

If someone asked me whether they were likely to break their leg jumping from a 10 foot height, I would probably also address the aspect of whether jumping from the height was such a good idea, why they were planning on doing it. Maybe I just don't know how to answer a simple question