{"id":3588,"date":"2012-05-22T14:07:47","date_gmt":"2012-05-22T21:07:47","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/?p=3588"},"modified":"2013-01-25T14:52:17","modified_gmt":"2013-01-25T22:52:17","slug":"garbage-in-garbage-out-how-to-spot-a-junk-vitamin","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/garbage-in-garbage-out-how-to-spot-a-junk-vitamin\/","title":{"rendered":"Garbage In, Garbage Out: How To Spot a Junk Vitamin"},"content":{"rendered":"<div style=\"margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;\" class=\"sharethis-inline-share-buttons\" ><\/div><p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-2751\" title=\"Pure Vegan\" alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/12\/PureVegan600x180.jpg\" width=\"600\" height=\"180\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/12\/PureVegan600x180.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/12\/PureVegan600x180-300x90.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>When you go to a store or online to shop for a multivitamin how do you go about making your choice? Do you feel 100% confident in your purchasing process? Do you rely on better informed friends and family, buy on a whim if the advertising looks reputable enough or do you simply guess your way through it? According to a study done by the Office of Dietary Supplements, in 2009 Americans spent $11.3 billion dollars on some kind of vitamin\/mineral supplement and yet there are no standard or regulatory definitions available for multivitamins that tells us what nutrients it should have and at what levels. That means the company gets to decide what goes into it for better or perhaps worse.\u00a0 Here you\u2019ll find some guidelines to help you decipher the ingredient list on a multivitamin\/mineral (MVM) label, how to tell if it\u2019s a good quality <em>vegan<\/em> product and ways to discover if you\u2019re deficient.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-3590\" title=\"Vitamin Shelf\" alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/VitaminShelf.jpg\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/VitaminShelf.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/VitaminShelf-300x225.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>Bioavailability, Chelation and Pre-methylated: \u00a0<\/strong><em>Will the ingredients in the MVM actually be absorbed and used by your body?<\/em> In order for a supplement to get from your digestive track, into your bloodstream and ultimately to the location where your body can use them it must go through an extensive and complex set of steps.\u00a0 Depending on the quality of the product you\u2019re taking, your body will either have an easy time of it or a difficult (if not impossible) one. Now please stick with me here so we can go over some rather technical but important terms! <em>\u00a0<\/em>\u00a0<strong>Bioavailability<\/strong><em> is the degree to which a nutrient is available to the body for use (this is true regarding everything you ingest by the way).<\/em>\u00a0 For starters it has to be able to <strong>dissolve fast<\/strong> and <strong>disintegrate fast<\/strong> (referring to how quickly a capsule or tablet can break down into smaller pieces).\u00a0 <strong><em>Chelation<\/em><\/strong> is also very important when it comes to making sure that the minerals in your supplement are bioavailable, which is not easy always easy.\u00a0 <strong>Chelation<\/strong><em> involves wrapping the mineral in a an amino acid so that the body can more easily absorb it <\/em>and can improve the absorption rate of some minerals from 10 % absorption for a non-chelated mineral to 45% and more for a chelated one.\u00a0 And lastly is whether or not a nutrient is \u201c<strong><em>pre-methylated<\/em><\/strong>\u201d, <em>meaning that the nutrient is already in a form the body recognizes<\/em>.\u00a0 Non-methylated is the chemical or synthetic form of the nutrient in question and requires your body to convert it to a usable form.<\/p>\n<p><strong>A Vitamin Is Sold In Many Forms and Price Points: Does that matter?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-3591\" title=\"Vitamin table\" alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/Vittable.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"396\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/Vittable.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/Vittable-227x300.jpg 227w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/>Yes.\u00a0 For Vitamins to be effective, it is essential that it come in a form that is recognized and utilized by the body.\u00a0 Many MVM\u2019s are formed using synthetic and inferior ingredients, which the body does not recognize.\u00a0 Also, if an MVM is very cheap, then let that be your first red flag.\u00a0 Companies that sell low-cost vitamins can do this because they\u2019re using non-methylated nutrients as well as fillers, binding agents, additives, preservatives and sweeteners that have absolutely no value to your body whatsoever. In fact, there\u2019s a good chance your body won\u2019t even use much of it.<\/p>\n<p><strong>You Might Not Have Scurvy, But Are You Subclinically Deficient?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Vitamin and mineral deficiencies don\u2019t always show up as major health problems, mainly because Americans don\u2019t tend to be deficient in a single nutrient.\u00a0 As a nation we have progressed enough to know how to prevent most major deficiencies and the health crisis that inevitably follows it.\u00a0 However, according to Dr. Jenny Tylee what is more likely these days is for an individual to have marginal or subclinical deficiencies which cause comparatively minor but not altogether insignificant symptoms such as headaches, difficulty sleeping or skin problems.\u00a0 And of course, if left untreated can become more serious.\u00a0 One of her more recent articles listed some good questions which might help reveal a marginal deficiency and the corresponding nutrients that could be helpful in correcting it.<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Are you tired all the time?<\/li>\n<li>Is your ability to keep going noticeably decreasing? (<em>Zinc, Iron, Vitamins A,B,C,D<\/em>)<\/li>\n<li>Are you having a hard time keeping your weight stable?<\/li>\n<li>Do you often experience physical pain-arthritis, muscle aches, migraines? (<em>Vitamins B1, D, Biotin, Sodium, Magnesium, Calcium)<\/em><\/li>\n<li>Do you often get colds? (<em>Vitamins A, B-complex, C, Biotin, Calcium, Potassium, Zinc)<\/em><\/li>\n<li>Is your eyesight deteriorating? (<em>Vitamins A, C<\/em>)<\/li>\n<li>Is your mental clarity or concentration decreasing?<\/li>\n<li>Is your memory on the decline?<\/li>\n<li>Are you experiencing more sleeping problems?<\/li>\n<li>Are you often depressed? Are you often anxious, nervous, irritable? (<em>Vitamins B6, B12, B3, B5, C, Magnesium<\/em>)<\/li>\n<li>Do you have difficulty with your bowels either constipation or diarrhea? (<em>Vitamins B-complex, C\u2026Vitamins A, B3,B12, K<\/em>)<\/li>\n<li>Is your skin dry and scaly? Do you have problems with pimples and blackheads? (<em>Vitamins A, B-complex, Biotin, Copper)<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><em>\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>How Can You Be Assured That It\u2019s Vegan?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>In general MVM\u2019s are the most difficult to ensure that no animal product is used because there are approximately 30 components where sources of processing could involve the use of animal products.\u00a0 For instance, Vitamin D3 (Cholecalciferol) is the most common form of Vitamin D in supplement form and yet is comes from either fish liver oil or sheep\u2019s wool.\u00a0 Animal products are oftentimes used in the coating of Beta-carotene and\/or Vitamin A to stabilize the product.\u00a0 I\u2019m pleased to report that Happy Cow already has an excellent resource to help you decipher hidden animal sources tucked deeply in ingredients lists and even have a downloadable pocket guide.\u00a0 You\u2019ll find the link below with a quick recap:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>If it\u2019s really cheap, don\u2019t buy it.<\/li>\n<li>Choose powder or capsule forms.<\/li>\n<li>When looking at the Supplement Facts label look for methylated, coenzyme and chelated forms(ie. Zinc as Zinc Amino Acid Chelate OR B12 as methylcobalamin NOT cyanobalamin)<\/li>\n<li>Don\u2019t rely on an MVM to get all the nutrients you need on a daily basis.\u00a0 MVM\u2019s should supplement and support a healthy, nutrient-rich diet.<\/li>\n<li>For a list of hidden animal-based ingredients go to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/health-animal-ingredients.html\" >https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/health-animal-ingredients.html<\/a><\/li>\n<li>If you think you might be marginally deficient then assess your diet, start taking a good quality MVM and\/or see a reputable health practitioner.\u00a0 Remember, the goal is optimal health, not just disease prevention.\u00a0 Make sure that your nutrition choices are supporting your body\u2019s ability to reach and stay operating at its fullest potential!<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>by Melissa Sanborn of Nutritional Brands, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nb-purevegan.com\"  target=\"_blank\" rel=\"external nofollow\">PureVegan<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Resource List<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><em>Multivitamin\/mineral supplements: A Professional Facts Sheet. <\/em>Office of Dietary Supplements at the National Institute of Health. <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/ods.od.nih.gov\/factsheets\/MVMS-HealthProfessional\/\"  rel=\"external nofollow\">http:\/\/ods.od.nih.gov\/factsheets\/MVMS-HealthProfessional\/<\/a><\/li>\n<li><em>How To Choose A Good Quality Vitamin Supplement For You And Your Family Without Getting Ripped Off.<\/em>\u00a0 <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/www.ajpip.com\/vitamin_supplements\/res\/art.htm\"  rel=\"external nofollow\">http:\/\/www.ajpip.com\/vitamin_supplements\/res\/art.htm<\/a><\/li>\n<li><em>How You Can Tell If You Have a Vitamin Deficiency by Dr.<\/em> Jenny Tylee.\u00a0 Ezine Articles.\u00a0 <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/ezinearticles.com\/?How-You-Can-Tell-If-You-Have-a-Vitamin-Deficiency&amp;id=814\"  rel=\"external nofollow\">http:\/\/ezinearticles.com\/?How-You-Can-Tell-If-You-Have-a-Vitamin-Deficiency&amp;id=814<\/a><\/li>\n<li><em>How Do You Tell If Your Vitamins Are Good Quality by Dr.<\/em> Stacey Robinson.\u00a0 <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/robinsonfamilymedicine.com\/blog\/?p=421\"  rel=\"external nofollow\">http:\/\/robinsonfamilymedicine.com\/blog\/?p=421<\/a><\/li>\n<li><em>Beyond junk vitamins:<\/em> Secrets the public isn\u2019t supposed to know about the vitamin industry-An interview with Greg Kunin.\u00a0 <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/www.naturalnews.com\/rr-bioidenticalvitamins.html\"  rel=\"external nofollow\">http:\/\/www.naturalnews.com\/rr-bioidenticalvitamins.html<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>When you go to a store or online to shop for a multivitamin how do you go about making your choice? Do you feel 100% confident in your purchasing process? Do you rely on better informed friends and family, buy on a whim if the advertising looks reputable enough or do you simply guess your way through it? According to a study done by the Office of Dietary Supplements, in 2009 Americans spent $11.3 billion dollars on some kind of vitamin\/mineral supplement and yet there are no standard or regulatory definitions available for multivitamins that tells us what nutrients it should have and at what levels. That means the company gets to decide what goes into it for better or perhaps worse.\u00a0 Here you\u2019ll find some guidelines to help you decipher the ingredient list on a multivitamin\/mineral (MVM) label, how to tell if it\u2019s a good quality vegan product and ways to discover if you\u2019re deficient. Bioavailability, Chelation and Pre-methylated: \u00a0Will the ingredients in the MVM actually be absorbed and used by your body? In order for a supplement to get from your digestive track, into your bloodstream and ultimately to the location where your body can use them it [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":45892,"featured_media":3589,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[14,23,3],"tags":[700,701,699,556],"class_list":["post-3588","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-health","category-nutrition","category-vegan","tag-bioavailability","tag-chelation","tag-supplements","tag-vitamins"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v25.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Garbage In, Garbage Out: How To Spot a Junk Vitamin - HappyCow<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.happycow.net\/blog\/garbage-in-garbage-out-how-to-spot-a-junk-vitamin\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Garbage In, Garbage Out: How To Spot a Junk Vitamin - HappyCow\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"When you go to a store or online to shop for a multivitamin how do you go about making your choice? Do you feel 100% confident in your purchasing process? Do you rely on better informed friends and family, buy on a whim if the advertising looks reputable enough or do you simply guess your way through it? According to a study done by the Office of Dietary Supplements, in 2009 Americans spent $11.3 billion dollars on some kind of vitamin\/mineral supplement and yet there are no standard or regulatory definitions available for multivitamins that tells us what nutrients it should have and at what levels. That means the company gets to decide what goes into it for better or perhaps worse.\u00a0 Here you\u2019ll find some guidelines to help you decipher the ingredient list on a multivitamin\/mineral (MVM) label, how to tell if it\u2019s a good quality vegan product and ways to discover if you\u2019re deficient. Bioavailability, Chelation and Pre-methylated: \u00a0Will the ingredients in the MVM actually be absorbed and used by your body? 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Do you feel 100% confident in your purchasing process? Do you rely on better informed friends and family, buy on a whim if the advertising looks reputable enough or do you simply guess your way through it? According to a study done by the Office of Dietary Supplements, in 2009 Americans spent $11.3 billion dollars on some kind of vitamin\/mineral supplement and yet there are no standard or regulatory definitions available for multivitamins that tells us what nutrients it should have and at what levels. That means the company gets to decide what goes into it for better or perhaps worse.\u00a0 Here you\u2019ll find some guidelines to help you decipher the ingredient list on a multivitamin\/mineral (MVM) label, how to tell if it\u2019s a good quality vegan product and ways to discover if you\u2019re deficient. Bioavailability, Chelation and Pre-methylated: \u00a0Will the ingredients in the MVM actually be absorbed and used by your body? 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