Are There Poor Quality Ingredients In Your Multivitamin?

Fruits and vegetables have less to offer us nutritionally than they did a few decades ago. This is an unfortunate fact of life in America. Our topsoil is depleted of nutrients, therefore, many people choose to boost their nutritional intake with a multivitamin supplement. But are there poor quality ingredients in your multivitamin?

Have you seen all the choices out there? And how do you know which is a good one?

I have always said that the front label is marketing, and it is better to look at the ingredients for guidance. Below are clues that a multivitamin has been made with cheap ingredients ….

Does your multivitamin contain: 

Folic Acid – Reputable supplement companies do not use this synthetic form but instead use folate. Folic acid blocks cell receptors and prevents your body from absorbing folate from food sources. The best supplement form is methylated folate, 5-methyltetrahydrofolate.

Vitamin B12 Cyanocobalamin is synthetic B12 that is poorly absorbed into the body. Instead, look for the methylcobalamin form to improve absorption.

Magnesium Oxide – is the cheapest and least bioavailable form of magnesium. However, reputable companies will include magnesium in citrate, glycinate (my preference) or malate forms.

Synthetic Colorants (Titanium Dioxide) – is widely used as a colorant in vitamins and for the cosmetic industry. Surprisingly, this ingredient has recently been classified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer as an IARC Group 2B carcinogen.

Binders (Magnesium Oxide or Zinc Oxide) – reduce bioavailability and absorption of multivitamins. Plus, these can sometimes cause GI distress.

Calcium only – without the co-factors of Magnesium, Vitamin D3, and Vitamin K2 – won’t be absorbed into your bones. In fact, it is more likely to circulate in your system until it finds soft tissue to settle in, like your heart or glands. Not good!

Quality multivitamins have non-GMO ingredients and no gluten, soy, dairy, corn and sugar.

Read the Labels

The above items are important to check. Don’t make your choices based on the front label. Instead, turn the bottle or box around and look at the ingredients. Are there poor quality ingredients in your multivitamin? If the product in your hand doesn’t declare the type of B12 or Magnesium it contains, it probably isn’t the best choice. Conscientious manufacturers will list it clearly.

Are you taking a multivitamin to fill the gaps between what you are consuming in your food and what your body needs? Wouldn’t it be reasonable to ensure that you are getting a quality supplement? Reach out to me if you would like some recommendations of brands that I trust enough to recommend for my clients, and I will gladly share.

While many would say “you are what you eat,” I believe it is more accurate to say “you are what you consume and absorb.” Provide your body with the building blocks it needs to absorb. You will find that your body will reward you with wellness.