What's in Your Multiple Vitamin? Detecting Real Quality, Part 2 – Vitamins

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What's in Your Multiple Vitamin? Detecting Real Quality, Part 2 – Vitamins

_http://www.naturalnews.com/023169.html_

(http://www.naturalnews.com/023169.html)

 

by Byron Richards

 

(NaturalNews) Multiple vitamins are taken by at least 50% of American adults

and 25% of teenagers. It is common knowledge that our food supply is lacking

key nutrients that support health. Yet, the quality of multiple vitamins

varies dramatically as the majority of the dietary supplement industry falls

into the " fast food " category. Junk vitamins, like junk food, should be

avoided.

Educate yourself and know the difference.

 

In Part 1 of this two part article I explained how you can look at the

minerals in a multiple vitamin or bone support product and make a good judgment

about the quality of the product. In this part I will do the same for B

vitamins, _beta carotene_ (http://www.naturalnews.com/beta_carotene.html) , and

vitamin E.

 

The main reason to take a multiple vitamin is to help your body make energy –

as energy (ATP) is needed for anything else in your body to work properly.

A good multiple vitamin should also support your mood, assist stress

reduction, support immunity, and help get rid of free radicals. It should

provide an

array of nutrients vital to your health – covering your most fundamental

nutritional needs.

 

 

What are _B vitamins_ (http://www.naturalnews.com/B_vitamins.html) ?

B vitamins are nutrients that cannot be synthesized in adequate amounts by

your body to sustain your health – thus you must consume them. Fresh

unprocessed food is an excellent source of B _vitamins_

(http://www.naturalnews.com/vitamins.html) . B vitamins are found in many

different foods including whole

grains, animal meats, beans, vegetables, and fruit. Eating a varied diet of

whole and unprocessed foods is the best way to get these nutrients from your

food. At least half the American population is lacking adequate B vitamins for

optimal health.

In _dietary supplements_

(http://www.naturalnews.com/dietary_supplements.html) the B vitamins are made

by microbial fermentation. This is similar to the

idea of friendly flora in your digestive tract fermenting your dietary

carbohydrates, protein, and fiber and producing useful metabolic by-products.

After

the B vitamins are grown under controlled conditions they are purified,

stabilized, and then ready for use in dietary supplements.

 

Quality variables are one issue with the B vitamins – especially how well

they are purified. The entry of China into the _dietary supplement_

(http://www.naturalnews.com/dietary_supplement.html) raw material market has

caused

low-cost B vitamins to be dumped onto the consumer market. Production standards

in China are not dependable at this time.

 

Really cheap B vitamins tend to stink a lot. Any B vitamins have a slight

odor that will get stronger with age of the product. The cheap B vitamins start

out in a foul smelling condition. This is why so many companies put them in

tablets and then coat the tablets – trying to cut down on the smell. Open any

box of B vitamin-fortified cereal and take a deep smell of the contents –

you'll see what I mean.

 

In addition to basic product purification, the actual final form of the B

vitamin that is produced makes a huge quality difference. At Wellness Resources

I focus on the co-enzyme forms of B vitamins in our products as they are

easy to absorb and already in the exact form your cells need – a major

metabolic

advantage. These types of high grade B vitamins cost much more than the

inactive forms most often used in supplements, but they make a huge difference

to

your health.

 

An inactive form of a B vitamin must have energy (ATP) donated to it so as

to make it useful. This process may not work well in people who are already

stressed or short on energy – thus they don't feel any better from their

vitamin. In my Daily Energy Multiple Vitamin I rely on the co-enzyme forms of B

vitamins. See:

_http://www.wellnessresources.com/products/daily_energy.php_

(http://www.wellnessresources.com/products/daily_energy.php)

 

You can readily judge the quality of a B vitamin by the form of B12 used and

how much B12 is in the product. Cheap B12 is in the form of cyanacobalamin.

Your body cannot actually use this nutrient in this form, thus you must first

strip off the front end molecule which happens to be cyanide and then

detoxify it. Then you must have the energy to turn it into one of the co-enzyme

forms (methylcobalamin or adenosylcobalamin).

 

Why are companies putting cheap B12 in products when it makes you have to

detoxify the cyanide? Answer – it is 1/10th the price of methylcobalamin. How

much cyanide do you want to take? This issue takes on great importance for

those with existing chemical sensitivity, chronic fatigue, or fibromyalgia.

 

Because B12 is almost always the most expensive ingredient in any multiple

vitamin, another trick is to put hardly any of it in the product. This scam is

supported by the ridiculously low Daily Value for _vitamin B12_

(http://www.naturalnews.com/vitamin_B12.html) set by our government to protect

against

anemia (6 mcg). This level of intake does not take into account the vital need

for B12 in the function of your mind, health of your nerves, offsetting

stress, assembly of proteins, and numerous chemistry reactions in your liver

required for hundreds of enzymes systems to work properly to sustain your

health.

