The best multivitamin complex: name, description, composition, reviews. Multivitamins - how they are good for health
Do you spend money on multivitamins, but they do not work as they should? Here are four reasons why vitamin supplements miss the mark.
A multivitamin is essential for any person involved in sports, having enough minerals and vitamins is essential for all functions in the body, from energy production to muscle growth.
Unfortunately, many vitamin complexes in stores are not worth the money because they do not work as well as they should. Here are four reasons why your vitamin pills may not be effective - read and pay attention to them the next time you buy supplements.
Reason 1: Component Incompatibility
Many vitamins and minerals interfere with the absorption of each other, or their relative concentration in the blood affects the absorption of other micronutrients consumed.
Calcium, believe it or not, is one mineral that would not be better in your multivitamin complex. Yes, it is very important for the body, but it can interfere with the absorption of zinc, iron and manganese.
is another problem. You won't want to have it in your multivitamins if you find out that it interferes with the absorption of amino acids and iron. And since you usually take supplements right after a meal that contains protein and therefore amino acids, the zinc from the supplement will immediately interfere with the absorption of these amino acids.
And the third undesirable ingredient is magnesium, a mineral that prevents the absorption of calcium. Both of them should not be in multivitamins.
Reason 2: lack of ingredients
Most multivitamins are critically deficient in certain vitamins and minerals in their formula. First, it is vitamin K, which is essential for maintaining a number of body functions, such as the regulation of blood clotting, bone repair and building, changes in insulin sensitivity and glucose levels. Secondly, iodine, which supports the proper functioning of the thyroid gland. And thirdly, copper, which plays an important role in many processes, namely the production of red blood cells and fat metabolism.
B vitamins are of great importance for any athlete, as they support the healthy state of the cells of the nervous and cardiovascular system. However, they are often not found in multivitamins, or they are contained there in insignificant doses.
Reason 3: The wrong form of vitamins
Your body prefers to take a number of elements in a certain form. For example, many complexes do not even contain chromium, and if they do, it is in the form of chromium chloride - this is a hard-to-digest form. In this regard, chromium picolinate is much better - choose supplements with it.
The next ingredient is vitamin A. It is desirable that your complex contains trans-beta carotene, which is a form of provitamin A and excludes the possibility of intoxication. Trans-beta carotene will provide you with all the vitamin A you need. Other forms, also called pre-forms of the vitamin (retinyl acetate or retinyl palmitate), can become toxic if consumed in excess.
A third vitamin that is often found in an inappropriate form (if included at all) is vitamin K. There is still scientific debate around it, and it is still not clear which form is more effective - K1 (phylloquinone) or K2 (menaquinone). Therefore, choose a multivitamin with both forms and a K1 to K2 ratio of approximately 1:8.
Reason 4: poor digestibility
Many micronutrients in the form of dietary supplements are quite poorly absorbed by the body, so the best option is to consume a variety of healthy foods that are a natural source of nutrients. The good news about multivitamins is that you can increase the absorption of ingredients by using some bioavailability techniques.
For example, take vitamin complexes that include components of hot spices and spices, such as piperine, capsaicin or gingerol from ginger. Piperine is a black pepper extract that has been shown in several studies to increase the cellular absorption of certain vitamins and minerals (particularly the B vitamins, beta-carotene and selenium).
Another way to increase digestibility is to use multivitamins that dissolve in water and complexes with an active transport system. You also need to consider that some vitamins are best taken on an empty stomach, while others are only taken with fatty foods (fat-soluble vitamins A, E, D, K). Therefore, it makes sense to purchase vitamins individually or look for their effective combinations.
Translation: Evgeny Budarin
Any modern multivitamin complex is created for a certain group of people, taking into account the characteristics of their age, gender, occupation and other factors. For children or for pregnant women, for the elderly, as well as men and women of various age categories (up to 30 years old, after 30, 40, 50 years old) - this is an incomplete list of the most diverse types of biologically active drugs produced by the pharmaceutical industry.
Finding the best multivitamin to suit absolutely everyone, regardless of age, health status, activity, etc., is not easy. Even in the same category of people involved in sports and leading a healthy lifestyle, each person names a healthy drug only in accordance with individual preferences.
General strengthening multivitamin preparations: composition
Seasonal hypovitaminosis has ceased to be a problem for some time now, since today it can be eliminated with the help of universal multivitamin preparations, which are designed to maintain the body's defenses and prevent most diseases.
In addition to the winter-spring period, the need for useful micronutrients can occur with increased physical activity, heavy manual labor, sitting on rigid mono-diets, with deteriorating climatic or environmental conditions, with prolonged emotional stress. The general strengthening multivitamin complex contains in its composition all the main vitamins or most of them. Organic compounds of group B (B1, B2, B5, B6, B9, B12), A and C, E, D, H and PP form the main core of drugs. F and K serve as a specific additive depending on the problem of deficiency of vital elements being solved. The composition of multivitamin preparations also contains rich mixtures of various minerals: calcium and magnesium, iron and phosphorus and zinc, chromium, selenium and many others that our body needs every day.
The most effective vitamin supplements that won in the ratio "price-quality"
For general support of the body and a successful fight against minor disorders in the gastrointestinal tract, nervous system (with irritability or insomnia), with disorders of the hair, skin and nails, it is advisable to use the best multivitamin complexes offered by pharmaceutical manufacturers: Centrum, Gerimaks, Alfavit Classic" and "Multi-Tabs".
These drugs do not solve serious problems, but help strengthen the body so that it can resist ailments. In the case of specific diseases, you need to consult a doctor, and he will prescribe the appropriate complex of vitamins and minerals, which will be optimal in your case.
"Centrum": description, composition
Biologically active dietary supplement "Centrum" consists of multivitamins in combination with microelements. The drug is intended for seasonal prevention of hypovitaminosis, is indicated for malnutrition and unbalanced nutrition, during rehabilitation after long-term antibiotic treatment, and is also suitable for preventing vitamin and mineral deficiencies in adults.
What else is good about Centrum? The multivitamin complex regulates the exchange of calcium, phosphorus, participates in the process of building bone tissue, in the metabolism of fats, proteins and carbohydrates. The preparation contains micronutrients: A, E, group B (B1, B2, B6, B12, niacinamide (B3), biotin (B7)). Of the minerals Centrum is able to supply to our body: calcium, iron, phosphorus, zinc, magnesium, copper, iodine, manganese, potassium, molybdenum, selenium, nickel, tin, silicon and vanadium. Of the contraindications, manufacturers note only hypersensitivity to the individual components of this drug.
"Centrum": reviews, opinions and comments
This popular multivitamin complex receives generally positive reviews. After regular use (1 tablet per day), after about a month, patients note that their internal organs are getting better, they feel a surge of strength, many recommend Centrum to fans of sports training, but without serious stress. Experienced consumers of vitamin-mineral complexes have noticed the similarity of this drug with the well-known dietary supplement "Vitrum", but there are differences. For those who want to strengthen the body, athletes, nutritionists and everyone who monitors their health advise Centrum as the most balanced and effective complex.
"Herbalife": the pros and the only minus
Herbalife multivitamin complex helps to enrich the body with a balanced set of nutrients. It contains 12 vitamins (out of 13 known to science) and 11 minerals. In the nutritional supplement of useful micronutrients are: A, C, E and D, beta-carotene, riboflavin, thiamine, niacin, biotin, pyridoxine (B6) and cyanocobalamin (B12), pantothenic acid (B5), para-aminobenzoic acid, which not only strengthen the body, but also enhance their influence through interaction with each other.
The mineral composition of Herbalife includes: iron, phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, iodine and copper, manganese, chromium, selenium, potassium and zinc. In addition, the dietary supplement "Multivitamin Complex" from the company "Herbalife" is enriched with eleven herbal ingredients: echinacea, ginger, fennel seeds, black walnut, hawthorn, Asian Mung beans, several exotic plants with anti-inflammatory effects. This complex is intended for adults and children over 14 years old. The Herbalife multivitamin preparation has earned positive comments from buyers, but people also note its significant drawback - excessive high cost.
What vitamins are optimal for the male body?
Due to differences in the male and female constitution of the body, the representatives of the stronger sex require an increase in the proportions of certain microelements in order to maintain developed muscles, improve athletic performance, and normalize hormone production. Most men today believe that the best multivitamin complex for them is Opti-Men, produced by an American pharmaceutical company.
Multivitamins - a panacea for all diseases or another relatively legal way to pump out money? Based on the latest scientific data, we will find out what it is - vitamins, harm or benefit are contained in these substances. This article will change your attitude towards them and nutrition in general.
Do you have crooked teeth, all your hair fell out, and your body is covered with lichen? Dropped by husband? Did the boss drink all the blood? Can't get rid of excess weight? Can't master doubles? Suffering from hemorrhoids?
It doesn’t matter what problems you have encountered along your difficult life path, it doesn’t matter if you are a man or a woman, how old you are and what you do, the answer is one: take
multivitamins. And the more you use them, the more difficulties will be left behind.
Before the ingenious strategy of pharmaceutical marketing sharks, it remains only to take off your hat: for decades, only a few can sell an absolutely useless product for fabulous money, because the financial turnover of pharmaceutical companies is in the billions.
But consumers are also good: this situation has become possible only because people hear only what they want to hear and wish, at the same time, to get a magic pill. Of course, why eat a balanced diet and follow a regimen if you can wake up in the morning, take a pill or two and without any extra effort get all the vitamins and minerals necessary for a fulfilling life?! Why choke on all sorts of broccoli and eat fiber, if the pharmacy has a miraculous pill ?!
Yes, but does it exist? What is the effect of using a variety of multivitamin complexes? Let's figure it out together. And to understand fundamentally, having read the research of scientists, and not analyzing the advice of Baba Gali from the next entrance. Although she has seen life, she is not a competent specialist in this field. Links to primary sources are at the end of the article.
EFFECT OF VITAMINS: SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH
The first group of scientists led by Fortmann (Fortmann) studied the effect of vitamin supplements on disease prevention, involving 400,000 participants. There were 3 studies of multivitamin supplements and 24 studies of monovitamins, after which the scientists concluded: there is no direct evidence of a positive effect of supplements on the prevention of cardiovascular disease, cancer and a number of other diseases.
Grodstein and his team evaluated the effectiveness of a daily multivitamin in preventing cognitive decline. Over the course of 12 years, about 6,000 men aged 65 and older were monitored. As a result, there were no differences in overall cognitive performance between subjects who took multivitamins and those who took placebo. The results showed that the use of multivitamin complexes does not prevent cognitive decline.
This finding is consistent with other studies on the effects of nutritional supplements, including multivitamins, B vitamins, vitamins E and C, and omega-3 fatty acids, in people with mild cognitive impairment. None of the supplements improved cognitive performance.
A third group of scientists led by Lamas (Lamas) evaluated the potential benefits of using high doses of multivitamins (in particular, including 28-component ones). About 1700 men and women with myocardial infarction acted as subjects. After a follow-up period of 4.6 years, the researchers also found no significant difference in recurrent cardiovascular disease between patients taking multivitamins and placebo.
Other trials that have evaluated the role of vitamin and mineral supplements in primary or secondary prevention of chronic disease have consistently yielded null results or evidence of potential harm.
A series of studies involving tens of thousands of people have shown that β-carotene, vitamin E, and possibly high doses of vitamin A even increase mortality.
Antioxidants, folic acid, and B vitamins are harmful or ineffective in the prevention of chronic diseases, and further research into their prevention is not warranted. It is advisable to conduct research on vitamins of group D, since previous studies in this area are contradictory.
Thus, the above data indicates that there are no significant health benefits of multivitamins. These data, combined with biological considerations, suggest that any effect, benefit, or harm is likely small.
WHY DO MULTIVITAMINS DO NOT WORK?
Do manufacturers really make vitamins from chalk or any neutral substance, paint pills in different colors, pack them in beautiful boxes and soar them to naive consumers?! Everything is not so simple and in most cases, chemical analysis will show the presence of vitamin C in ascorbic acid.
But There are a number of reasons that reduce the positive effect of multivitamins to almost zero:
- obtaining the necessary complex of vitamins and minerals from food;
- lack of an individual approach;
- deficiencies in the manufacturing process;
- a large number of possible interactions.
Obtaining the necessary complex of vitamins and minerals from food.
Yes, many people eat ugly and are stressed. They eat fast food, fried foods, fatty foods, chocolate and sugar, and their eating patterns are far from ideal. They believe that vitamins are consumed only by sick and elderly grandmothers, and they themselves do not take them, but we have not heard anything about scurvy epidemics raging in our cities.
Perhaps this idea will seem paradoxical, but a modern person receives the necessary minimum complex of vitamins, minerals and trace elements from food (provided that he does not eat pasta and bread alone). To do this, you do not need to calculate each nutrient to the gram, as maniac bodybuilders do, and in order to get the necessary minimum of nutrients, a person just needs to eat normally.
Understand us correctly, we do not urge you to quit a healthy lifestyle, but on the contrary - we encourage it in every possible way, we simply believe that in the modern world it is necessary to try to get a significant beriberi.
Lack of an individual approach.
Some people are fat, others are thin. Some live in the Arctic, the second - in the Sahara. Some people play sports and some don't. Different people need different amounts of nutrients, trace elements and vitamins, and pharmacists sell just a pretty box with a loud and capacious name. Therefore, when choosing and taking vitamins, it is unacceptable to treat everyone with the same brush.
manufacturing process flaws.
The manufacturing technology of preparations with vitamin C involves mixing the vitamin with sulfuric acid, which contains a lot of fructose and corn syrup. B vitamins are mixed from coal tar derivatives. Of course, there are "natural" ways to produce vitamins, but they are probably the exception.
So the benefits of such vitamins are often offset by the harm of "accompanying" elements.
Lots of possible interactions.
Vitamins A, D, E, and K are fat soluble and, as such, are best taken with food. Iron should not be ingested with coffee or tea because tannins interfere with absorption. Similarly, iron interferes with the absorption of zinc and copper.
With phytates a separate song, they are found in cereals, nuts, legumes and at the same time bind some minerals and reduce protein digestibility. This means that morning oatmeal, along with its phytates, neutralizes the action of minerals and vitamins. if you're one of the millions who take a multivitamin along with morning oatmeal (and phytates, it's useless.
There are too many possible interactions and pitfalls to keep track of which is almost impossible. At best you won't get hurt, at worst.....
So, the misconceptions associated with vitamins can be devastating for a person. An ephemeral moral indulgence can bring very real physical harm: a person thinks that by taking a pill, he receives a full set of necessary nutrients and even more scores on proper nutrition. And yes, vitamins can also be beneficial if you approach their choice consciously and use them individually and pointwise.
Peace to you! And fight the sharks who are pumping money out of you! Please send them to our website.
Since the end of the last century, a real mania has begun among men, women, children and the elderly about taking vitamins. Especially high sales records were beaten by multivitamins and minerals for men, when manufacturing companies claimed that in one tablet you can find all the vitamins and minerals a man needs.
$20 billion worth of multivitamins for men are sold annually in the US alone. And if you add various nutritional supplements and herbal preparations here, then you can safely double this amount. This is a lot of money, and there is a fierce struggle for them, in which they no longer look at the real benefits or dangers of the product consumed by people.
How important are multivitamins and minerals for men?
Back in the 80-90s of the last century, numerous studies were carried out on the effect of vitamins and some minerals on men's health, their benefits and harms. And studies have found a direct positive relationship between the consumption of multivitamins and health, but if you look at the results carefully, it becomes clear that those people who took these drugs not only drank vitamins, but also led a healthy lifestyle, not only went in for sports, did not smoked, but also tried to maintain a balanced diet. Vitamins on their own won't balance what you're consuming, and you won't get healthier by eating chips and then taking a multi-vitamin pill from a touted male complex. Multivitamins are not an easy way to health, but self-deception, since health can only be given by the right lifestyle, not chemistry.
In order to understand this, it is enough just to turn on the logic and think about how any living organism should work. He, of course, needs various vitamins and microelements, but if living beings, including our ancestors, constantly encountered their deficiency and had to develop mechanisms to combat this deficiency in the process of evolution, then it is impossible to deal with an overabundance of vitamins, so as in nature, you simply cannot eat so many carrots to get an overdose of beta-carotene.
And the point is not even in the amount of vitamin or microelements taken, but in the differences in the effects on the body of vitamins from food and vitamins from a vial. On the example of the same carrot and its beta-carotene, studies were conducted that showed that the level of the vitamin in the blood of someone who eats a certain portion of carrots, and someone who takes an artificial vitamin, and exactly as much as is contained in the eaten carrots, varies. The fact is that the body takes vitamins from food gradually and evenly, while the vitamin from the tablet is absorbed into the blood very quickly and thus overloads the body, at some point there is an overdose of the drug taken, which begins to destroy the liver.
No serious studies have proven the benefits of multivitamins for the male body if he leads a healthy lifestyle and consumes healthy foods. That is, the benefits of such drugs in this case are not obvious, while harm is quite possible. After all, an overdose of certain vitamins can lead to a host of adverse effects. An excess of vitamin A destroys cell walls and causes numerous damage to the body, while this vitamin is excreted from the body very slowly. An overdose of vitamin C can provoke cancer and disrupt the digestive system. And an excess of vitamins such as B6 and B12 has an extremely negative effect on the functioning of the nervous system, it has been noticed that they can significantly reduce intelligence in men over 55 years old. And there are a lot of such facts accumulated by researchers.
When is it necessary to take vitamins?
Vitamins, like medicines, are necessary only for certain categories of people. For example, patients suffering from cancer need certain vitamin preparations. People who are on a strict diet, when the total food intake is less than 1000 calories per day, also need some support with vitamin complexes.
With age, the body's ability to synthesize vitamin D decreases significantly, men over 55 already need a small supplement of this active substance. The same applies to some B vitamins, the body of people of retirement age can no longer effectively absorb them from food, so you can add drugs from this group to the menu as compensation.
Another category of people who need vitamin support are vegetarians. Without eating meat, they cannot get the level of B vitamins they need, as well as iron, which is necessary for the production of blood and for the normal functioning of the body.
So an ordinary person with a normal diet and lifestyle does not need to take vitamin complexes. But if you decide that you are deficient in any vitamins, then consult your doctors and conduct simple tests that will help determine whether you have a vitamin deficiency in the body or not.
The benefits and harms of multivitamins
In the study of the benefits and harms of multivitamins on the human body, large doses of vitamins were used, and we are talking about individual vitamins, and not about their complex. That is, the effect of multivitamin complexes on human health is still poorly understood. Most likely, taking one pill a day will not bring any harm, but there is no need to wait for any benefit, the only winners are the manufacturers of this “panacea” in the vial.
In those cases when there is a positive effect from taking vitamin complexes, it is associated with self-hypnosis. The placebo effect turned out to be so contagious that even among the scientists who conducted the study of vitamin preparations, there were those who, knowing about the futility of taking these supplements, believed that they were worth taking if only for the sake of such an effect.
When a person takes vitamins, he experiences a feeling of control over his life, he becomes physically better from the realization that he can improve his well-being with one pill, and the factor of hope for a positive effect should not be discounted either.
Health is not in pills
In pharmacies, you can freely buy various multivitamin complexes, dietary supplements, various preparations based on herbal ingredients. Many of them, having strong pharmacological effects, have not been studied in terms of their effects on the human body. Suppliers directly write that they are not responsible for the consequences of taking their drugs, they do not have documentary evidence, not only of the positive effect of their supplements, but even of their safety in relation to human health.
In addition, various scandals often pop up when tablets, in addition to these substances, contain directly dangerous elements, for example, heavy metals. But until now, the additive market does not have a sufficient regulatory framework from the state, it develops spontaneously, and every year the turnover in this area is only growing.
Of course, I really want to easily get good health by swallowing one tablet a day, not paying attention to what you eat and what condition your body is in. But, unfortunately, this happens only in fairy tales. Health cannot be improved with a wave of the hand or a magic pill.
Our body is the result of many millions of years of evolution, and it is adapted to receive all the necessary substances from food. It needs movement, does not tolerate factors such as alcohol and tobacco smoke. The basis of your health is following the natural path given to our body by nature. Your food should be healthy and natural, and your body should be in good shape through gymnastics and sports. Here are two important components of your health, there is no and, most likely, never will be sold health in pills.
Medicines and other preparations can only correct various harms received by a person, but to be healthy means to be attentive to what you eat and work on yourself.
Take care of your health, eat well and exercise. Only these three whales are a solid foundation for your health, and not bubbles with suspicious chemicals.
Good luck and health!
Vitamin supplements can supplement your diet with essential nutrients. But how to choose the right complex among such a variety?
Basic multivitamins
What is it: One miracle tablet with 100% of the recommended daily allowance of various vitamins.
pros: They provide a lot of what you need in a day, including vitamins A, C, D and E, B vitamins and folic acid. Bonus: Remember to only take one pill.
Things to remember: Some basic multivitamins contain minerals such as iron, calcium and magnesium. But their level, most likely, will not reach the required level. For example, the RDA for calcium is 1000-1200 mg, which would make such a tablet too large. Therefore, in such cases, it makes sense to take additional supplements. (Important: check with your doctor before introducing any vitamins or supplements into your diet)
Food Based Multivitamins
What is it: Here vitamins are combined with whole foods, ground into powder. These can be vegetables, fruits, or other foods mixed with vitamins and encapsulated.
pros A: You are less likely to have an upset stomach. Since the vitamins are paired with real food, your absorption is improved, and you are not threatened with painful sensations in the stomach. Such multivitamins can also be freely taken on an empty stomach.
Things to remember: Despite the names, these vitamins are no more natural than others: they are based on all the same synthetically produced ingredients as in other multivitamin complexes.
Chewable multivitamins for adults
What is it: Single tablets that do not need to be swallowed, but can be chewed.
pros: For some people, swallowing large multivitamin capsules or tablets is an impossible task. And the chewable version is what you need.
Things to remember: These are not the same chewable vitamins as for children: they differ in the amount of nutrients. It’s just a pity that chewable multivitamins still taste better in children.
Multivitamins for women
What is it: Superior multivitamin containing more nutrients to meet the needs of the female body.
pros: They provide the full daily requirement of vitamins and minerals such as folic acid, calcium and iron. But since iron can irritate the stomach lining, it should only be taken with food.
Things to remember: These multivitamins vary by age: for women over 50, such complexes provide more vitamins C and E, as well as less iron.
Special multivitamins
What is it: These complexes are created for specific groups of people, for example, pregnant women or people with heart disease and other problems.
pros: Certain people, depending on their state of health, need more or less vitamins. For pregnant women, it is recommended to take more folic acid to avoid developmental defects in the fetus.
Things to remember: Some special multivitamins (for example, aimed at improving joint health) have not yet received scientific approval. And although taking them is unlikely to harm your health, still consult your doctor before starting a course.
Multivitamin Powder
What is it: Vitamin powder blends that can be diluted in drinks.
pros: Often, one heaping tablespoon of this mixture contains as many vitamins as several tablets. But with a tablet, you consume both its coating and binding agents.
Things to remember: Some multivitamin powders leave an unpleasant aftertaste. Therefore, it is worth mixing them with juices, and not with water, or with yogurt and fruits.
