Whole Food Multivitamin

CrystalT

I want to switch to a whole food multivitamin instead of the synthetic I have been taking. Does anyone have a particular brand they would suggest?

rheston

After reading an article about vitamins and their non-impact on a person's overall well being I've avoided them myself and have just gone back to eating the foods that will provide me the right balance of nutrients my body needs to be in balance each day.

By the way, congratulations on your kicking the smoking habit. I know how hard it is to do that and you should be happy about being where you are now. Congratulations.

July24Lioness

I use the vitamin code brand, they are made from the fruits and veggies that have the particular vitamins and minerals our bodies need.

I get them from the Natural Med Apothecary in Herrin, IL.

sunnysmile

I recently switched to a supplement customized to my DNA recommended to me by my sister-in-law. I am on my first month of it, so I can let you know how I feel on it as times goes by, but it has vitamins, anitoxidants, minerals, plus addresses my own particular gene-related issues for I think 14 key genes. It is organic mainly, vegen, plant-based, whole food, etc. (They are coming out with customized skin care for DNA too).

check this out, I know this is my affiliate website, some of it is salesy, but check under the articles and such, so much info on customizing now for individual.

www.lifemapnutrition.com/dnavitaskin

I think I wrote that website correctly. I would be curious to know if you try it what you think. I am just so excited that nutrition is beginning to be customized to the individual now.

Azdak

After reading an article about vitamins and their non-impact on a person's overall well being I've avoided them myself and have just gone back to eating the foods that will provide me the right balance of nutrients my body needs to be in balance each day.

By the way, congratulations on your kicking the smoking habit. I know how hard it is to do that and you should be happy about being where you are now. Congratulations.

Great rational response.

sunnysmile

I agree you don't want to overdue vitamins, you may be taking more then you need of one, less than you need of another ... recommendations I think by FDA are based on 1940's research for that. I am still learning about this, but that is what is cool about the DNA-customized supplements, you get more of what you need and less of what you don't. Plus it is cutting edge research and science.

I don't agree that no supplements are the way to go because in my reading about the DNA-customized supplements I've come to learn that some gene variants we can have don't allow us to absorb nutrients as well as others, so how do you know if you are the one absorbing it well.

I think there is a relationship between supplements and weight loss. In the past, just with my multi-vitamin, I always did better with it than without, but each person has their own opinion ... and that's what makes a great discussion.

Azdak

People are entitled to their own opinions--just not their own facts.

To the best of my knowledge, the most recent, large-scale, controlled studies have shown no beneficial effect on the general public for multivitamin dietary supplementation. (This is different from using supplementation for those with documented nutritional deficiencies).

As is all too typical in the "supplement" business, the proprietors of "customized" products are patenting and selling products with no research support for their efficacy. There may be "research" on various subsets of the theory, but no random, controlled studies that show that "what we think will happen when you put all this together actually DOES happen". So far, in the supplement business, whenever one of those studies HAS been done, it has shown no benefits from supplementation.

Right now, the only proof that it is "cutting edge science" is the marketing materials put out by the company itself. And the only "proof' of its efficacy is the same cliched list of "personal testimonials" that have been used in EVERY supplement ad that has ever been created since the dawn of man.

If the website looks like a typical multilevel marketing scheme, it's because it is--and many of the people involved with this company now have done the same thing with other companies in the past--they move from one "hot product" to the next, pumping the hype machine until people wise up and move on.

Here is the most appropriate content -- from the web site itself:

The information herein has not been evaluated by the FDA.

Products described are not approved to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent disease.

GeneLink Healthy Aging Assessments™ are for educational purposes only.

Just to be clear, I am not implying that this is a dishonest company or a "scam" in the sense that they are knowingly trying to sell an ineffective product through intentionally misleading ads. I am sure that many of the people involved in this actually believe in it.

However, they are following the "MLM supplement sales" playbook to the letter and that should be a HUGE red flag to anyone.

CrystalT

People are entitled to their own opinions--just not their own facts.

To the best of my knowledge, the most recent, large-scale, controlled studies have shown no beneficial effect on the general public for multivitamin dietary supplementation. (This is different from using supplementation for those with documented nutritional deficiencies).

As is all too typical in the "supplement" business, the proprietors of "customized" products are patenting and selling products with no research support for their efficacy. There may be "research" on various subsets of the theory, but no random, controlled studies that show that "what we think will happen when you put all this together actually DOES happen". So far, in the supplement business, whenever one of those studies HAS been done, it has shown no benefits from supplementation.

Right now, the only proof that it is "cutting edge science" is the marketing materials put out by the company itself. And the only "proof' of its efficacy is the same cliched list of "personal testimonials" that have been used in EVERY supplement ad that has ever been created since the dawn of man.

If the website looks like a typical multilevel marketing scheme, it's because it is--and many of the people involved with this company now have done the same thing with other companies in the past--they move from one "hot product" to the next, pumping the hype machine until people wise up and move on.

Here is the most appropriate content -- from the web site itself:

The information herein has not been evaluated by the FDA.

Products described are not approved to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent disease.

GeneLink Healthy Aging Assessments™ are for educational purposes only.

