advice about multivitamins

[lesbud1]

I read here that multivitamins might be bad for you? I send my grand daughter who is a vegan a centrum multivitamin and am now concerned. can someone recommend another or something else. she was definitely lacking in vit b12 as her mood has improved and tiredness too. thanks.

[Lalatoot]

The problem with multi vitamins is that you can be taking things you don't need. For example a multi vitamin I took had 100% daily iodine intake in it. It is better to buy good quality vits that target what the person lacks. There is lots of advice on here about this. Go to the magnifying glass at the top right of the screen and type in vitamins or B12 and you will be able to read advice from our more experienced members.

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Multivitamins are not recommended. The different active ingredients compete with each other. They tend to contain to little of anything to help low levels, usually contain the cheapest and least absorbable form of ingredients, and tend to contain things we should test for and only supplement if found to be deficient - those in particular being iron, calcium, iodine.

If she is definitely lacking in B12, has she been tested? Has anything else been tested - Vit D, Folate, Ferritin, calcium, iodine?

Centrum do a wide variety of multivitamin supplements, if you have sent her the Centrum Woman then it contains 3mcg B12 which will do nothing at all for a deficiency. If someone has a low level then it's usual to supplement with 1000mcg to bring the level up, but if it's a true deficiency, with symptoms, then further testing for B12 deficiency/pernicious anaemia is essential as B12 injections may be needed.

Signs/symptoms of B12 deficiency:

b12deficiency.info/signs-an...

Looking at the specific forms of active ingredients in Centrum Women:

Magnexium oxide - poorest of all forms of magnesium.

Ferrous fumarate - 10mg - iron affects absorption of everything else and should be taken on it's own 2 hours away from any other supplements (and medication). Iron should only be supplemented if tested and found to be needed.

Selenium is sodium selenate form which is the least absorbable, selenium l-selenomethionine or yeast bound selenium are the most absorbable forms.

B12 is the cyanocobalamin form, the recommended form is methylcobalamin.

Folic acid is included, the recommended form is methylfolate.

Iodine - should only be supplemented if tested and found to be deficient.

Calcium - should only be supplemented if tested and found to be deficient.

Vit K - phylloquinone which is K1 and K1 is the blood clotting form of Vit K. Vit K2 is advised when taking Vit D (included in the supplement). D3 aids absorption of calcium from food and K2 directs the calcium to bones and teeth where it is needed and away from arteries and soft tissues where it can be deposited and cause problems such as hardening of the arteries, kidney stones, etc.

No multivitamin is recommended. Best thing to do is test nutrients and supplement where necessary.

[milkwoman]

It does seem that the general consensus here is that multivitamins are “bad” and yes some are as they contain nasty fillers as well as forms of vitamins not usable by the body.

I happen to like a multivitamin and currently take a whole-food based liquid that contains the correct/usable forms. You can check it out and decide for yourself.

It’s Source of Life Gold Liquid Multivitamin with Whole Food Concentrate - Tropical Fruit (30 Fluid Ounces)