 

In three capsules of Daily Energy Multiple Vitamin there are 800 mcg of the

co-enzyme forms of B12 (400 mcg of methylcobalamin for your nerves and liver

and 400 mcg of adenosylcobalamin to support structural protein formation).*

You shouldn't have to buy extra vitamin B12 to support your basic health – it

should be in your multiple vitamin.

 

 

Natural vs. Synthetic

If there was ever massive confusion on any subject it is the issue of

natural and synthetic, which means different things depending on which vitamin

is

under discussion.

 

As I mentioned previously, B vitamins used in dietary supplements are grown

by a process of microbial fermentation. This is like growing food. In this

sense they are all natural and from a natural source. They are then purified

and stabilized by adding another molecule to them, such as hydrochloride. Such

a new B vitamin molecule no longer occurs naturally in food, and so is termed

synthetic. Such synthetic vitamins are generally better absorbed than food,

as your body does not need to digest the vitamin out of a plant or animal

fiber in order to liberate it for absorption.

 

Once you take a synthetic B vitamin then you further " digest it " by

stripping away the stabilizing molecule and adding energy to it to change it

into a

fully natural co-enzyme form, and then your body uses it. People who are

lacking energy may have trouble activating the synthetic forms of B vitamins.

 

I like to use B vitamins in their fully natural co-enzyme forms. They are

easier to absorb, they don't need energy donated to them to get them working,

and they don't have any undesirable metabolic byproducts that need

detoxifying. In my experience they make a huge difference.

 

Here are examples of how synthetic vs. natural look on a label:

 

B vitamin name -- Natural Co-Enzyme Forms -- Synthetic Forms

Thiamine (B1) -- Thiamine diphosphate -- Thiamine HCI

Riboflavin (B2) -- Riboflavin-5-phosphate -- Riboflavin HCI

Niacin (B3) -- Inositol hexanicotinate -- Niacinamide

Pantothenic acid (B5) -- Pantethine -- D-Calcium pantothenate

Pyridoxine (B6) -- Pyridoxal-5-phosphate -- Pyrodoxine HCI

Folic acid -- Folinic acid; _calcium_

(http://www.naturalnews.com/calcium.html) folinate -- Folic acid

Cobalamin (B12) -- Methylcobalamin; Adenosylcobalamin -- Cyanacobalamin

 

When you are shopping for vitamins look for the inclusion of the all natural

co-enzyme forms of the B vitamins, especially on really important B vitamins

like B12 and _folic acid_ (http://www.naturalnews.com/folic_acid.html) . And

then look to be sure there are enough of them to actually help you with your

energy and mood – which is more than the Daily Value our government sets for

the prevention of blatant B vitamin deficiency diseases. Your goal is to

nourish your nerves and energy-producing systems so you can function better –

a

difference you can actually feel!*

 

 

Natural vs. Synthetic Beta Carotene

Beta carotene is a powerful _antioxidant_

(http://www.naturalnews.com/antioxidant.html) associated with longevity and

well being. Studies with beta

carotene supplements are often funded by large drug companies that produce it

(such as the German company BASF), and use their synthetic beta carotene. All

negative studies relating to beta carotene have involved the synthetic form,

never the natural form.

 

When we enter the world of synthetic beta carotene the word synthetic takes

on a whole new meaning. In this case the beta carotene does not come from any

natural process; rather, it is made by extracting _benzene_

(http://www.naturalnews.com/benzene.html) rings from acetylene gas and then

attaching the

benzene rings together to form 100% all-trans-beta-carotene.

 

There is no food source that contains 100% all-trans-beta-carotene. Natural

beta carotene from food contains a mixture of all-trans-beta-carotene and

9-cis-beta carotene. While the trans form is the most common in your body

tissues it appears to need the cis form in order to behave properly. The cis

form

helps produce 9-cis retinoic acid that acts as a hormone in signaling

processes to normalize cell division and healthy tissue growth. Smokers taking

synthetic beta carotene (lacking the cis form) were found to have an increase

in

lung cancer. This is far different than studies with natural beta carotene

which support a protective and helpful health benefit, including to the lungs.*

 

You can always tell synthetic beta carotene by the label as it only says

" beta carotene " and will not list a source. All products containing natural

beta

carotene will always list where the beta carotene comes from. The most

common natural source of beta carotene is the sea algae Dunaliella salinas,

which

is always used in Wellness Resources products. It is a mixture of 9-cis-beta

carotene as well as trans-beta-carotene along with related nutrients such as

alpha-carotene, cryptoxanthin, and zeaxanthin. Natural source beta carotene

contains a powerful complex of nutrients not present in synthetic beta

carotene.*

 

The lifespan of mammalian species is directly related to the concentration

of beta carotene in their blood. Both alpha and cis forms of beta carotenes

are also stored in your liver, adrenals, kidneys, testes, ovaries, and fat

tissues. They work synergistically with other antioxidants like _vitamin E_

(http://www.naturalnews.com/vitamin_E.html) to protect your health. Take only

dietary supplements containing natural beta carotene from a clearly defined food

source – throw all products containing synthetic beta carotene in the trash

–

with any other products made by that company (as its unlikely they give two

hoots about your health).