Just to be clear, I am not implying that this is a dishonest company or a "scam" in the sense that they are knowingly trying to sell an ineffective product through intentionally misleading ads. I am sure that many of the people involved in this actually believe in it.

However, they are following the "MLM supplement sales" playbook to the letter and that should be a HUGE red flag to anyone.

I started taking a mutli-vitamin on a recommendation from a nurse with the Red Cross. I try all the time to donate blood, but my iron is too low and I can't. The nurse suggested it because it has all the iron I would need. But, it increasingly makes me sick to my stomach even if I eat something with it. I was hoping a whole food vitamin would be easier on my stomach. I guess in the long run, I should just talk to my doctor about it when I go next month and stop wasting my money on pills that make me sick. Thanks!!

Azdak

People are entitled to their own opinions--just not their own facts.

To the best of my knowledge, the most recent, large-scale, controlled studies have shown no beneficial effect on the general public for multivitamin dietary supplementation. (This is different from using supplementation for those with documented nutritional deficiencies).

As is all too typical in the "supplement" business, the proprietors of "customized" products are patenting and selling products with no research support for their efficacy. There may be "research" on various subsets of the theory, but no random, controlled studies that show that "what we think will happen when you put all this together actually DOES happen". So far, in the supplement business, whenever one of those studies HAS been done, it has shown no benefits from supplementation.

Right now, the only proof that it is "cutting edge science" is the marketing materials put out by the company itself. And the only "proof' of its efficacy is the same cliched list of "personal testimonials" that have been used in EVERY supplement ad that has ever been created since the dawn of man.

If the website looks like a typical multilevel marketing scheme, it's because it is--and many of the people involved with this company now have done the same thing with other companies in the past--they move from one "hot product" to the next, pumping the hype machine until people wise up and move on.

Here is the most appropriate content -- from the web site itself:

The information herein has not been evaluated by the FDA.

Products described are not approved to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent disease.

GeneLink Healthy Aging Assessments™ are for educational purposes only.

Just to be clear, I am not implying that this is a dishonest company or a "scam" in the sense that they are knowingly trying to sell an ineffective product through intentionally misleading ads. I am sure that many of the people involved in this actually believe in it.

However, they are following the "MLM supplement sales" playbook to the letter and that should be a HUGE red flag to anyone.

I started taking a mutli-vitamin on a recommendation from a nurse with the Red Cross. I try all the time to donate blood, but my iron is too low and I can't. The nurse suggested it because it has all the iron I would need. But, it increasingly makes me sick to my stomach even if I eat something with it. I was hoping a whole food vitamin would be easier on my stomach. I guess in the long run, I should just talk to my doctor about it when I go next month and stop wasting my money on pills that make me sick. Thanks!!

Again--BIG difference between a medically-prescribed supplement to address a deficiency and general supplementaion. Hopefully you can work w/your doctor or a dietitian to come up with an acceptable solution.

Many claims for the efficacy of supplements are derived from the fact that those who are DEFICIENT in the nutrient/mineral DO see improvement with supplementation. That result is extended to everyone--the "logical" idea being that "if enough of something is good, then more should be even BETTER". I attended a seminar about 10 yrs ago sponsored by the Amer College of Sports Medicine and one of the presenters did an extensive literature review of a number of sports supplements. Time after time, it was demonstrated that if someone who was deficient took a supplement that brought them back to recommended levels, performance improved; but someone who was already at recommended levels realized NO benefit from additional supplementation.

I had a similar problem as yours when I was in college (many, many years ago). At the time I was extremely thin and following a strict, almost vegan, vegetarian diet. I donated plasma every week and was always struggling to meet the minimum levels to be cleared to donate. It was significant because the $10 I received was my only spending money for the week. I am too embarrassed to reveal in public the various dietary schemes I tried every night before donation day to make sure I passed, but your story made me chuckle (at myself).

sunnysmile

Well I will agree to disagree with you Azdak.

I do think there is proof out there and facts behind customizing supplements to DNA, just as they are beginning to customize medicine to DNA. This is the future of genetics and nutrition combined. It may not be right for you, but that does not mean it is a fraud, or that the product is bad because the site is salesy. The company has been publically traded for a long time and only just began direct selling of customized DNA supplements maybe a year ago, so the website is salesy, doesn't mean the science behind it is bad or wrong. Check out Genewize, that is the company/science behind it.

I am just beginning on the customized supplement, so I will see how I feel in 30 days. I will say my DNA results I read were fascinating. Whether this company will be around in the next 15 years, only time will tell, but customizing to DNA is just beginning, and that is a wonderful thing in general.

Best wishes to everyone for a great day filled with success and satisfaction.

Demetria

Okay, I see both points. Like Azdak, I remember the study about multivitamins not showing any beneficial effects. Until I see the actual documented proof from something that is new, I think I will wait till I spend what little money I have. So my choice is to eat healthy, whole foods, exercise and take my one a day multivitamin every morning after I eat breakfast. I am not spending alot and it couldn't hurt.

For CrystalT, I would suggest looking these links and eating foods that are high in iron with other foods that are high in vitamin C to aid in iron absorbtion. One of the links even notes how most vitamins aren't absorbed any better if they are from natural sources or synthetic except vitamin E. So do your research, talk with your doctor and see what you come up with.

http://www.webmd.com/diet/time-for-vitamins

http://www.ehow.com/how_2248459_take-vitamins-improve-nutrition.html?ref=fuel&utm_source=yahoo&utm_medium=ssp&utm_campaign=yssp_art

http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/iron.asp

Demetria

lessertess

After reading an article about vitamins and their non-impact on a person's overall well being I've avoided them myself and have just gone back to eating the foods that will provide me the right balance of nutrients my body needs to be in balance each day.

By the way, congratulations on your kicking the smoking habit. I know how hard it is to do that and you should be happy about being where you are now. Congratulations.

I have to agree. The more I've read about this, the more I've determined that these supplements are a waste of money. If you eat a balanced diet you get all the nutrition necessary.

Azdak

Well I will agree to disagree with you Azdak.

I do think there is proof out there and facts behind customizing supplements to DNA, just as they are beginning to customize medicine to DNA. This is the future of genetics and nutrition combined. It may not be right for you, but that does not mean it is a fraud, or that the product is bad because the site is salesy. The company has been publically traded for a long time and only just began direct selling of customized DNA supplements maybe a year ago, so the website is salesy, doesn't mean the science behind it is bad or wrong. Check out Genewize, that is the company/science behind it.

I am just beginning on the customized supplement, so I will see how I feel in 30 days. I will say my DNA results I read were fascinating. Whether this company will be around in the next 15 years, only time will tell, but customizing to DNA is just beginning, and that is a wonderful thing in general.

Best wishes to everyone for a great day filled with success and satisfaction.

None of my comments are directed at you personally (other than referencing your quotes, since they are stating the company's talking points). You are free to follow whatever path that you feel is best for you.

I do feel I have a professional responsibility to the other members of the MFP community to give as balanced an analysis of new claims and products as I can when they are brought up in these forums and to present the consensus of the medical and scientific communities. I do my research before I make my comments and I spent enough time looking at the Genewize site and other sites that analyzed their products and their business practices that I am comfortable with what I wrote earlier.

One of the key points I try to make about supplement companies is not that they are all frauds or that this particular company is intentionally perpetrating a scam (they are not, on both counts). But there is a frequent pattern of using an assumption--"if A is true, and B is true, then A+B must equal C"--without ever testing whether or not, in real life, A+B actually DOES equal C. The history of the health/fitness/supplement industry has shown that, in almost all cases, it does not. But by the time that proof is determined, it is too late for millions of people who wasted their money. Often the people who developed the supplements sincerely believe in their theories, so, again, it is not always an issue of willful dishonesty.

The development of DNA research allows for the crafting of a compelling marketing narrative, perfect for the "new and unique" theme that is essential for supplement sales. I have been around the block a few times and so I have heard the exact same descriptions applied to new supplement products more times than I can count in the past 25 years.

It doesn't help their credibility that every aspect of their sales and marketing strategies mimics the worst, most dishonest, and most disreputable practices in this industry. A quick check on the internet reveals that sites discussing this company and their products are NOT health professionals discussing how they can improve health, but hundreds of sites talking about how this is the next "hot internet product" and discussing how you can cash in.

Again, to the average person who must decide whether it is worth spending $200 on a DNA test and $1200 a year (with auto-pay!) on "designer" supplements, these types of practices should raise red flags--heck, huge red banners, flashing lights, and sirens.The offer to decrease the price of your supplements (up to 100%!) if you recruit more customers--should raise red flags.

July24Lioness

I will have to agree to disagree regarding supplementation now days.

There are less vitamins and minerals (essential nutrients) in our food supply than ever before. The land is overworked and undernourished and is fertilized to keep the food supply growing.

I would say if you are eating organic veggies and fruits and organic sourced meats (pork, beef, chickens straight from someone's farm) and know that the fields where the fruits and veggies are grown is rotated around so the ground is renourished before being planted again, then it is a possibility that you are getting enough nutrients.

If you are purchasing meats, eggs, fruits and veggies from mainstream grocery stores, the qualtiy of the vitamins and minerals is going to be severely degraded, resulting in a person not getting all the nutrients they need in the body.

That is why supplementation is needed. That is the reason breads, cereals and the like are so heavily supplemented. Food manufacturers already know the food they are producing is not nutrient dense, so they add synthetic nutrients to fortify the foods.

Now days, that is simply YUCK to me.

CrystalT

For CrystalT, I would suggest looking these links and eating foods that are high in iron with other foods that are high in vitamin C to aid in iron absorbtion. One of the links even notes how most vitamins aren't absorbed any better if they are from natural sources or synthetic except vitamin E. So do your research, talk with your doctor and see what you come up with.

http://www.webmd.com/diet/time-for-vitamins

http://www.ehow.com/how_2248459_take-vitamins-improve-nutrition.html?ref=fuel&utm_source=yahoo&utm_medium=ssp&utm_campaign=yssp_art

http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/iron.asp

Demetria

Thanks a bunch!!!