Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

The best multivitamin for you -- and 11 to steer clear of
CNN & Health Magazine ^ | August 22, 2007 | Valerie Kramer Davis

Posted on 09/05/2007 3:02:19 PM PDT by decimon

You've been told for years that popping a multivitamin every day might help you live longer. But the daily multi habit has been getting a bit of bad press lately.

< cut >

Longtime vitamin experts at Tufts University and the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University continue to say multis aren't dangerous and the paper's findings are wrong. The paper analyzed previous studies, including many with people who were sick before taking vitamins, so there's a good chance vitamins weren't responsible for shortening their lives. Experts say the paper also ignored two major studies that found vitamins reduced the risk of death.

At the same time, the study from ConsumerLab.com shows that you can't assume just any vitamin is safe. Because there are no uniform manufacturing rules for supplements, a multi may not contain what the bottle claims, could be contaminated with something from the manufacturing plant, or might have tainted ingredients. Health.com: 20 antioxidant powerhouses

Your best bet: Avoid the vitamins singled out by ConsumerLab.com (see 11 Multis to Avoid), and stick with mainstream names such as Centrum Silver and One-A-Day Women's, which were found to be free of impurities and accurately labeled. Also, check vitamin bottles for the United States Pharmacopoeia (USP), NSF International (NSF), or ConsumerLab.com (CL) seals. The USP and NSF are nonprofit groups that verify whether companies offer contamination-free products and use good manufacturing practices. Not every brand has the seals -- some don't want to submit to testing--but those that do (Kirkland and Nature Made carry the USP seal, for instance) are reliable.

Cont...

(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...


TOPICS: Health/Medicine
KEYWORDS: consumerlab; consumerlabcom; multivitamin; multivitamins; vitamins
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-45 next last
Do but don't.
1 posted on 09/05/2007 3:02:21 PM PDT by decimon
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: decimon

Do but don’t what?...........


2 posted on 09/05/2007 3:06:58 PM PDT by Red Badger (ALL that CARBON in ALL that oil & coal was once in the atmospere. We're just putting it back!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Red Badger
Do but don’t what?..........

Take your vitamins.

3 posted on 09/05/2007 3:08:18 PM PDT by decimon
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: decimon

We should probably avoid any manufactured in China, especially in the toy and dogfood factories :-) But seriously, they’re putting so many vitamins into so many different products (including Coca Cola for crying out loud!!!) that I worry about toxic levels of some vitamins being consumed.


4 posted on 09/05/2007 3:08:50 PM PDT by JoyjoyfromNJ (Psalm 121)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: decimon

With all the Chicom food poisoning in the news lately, I found it very interesting to learn that 80% of all the vitamin C in the world is exported from China.


5 posted on 09/05/2007 3:09:19 PM PDT by kellynla (Freedom of speech makes it easier to spot the idiots! Semper Fi!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: decimon

I don’t use any of those “health store” brands...........


6 posted on 09/05/2007 3:17:36 PM PDT by Red Badger (ALL that CARBON in ALL that oil & coal was once in the atmospere. We're just putting it back!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: All

Anyone read the .pdf of brands to avoid?


7 posted on 09/05/2007 3:18:05 PM PDT by decimon
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: decimon; aculeus; Charles Henrickson; dead; dighton; Lazamataz; mikrofon; Petronski; ...

Vitamins? I scoff!

8 posted on 09/05/2007 3:28:44 PM PDT by martin_fierro (< |:)~)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: decimon

“Experts say the paper also ignored two major studies that found vitamins reduced the risk of death.”

Awesome! I had no idea I can become immortal just by taking a vitamin.


9 posted on 09/05/2007 3:31:00 PM PDT by coop71 (Being a redhead means never having to say you're sorry...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: neverdem

ping?


