My recommendation is to transition away from all synthetic vitamins and minerals.
Evidence has been developing about the often ineffectiveness and even harmful side-effects of many synthetic vitamins and minerals. Did you know that most synthetic vitamins are petroleum derivatives or hydrogenated sugar? Most mineral supplements are from rocks processed with industrial chemicals! The health industry has been selling vitamin and mineral supplements as 'natural' when in fact they are isolated substances unlike the chemical and structural properties of nutrients found in food.
I recommend supplementing with 'food nutrients' that are actually 100% made from organic foods grown in nutrient rich soil.
Megafoods carries a line of 100% whole foods supplements. Garden of Life also has some good products. I have other sources for oil based supplements like fermented cod liver oil and flax oil.
The products I recommend with comparable products from Megafoods):
- Calcium Complex Typical forms of calcium are calcium carbonate, calcium citrate and calcium lactate, which are unnatural forms of calcium that have been found to be indigestible and have assimilation rates less than 10%. Evidence also shows that they can contribute to cardiovascular issues.* Calcium Complex is from Kelp and dulse and each capsule has 101mg of calcium.
- D Complex Most people are deficient in D and anyone with a chronic health condition especially a rheumatic condition or a weak immune system should be supplementing with D.* Unlike D3, however, which is natural but isolated this food-nutrient has the necessary supporting nutrients and co-factors. D Complex is made from organic parsley, carrot, beat and broccoli with 1000 IU of D in each capsule.
- Magnesium Complex If you are taking Magnesium citrate, chloride, carbonate or sulfate these chemically bound forms of magnesium are unnatural for the body. Magnesium Complex is made from rice brand, kelp, dulse, buckwheat with 100 Mg of Magnesium in each capsule.
- Vitamin B-6, B-12, & Folate If you are a vegetarian then you need a reliable source of B-12. Unlike most so-called "natural" B vitamin supplements, Vitamin B-6, B-12, & Folate does not contain any folic acid, which is a synthetic from of vitamin B-9 and is dangerous (for details see Folic Acid Dangers); and contains 1,000% of the RDA of B-12, 1,250% of the RDA of B-6 and 200% of the RDA of Folate.
- B Stress Complex Did you know that synthetic thiamin is usually marketed as thiamin hydrochloride or thiamin mononitrate and is a coal tar derivative! Just one capsule of B Stress Complex contains 100% of the RDA of B-1, 529% of the RDA of B-2, 500% of the RDA of B-6, 100% of the RDA of Folate and 2083% of the RDA of B-12 derived from spinach.
- C Complex Unlike other so-called natural vitamin C products, C Complex does not contain any isolated ascorbic acid. Food vitamin C is an antioxidant and has long been recognized as an important nutrient for supporting cardiovascular, immune, musculoskeletal, endocrine, and other systems. Each capsule contains 440 mg or 667% of the RDA for vitamin C derived mostly from citrus.
If you are still using synthetic vitamins – it is time to make the change.
