Hi everyone,
I bought a couple of vitamins from Solgar after some sensible advise on here. I have received Solgar Formula VM 2000 and Solgar Omega 3.
I need to get iron as my level are at 13ug/l (11.0-336.0). So will either get Solgar or continue with the one the doctor prescribed until they run out.
Just wondering if there are any good/bad stories, recommendations people have about vitamins generally?
thanks
Sonia
Well, I'm sorry to tell you this, but you are wasting your money with the Solgar Formula VM 2000.
Look at the ingredients :
The wrong forms of vit A, vit E, magnesium and folate. The vit B12, we don't know what form it is. It contains magnesium, iron and calcium, which will all cancel each other out. It contains iodine, you don't want that - you don't want calcium, either, come to that. But it doesn't contain enough of anything to do any good. You are really not getting your money's worth out of that!
1004sonia I know someone who wont buy anything else but Solgar, and I also know someone who wouldn't touch it with a barge pole!
With Vitamins and Minerals (a bit of a pet subject with me), I am a great believer in you get what you pay for. Cheap vitamins are cheap for a reason, because they contain the cheapest ingredients and unnecessary fillers. The cheapest ingredients are usually the ones that are the least bioavailable. And if they are the least bioavailable they're not going to do much, if anything. Some wrong ingredients can also be harmful.
Some key words to look for are - wholefood, food state, bioavailable, active. And you generally tend to find these on the better quality, more expensive brands although there are some reasonably priced ones when you have a good look around. But you probably wont find them in the supermarket or some of the 'own brand' like H&B.
Greygoose has mentioned that the Solgar VM2000 contains some of the wrong forms of the vitamins, just a few:
Magnesium (as oxide, bisglycinate†) - 32 mg
32mg is a measly amount. We all are probably deficient and it's something we should take when taking Vit D. The normal amount in a Magnesium supplement is around 350mg. Also Magnexium Oxide is the most common form of magnesium sold in pharmacies, but it is non-chelated and possesses a poor absorption rate - taken from
naturalnews.com/046401_magn...
Vitamin B12 (as cyanocobalamin) 100 µg - this should be methycobalamin and here's why
naturalnews.com/032766_cyan...
Vitamin D2 (400 IU, as ergocalciferol) 10 µg - this should be Vit D3 Cholecalciferol
Folic Acid (as pteroylmonoglutamic acid) 400 µg - this should be Methylfolate which is the active form, folic acid is synthetic and needs converting by your body to folate, it's also a lot cheaper.
Natural Source Beta-carotene 5 mg - the wrong form of Vitamin A. Retinyl Palmitate is the one to look for and here's why (taken from smartypantsvitamins.com/nat... )
Vitamin A: Retinyl Palmitate vs Beta-Carotene
Beta-Carotene is a red-orange pigment found in carrots and also in other colorful vegetables. The human body converts beta-carotene into vitamin A (retinol). From food, beta-carotene is an essential nutrient and one perfectly safe to consume. But in its supplemental form, beta-carotene has been shown to possibly increase the risk of heart disease, from death of all causes, and to possibly increase the risk of lung cancer in smokers and non-smokers alike. Even so, beta-carotene is dubbed the ‘natural’ form of vitamin A.
Retinyl palmitate is a synthetic form of vitamin A used by some vitamin manufacturers, and by food manufacturers to fortify low-fat and fat-free milk as well as certain cereals. It consists of the ester of retinol (one of the animal forms of vitamin A) combined with palmitic acid, which is a saturated fatty acid that is a major component of palm oil. Retinyl palmitate does not have the same cancer and mortality risks factors as beta-carotene, and is a more bioavailable (or easily absorbed) form of vitamin A. By all accounts, retinyl palmitate is the preferred form of supplemental vitamin A – yet it is not the natural form of the vitamin.
Sadly, despite its health risks, many vitamin manufacturers will opt for beta-carotene and market their product as containing the ‘natural’ form of vitamin A, taking advantage of a keyword that attracts shoppers.
It also contains Isolated Soya Protein Powder 200 mg. Us hypos shouldn't be taking soya in any form other than fermented soy.
It really is a minefield and, as Greygoose says, you are wasting your money. Much better to test for any deficiencies and supplement accordingly.
I took beta-carotene (before I knew better), and it just turned the palms of my hands and the soles of my feet rather orange.
A few months ago I bought retinyl palmitate and I found it did make me feel better. Hands and feet aren't so orange any more either.
I have read that hypos don't convert beta-carotene (vitamin A precursor) to "proper" vitamin A very well.
thanks for this reply. Looks like I have a lot of reading and learning to do yet!
Thanks both
It sounds like I am continuing to get this wrong. I am going to have my Vitamin D tested this week so should know what is going on there.
Can either of you recommend a general good Vitamin supplement?
1004sonia I honestly don't think there is a general one that would be any good. They all contain, usually, too small an amount of the individual vitamins to be of any use. They also differ in their ingredients, eg some contain selenium, some contain Co-Q10 and so on. I don't think it's possible to find a universally useful one but I am happy to be corrected.
What us hypos need particularly are what we keep advising on here - Vit D, B12, Ferritin and Folate all to be in range and supplement where there may be any deficiencies.
Apart from that, Vit C is recommended as it is helpful for adrenal support and is an antioxidant, supports the immune system and has been used in mega doses for 'complimentary' type care in some serious conditions.
Then there are others that we would maybe need as individuals because there may be low amounts in our diet, and again we all eat differently.
Selenium is often recommended because it helps conversion of T4 to T3, and also helps reduce antibody attacks in a Hashi patient.
I personally also boost my immune system (because I have a progressive lung disease and I really need to avoid colds/flu/coughs etc) with a garlic supplement. I use the Allicin form which has many benefits. Allicin is the primary active ingredient and what is released when raw garlic is chewed or crushed. I don't like garlic but I can take the Allicin in capsule or liquid form (in OJ) and I am fine with that.
As for minerals, magnesium is recommended as most of us are deficient
Going back to your iron, is that your ferritin level? It's quite a wide range, mine went up to about 150. If you are OK with what your doctor prescribed then stick with it, it's not costing you anything. I tried Solgar Gentle Iron and it is 20mg elemental iron and cost a fair bit. I couldn't continue as it constipated me even more than I usually am. I changed to 5mg Ferritin, even more expensive, and still had trouble with that.
Thanks
On the garlic point, I have started eating raw garlic (soaked overnight in lemon juice to help with taste). Its hard to consume, but its supposed to be good for you!
Oh well done, there's no way I could do that 1004sonia . I don't like garlic, don't like the smell, don't like the taste, don't want it in my food and I certainly couldn't eat it raw. Are you chewing it so the juice comes out, the allicin? I wonder how much allicin is in one clove or garlic. Do you get an aftertaste? Do you get garlic breath? Eeew, I'm shuddering here at the thought of you eating it raw.
that made me laugh. Yes to everything. Its pretty disgusting but my mum is a very fit 75 year old and has been eating raw ginger/garlic most of her life. I'm hoping it will help with the general aches and pains.
I brush my teeth before bed and that helps with the smell/taster. My mum told me to swallow it whole first thing in the morning with water. That was disgusting because it made me burp and you can imagine the smell !!!!
Gross, so now switched to the lemon garlic/ginger concoction. Its a bit easier and I try to down it in two bites.
Can anyone comment on Solgar Gentle Iron? Ferrous bisglycinate vs ferrous fumarate...
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