By Christine Cheng, R.Ph.
“A rose by any other name would smell as sweet”…words spoken by Shakespeare’s Juliet to imply that no matter what you called him, Romeo was still a Montague. But does this ring true for your vitamins and minerals? Definitely not!
First let’s take a look at reasons why a multivitamin can be useful to all of us. A multivitamin is a combination of both vitamins and minerals, sometimes with added phytonutrients. Minerals are elements that cannot be created nor destroyed; they are recycled from the earth, into plants, into animals or us, and back to the earth. Theoretically, we would be able to get all the minerals we need from our diet. However, nowadays, soils are often depleted of their mineral content and not replenished by fertilizers thus the food that is being grown may also be deficient in many minerals. Vitamins are nutrients which for the most part obtained from our diet. If the plants we are eating are grown under ideal conditions, then they are better able to synthesize these vitamins, which are then consumed by us. We must also consider that vitamins can be damaged or lost as produce is being transported, stored or cooked. Also, today’s hectic lifestyle does not always allow us to cook a fresh meal that provides adequate essential nutrients. Thus, anybody may benefit from taking a multivitamin to fill in any “holes” in their diet.
But, how do we choose a multivitamin? There are companies that have formulae directed towards the needs of different genders and/or age groups. For example, a women’s formula may have more calcium for bone support or added cranberry extract to help prevent urinary tract infections. A men’s formulation may contain added saw palmetto and lycopene for prostate health. Formulations targeted towards those over the age of 50 may contain Coenzyme Q10 for heart support or lutein for eye health.
Beyond that, there are differences between different brands in the exact form of each vitamin or mineral that is present. Many B vitamins need to be in their active forms in order to be readily used by the body. For example,5-methyltetrahydrofolate is the active form of folate that is readily used in the body. Similarly, methylcobalamin is the active form of vitamin B12. But many generic drugstore brands will use the less expensive folic acid and cyanocobalamin forms of folate and B12, respectively because they are less expensive to manufacture.
Minerals should be chelated (i.e., bound) to protein or amino acids in order to optimize their absorption. For example, magnesium which is often used for muscle relaxation is found in the oxide form in many generic drugstore brands. The oxide form is not well-absorbed and thus instead of relaxing skeletal muscles and relieving cramping, it will more likely relax the muscles in the bowels and cause diarrhea. On the other hand, magnesium bisglycinate is much better absorbed into the bloodstream where it relaxes skeletal muscles instead of causing diarrhea.
Thus, not every bottle of vitamins or minerals is the same. Look for “professionals only” brands such as THORNE RESEARCH and METAGENICS®. These companies put all their research and manufacturing priorities in the purity and bioavailability of the ingredients to make sure the consumer is getting the most benefit out of their supplements.
Christine is a registered pharmacist with training in Natural Health Products and a passion for Integrative Medicine. She works alongside her brother, Fred at their unique family-owned and operated Pharmasave in Downtown Cloverdale, BC. They specialize in natural remedies and compounding for both human and veterinarian use.