10 posted on 09/05/2007 3:31:36 PM PDT by traviskicks (http://www.neoperspectives.com/Ron_Paul_2008.htm)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: decimon
Here ya go:

11 Multivitamins to Avoid

These multivitamins were flagged for problems in a recent ConsumerLab.com analysis. After the findings were published, The Vitamin Shoppe and AARP voluntarily withdrew their products, and Hero Nutritionals began offering consumers a replacement. The other manufacturers haven’t responded publicly to the findings.

For Adults
Product/ Problem
Eniva VIBE, a liquid sold in packets/ Falls short of listed vitamin A
Healthy Moments Mint Cream Flavor Vitamin Strips/ Contains no vitamin A and exceeds listed amount of niacin
Swanson Daily Multivitamin & Mineral/ Short of listed folate
The Greatest Vitamin in the World/ Short of listed folate
Weil, Andrew Weil, MD, Daily Multivitamin for Optimum Health/Short of listed vitamin A and exceeds the amount of calcium

For Women
Product/ Problem
Nature’s Plus Especially Yours Women’s Multivitamin/ Doesn’t disintegrate properly and exceeds listed calcium
The Vitamin Shoppe Multivitamins Especially for Women/ Contaminated with 15.3 micrograms of lead per serving—10 times amount permitted without a warning label in California— and short of listed calcium

For Men
Produc/t Problem
Now Adam Superior Men’s Multi/ Takes too long to disintegrate
Win Fuel Men’s Formula/ Short of listed vitamin A and folate

For Seniors
Product/ Problem
AARP Maturity Formula/ Takes too long to disintegrate

For Kids
Product/ Problem
Hero Nutritionals Yummi Bears/ Contains twice as much vitamin A as listed, which may lead to weak bones

11 posted on 09/05/2007 3:33:37 PM PDT by Yo-Yo (USAF, TAC, 12th AF, 366 TFW, 366 MG, 366 CRS, Mtn Home AFB, 1978-81)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: decimon

I’ve heard the “mainstream” multis — Centrum, One-A-Day, etc — just go through your system without dissolving and are therefore virtually worthless. On the other hand, the “healthfood store” multis readily dissolve and so are absorbed better. Anyone know if there’s any truth to this?


12 posted on 09/05/2007 3:34:12 PM PDT by Yardstick
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Yardstick

Sounds like a (false) sales pitch.


13 posted on 09/05/2007 3:36:01 PM PDT by Sloth (You being wrong & me being closed-minded are not mutually exclusive.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: Sloth

How so?


14 posted on 09/05/2007 3:41:54 PM PDT by Yardstick
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: martin_fierro
Confucius say, "For no side effect, make sure take Vitamin B9."
15 posted on 09/05/2007 3:42:31 PM PDT by mikrofon (Synchronicity)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: Yardstick
BS...the USP and NSF ratings ensure disolvability
16 posted on 09/05/2007 3:45:57 PM PDT by nevergore ("It could be that the purpose of my life is simply to serve as a warning to others.")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: martin_fierro

“Do you suffer the embarrassment of Viagra lag? Aichen Beauty may be for you.”


17 posted on 09/05/2007 3:46:10 PM PDT by decimon
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: nevergore

If true, it sounds like check mate for Centrum on that point. The healthfood crowd’s fallback argument would be that Centrum type vitamins are derived from artificial chemical sources that aren’t easily absorbed by the body. Healthfood vitamins on the other hand are derived from natural food-based sources that are easily absorbed (maybe assimilated would be the better word). Any thoughts on that?


18 posted on 09/05/2007 4:04:27 PM PDT by Yardstick
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]

To: Yardstick

” Healthfood vitamins on the other hand are derived from natural food-based sources that are easily absorbed (maybe assimilated would be the better word). Any thoughts on that?”

Sounds like bullsh*t to me.


19 posted on 09/05/2007 4:07:42 PM PDT by Poser (Willing to fight for oil)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 18 | View Replies]

To: decimon

I just checked my multi vitamin —Equaline —from Albertsons and it carries the USP seal....thanks...


20 posted on 09/05/2007 4:19:16 PM PDT by Ernest_at_the_Beach (No Burkas for my Grandaughters!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-45 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson