Looking for Good Multi-vitamin for Myself

I did about 18 months worth of reading and research on vitamins and vitamin & supplement companies. One thing you need to realize is that sometimes, these are not necessarily overkill, but rather HIGHEST LEVELS WITHOUT BEING TOXIC. THIS is what you want! Our bodies are depleted EVERY day by chemicals in the environment, chemicals in processed food, medications (YES, meds DO deplete nutrients, even if they do mask symptoms) and the fact that most people do NOT get 8-10 servings of fruits and vegetables DAILY. Do you KNOW of someone who DOES? I certainly don't.

You can't just look at this and decide it's overkill. Look at the ENTIRE picture. I take a multi from a company called PHARMANEX. I've been on it for about 18 years. These are, in fact, some that have ###-###-####% of some nutrients. I used to have bronchitis 2-4 times a year, between October & April. For years this went on. After my research (and taking Centrums for years and it OBVIOUSLY not helping) I switched to this multi. I haven't had it SINCE! If NOTHING else, my immune system is better. I've gone off it, tried other things and continually come back to it!

They have multis for kids, pre-natal, seniors, etc. Everyone I've recommended these to, has been very impressed by them, no matter which type of vitamin. Yes, they are a bit more expensive, but you get what you pay for. I was literally "flusing my $ down the toilet" and STILL paying for doctor visits and meds when I took Centrums. I'd rather pay a bit more for a multi and feel better and NOT be putting my $ into doctor visits or meds!

Let me know if you have any more questions.

1 mom found this helpful

Hi K.,
Congratulations on using the best. You're worth it. I just posted a blog with the contents of a study conducted by the University of California. You can find it at: http://changealife.blogspot.com. It was too long to include here. But here is one paragraph:
"First, the study shows very clearly that using a broad array of Shaklee supplements for at least 20 years produces some pretty dramatic health benefits—both in indicators as well as disease incidence. We’ve said for many years that you will pay for your health—whether it’s good health or bad health—so it makes more sense to pay for good health. With this study, it’s clear that paying for (and taking!) Shaklee supplements produces dramatic, positive impact on health. Now, the study results don’t mean that if you take Shaklee, you’re bulletproof. But they do indicate that if you take Shaklee, you’ll be better off than if you don’t. So now the question of “What is your health worth?” becomes a more meaningful one, because there are clear results to pin to the cost of the supplements."
You've had a number of other companies represented in comments here. Do they have a study like this? If not, why not? I don't intend for this to be mean-spirited in any way, but offering the facts that were concluded by a prestegious third-party. Hope this helps.

1 mom found this helpful

I have been using Rainbow Light ever since I was pregnant. Now I take the regular instead of prenatal and they are great. They even added probiotics. My daughter also takes the chewable stars and she loves them. They have the women's vitamins at Meijer and I just ordered the children's from Amazon. They were a lot cheaper! Good luck!

1 mom found this helpful

Meijer sells a good basic multi with iron. We've taken it for years.

If you are trying to save money why dont you go out and buy a Centrum or One-a-Day for Women...Ive never even heard of Shaklee but it seems by some of your other request that it is a popular one. So my suggestion might not be completely what you are looking for, however, for the cost purpose it might do some good to go a cheaper route. Or you could alternate days where you would take the one a day and the more expensive one the next day.

It's a great idea to take vitamins! I've been seeing an Integrative M.D. for about a year now, and she is treating me exclusively through diet, rhythmic movement, vitamins and herbal supplements.

I've been unemployed for a while, so purchasing the vitamins and supplements has been a challenge.

Both Puritan's Pride and Swanson Vitamins are great on line resources for affordable supplements. I've had great results with both companies' products.

Another good place to buy inexpensive vitamins is at Whole Foods. Their 365 line is affordable and excellent quality.

One supplement that my doctor recommends to all of her patients is Cod Liver Oil, 1000 mg 3 times a day. I take it in gel caps. It's such a good, inexpensive source of vitamin D and EFAs! You ought to try adding it to your vitamin regimen.

Hi K.,

I have been an active Shaklee consultant (not anymore) and I personally have not found anything that could replace Shaklee costing less with the same quality.

I truly have seen miracles with people actually saving money because they could stop taking their regular medication while on Vita Lea.

If at all possible I would suggest to try to keep taking it. Do you get the member discount?

S.

K.
I am also a Shaklee consumer and I believe that when you have found the best it is hard to go anywhere else. I dont think they are as expensive when you know the quality of what you're taking. You have done the research. Make your decision on what is important to you and you will be able to afford what you're taking. Talk to your distributor (or email me back) to find out how you can be earning your vitamins for free!!! I think it is important to know the value of your own health. Lots of good things going on in the Shaklee world, would love to talk to you more.
Blessings
S.

K.,
I use Shaklee as well and have found that they are truly the best. Last I checked the multi-vitamin alone (not the vitalizer) is less expensive than the GNC multi if you purchase the Shaklee economy size. At first the supplements did seem expensive, since I was taking nothing at all. So I reworked my budget and started making coffe at home and not eating out as much. As I started switching everything in my home over to Shaklee I was actually getting discounts, then my products completely paid for, and now I have been able to stay at home with my son from my Shaklee income. No other company gives rebates likes Shaklee, it's such a great deal. The best products for free. I would suggest not even purchasing a synthetic like Centrum or One-a-day. Good luck!

Hi K.,

I am an Independent Herbalife Distributor. Our Formula 2 Multivitamins are high quality very soluable and are formulated to be taken 3 times a day to get the body what it needs when it need it. Go to www.shopherbalife.com/lpalmer if you are interested in doing a little research. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions. I really love the vitamin and it is the first time I ever felt different when taking a multivitamin...so I know it works! All the best, L.

I use a generic from the local dollar store it's A to Z senior, I'm 48,It has no chemicals or food colorings and a month supply is only $1. but I take two a day being diabetic and don't always stick with my required diet. I never get a cold or any of those virus that goes around. Shakley is good but way over priced I use to sell them.

A good company called Melaleuca makes awesome women's (and men's) daily vitamins and they are proven to be like 85%+ absorbable. My husband and I are taking the daily Am and PM packet with vitamins for 1. Energy and Well-Being 2. Bone Health 3. Antioxidant Protection and 4. Digestive Health. Since starting these, I have gotten off my Cymbalta completely and my nails are growing wonderfully! Email me if you are interested and I'll scan and send you the Supplement Facts from the side of the box and send you more information.

K.,
My husband and I use Centrum Silver and have good results.

For over 50 years we've been led to believe that RDA levels are adequate...

...but adequate for what? Adequate to prevent clinically obvious nutritional deficiencies like scurvy, beriberi, rickets, and pellagra?

According to the Food and Nutrition Board (under the umbrella of the National Institutes of Health): "The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) is the average daily dietary intake level that is sufficient to meet the requirement of nearly all apparently healthy individuals in a particular life stage and gender group." The Food and Nutrition Board further defines "requirement" as: "the lowest continuing intake level of a nutrient that, for a specified indicator of adequacy, will maintain a defined level of nutriture in an individual."

Basically, the RDA is - by their own definition - the lowest level of nutrient intakes that will prevent deficiencies in apparently healthy individuals. And, while RDA levels may have helped us to avoid acute deficiency diseases, they do not address any issues of optimal nutrition.

The RDAs have certainly played an important role in public health. Most assuredly, they provide amounts that will prevent you from getting scurvy, pellagra, rickets or beriberi. However, in the general population, these vitamin-related diseases are of little concern. Products based solely on RDA amounts are fine for their intended purpose (i.e. providing minimal amounts of important vitamins and minerals), but the RDA of vitamins and minerals is not always enough to help prevent certain degenerative diseases or to provide protection from oxidative damage.

In other words, there are more benefits of nutritional supplementation than just preventing rare deficiencies. Really, the RDA should only be considered the "minimum wage" of nutrition.

USANA's products are formulated with the most up-to-date nutritional research in mind, which may or may not have relevance to the RDAs. Rather than just trying to prevent total vitamin deficiencies, we are concerned with the vast majority of people who are "apparently" healthy. Many degenerative diseases and chronic illnesses develop over a lifetime, striking otherwise healthy individuals when they least expect it.

The bottom line is that for the millions of "apparently" healthy individuals in the world, minimal nutrient intakes and the RDAs are not always adequate - or even designed - to address our most common health challenges.


USANA's nutritional supplements are designed to complement a healthy diet - not replace it. Our supplements are designed to provide advanced levels of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that are difficult to obtain from diet alone; levels that we could all use, everyday, to promote a lifetime of good health.

More importantly, we are not the only ones who are convinced of the health benefits of nutritional supplements. In June 2002, the Journal of the American Medical Association published two articles by health researchers at Harvard University. Their articles were entitled "Vitamins for Chronic Disease Prevention in Adults". Through their research, these authors concluded that "suboptimal intake of some vitamins, above levels causing classic vitamin deficiency, is a risk factor for chronic diseases and common in the general population, especially the elderly. Suboptimal folic acid levels, along with suboptimal levels of vitamins B6 and B12, are a risk factor for cardiovascular disease, neural tube defects, and colon and breast cancer; low levels of vitamin D contribute to osteopenia and fractures; and low levels of the antioxidant vitamins (vitamins A, E and C) may increase risk for several chronic diseases."

A good source of information on general vitamin and mineral safety is "Vitamin and Mineral Safety, 2nd Edition" by John N. Hathcock, Ph.D. Council of Responsible Nutrition. 2004. Or, you can contact the Council for Responsible Nutrition directly at http://www.crnusa.org/

Yours in health,
D.

check out www.myvemma.com/bwynia
Vemma stands for vitamins, essential minerals, mangosteen, and aloe vera. Can you afford $2.00 a day?? there is also a 30 day empty bottle money back guarantee.

K., As a Naturopathic Doctor, I can tell you first hand that not all supplements are created equal. There are few that you can count on to actually contain what they claim on the label. Our government watchdogs are no better at looking at this than they are at looking at pharmaceuticals. You have to educate yourself and be very wary. I've been in the natural health business for over 30 years and the companies you mentioned once produced good products. As a lay person, you don't have privy to the laboatory test results or even how they test the raw ingredients, etc to assure a pure product. Companies can say anything but the proof is always in the testing. Here are a few things you can look for: Does it have a natural vitamin E. It should read d-blah blah blah. If it reads dl-blah blah blah, it is a petrochemical as the small "l" tells the story. A natural vitamin E is like food, the other is like motor oil. A good multi does not have a bunch of fillers such as calcium carbonate which is chalk, sugars, or dyes. The source of calcium should not be calcium carbonate. Even the Journal of American Pharmacology makes that clear. For the girls, you can choose a chewable multivitamin for children by Nature's Sunshine and for yourself, you can choose a Time Released Multi Vitamin by Nature's Sunshine. It is a quick one a day. If you go to www.naturalremedies4less.com, you can purchase all of them at wholesale prices saving about 40%. I consider them the top of the line and my clients get great results. If you want to pick them up at the store, choose a good natural health store and Nature's Plus. Nordic Naturals is the only other company besides Nature's Sunshine that I would recommend when it comes to fish oils as they test them well for dioxins, lead, and mercury. One of the best immune defenses for children is the Elderberry Chewable for children by Nature's Sunshine. My grandchildren are 4 and 12 and both have used it since they could chew. Hope this helps. Dr. Carol R

K.,
I am a Shaklee member and distributor as well and as a 60+ young person, there is nothing else that has the effectiveness as Shaklee Vitalizer. I tried lots of everything for 39 adult years and not until Shaklee did I feel as great as I do now with absolutely NO health issues.
If you are a member, you will get your discount - if you are building a business, you can definitely earn enough to pay for your supplements. Your body needs Shaklee - If I can help in anyway, please let me know. Wishing you optimal health.

Try Time Released Mega Vita Min for Women by Puritian Pride. I was ranked among the top five multi-vitamins by Consumer Reports with regards to disolving and effectiveness.

I have a suggestion for the best tasting vitamins out there - food! I'm not trying to be funny nor am I joking. Seriously, go to your bookstore and buy something as simple as Nutrition for Dummies, Vitamins for Dummies or some other 'general' vitamin resource to learn how you can incorporate a variety of healthful foods that are chock full of the vitamins you need. Don't buy a book written by or sponsored by a retailer; all they will do is try to convince you that your health will surely suffer unless you buy THEIR product. You'll spend probably $50 one time to educate yourself on how you can get everything you need without relying on pills or supplements.

And yes, the GNC stuff with the excessive percentages of vitamins are ridiculous (unless of course you are doing some sort of athletic training where you are at risk for dehydration). There are only four fat soluble vitamins - A D E K and the rest are water soluble. That means you can't store them so if you don't use your water soluble vitamins, they leave your body through urination. Also, your kidney can get quite the workout trying to process the excess.

Food - nature's greatest supplement! I highly recommend it.