 

There is a large difference between what is meant by synthetic B vitamins

and synthetic beta carotene. Synthetic B vitamins come from a natural source.

They aren't the highest quality forms of the B vitamins because they need

energy to activate them and energy to detoxify the cyanide (in the case of

synthetic B12). If your body can't use them they are simply washed out in your

urine (they are _water_ (http://www.naturalnews.com/water.html) soluble).

However, they have the potential to perform normally in your _metabolism_

(http://www.naturalnews.com/metabolism.html) . Synthetic beta carotene comes

from

_chemicals_ (http://www.naturalnews.com/chemicals.html) and lacks the important

cis

form of beta carotene that is highly protective to body organs and cells and

helps regulate healthy cell division. Your body tissues will store the

synthetic beta carotene (it is fat soluble) without having the natural cis form

in

the tissues to ensure it behaves normally. Because it lacks the important

cis form of the nutrient synthetic beta carotene should not be taken by anyone.

 

 

The Vitamin E Story

Vitamin E is under widespread fraudulent attack in the media – based on a

con job perpetrated by the American Heart Association to promote dangerous

drugs and negate vitamin E. This story is fully documented in my article The

Statin Scam Marches On. High quality vitamin E is one of the most beneficial

nutrients known to mankind – especially for older Americans who wish to

bolster

their immunity, memory, and cardiovascular fitness.*

 

The worst form of vitamin E is synthetic, and like synthetic beta carotene,

it comes from chemicals not food. It is typically derived from coal tar. It

is signified on the label because it always has an " l " after the " d. " Thus the

synthetic form reads " dl alpha… " instead of " d alpha… " If you have any

product with the " dl " form it also belongs in the trash – it is worthless.

 

The very best forms of vitamin E are oils and need to be placed in softgel

capsules. It is not feasible to place such oils in powders that can be mixed

easily in a multiple vitamin or a multiple antioxidant formulation as the

vitamin E would oxidize too easily (spoil) and lose its potency. To get around

this problem a molecule is attached to the vitamin E to stabilize it so it

won't spoil when exposed to oxygen. If a succinate is attached then the vitamin

E

becomes water soluble. If acetate is attached then the vitamin E remains fat

soluble. Better quality products include other tocopherols (beta, gamma, and

delta), although it is the d alpha form that is standardized for potency.

 

The water soluble form of vitamin E (succinate) is great for correcting an

immediate vitamin E deficiency. The fat soluble form (acetate) absorbs into

cell membranes where is can use its antioxidant protection for a longer period

of time. It is not hard for your body to convert these forms of vitamin E

into their biologically active forms by taking off the succinate or acetate.

The

main thing to be sure of is to never buy a product with the " dl " form – as

it is from a chemical and has little antioxidant capability.*

 

 

The Finest Vitamin E

Vitamin E is one vitamin I highly recommend in a softgel form, in addition

to any vitamin E that is present in your multiple vitamin or a mixed

antioxidant formulation.

 

Most _natural vitamin E_ (http://www.naturalnews.com/natural_vitamin_E.html)

on the market today comes from soy and is either 30% or 50% _soy oil_

(http://www.naturalnews.com/soy_oil.html) (you can't tell from looking at the

label). Oftentimes the other vitamin E forms (beta, gamma, and delta) are

converted into alpha tocopherol by a process known as esterification. This

cheapens

the product as these other tocopherols also play a role in health. It is done

to boost up the alpha content to get a better price. Processing methods are

often hurried or careless, leading to oxidative damage of the soy oil. This

means that as the product sits on a store shelf the vitamin E antioxidant is

used up neutralizing the rancid soy oil. While there are a few companies that

make higher quality unesterified natural vitamin E from soy, they are in the

minority. Most soy-derived natural vitamin E is not top shelf.

 

I used to be one of the few who made true pharmaceutical grade unesterified

d alpha tocopherol. One day about 10 years ago I got a call from the

manufacturer who said they could no longer make this product as there wasn't

enough

high grade soy to make it from (the _food supply_

(http://www.naturalnews.com/food_supply.html) had deteriorated). Luckily, this

was about the time

tocotrienols came to the market.

 

Today the best form of natural vitamin E are called tocotrienols, a newer

type of vitamin E that contains significantly more antioxidant function than

regular alpha tocopherol along with other properties like naturally supporting

healthy cholesterol metabolism – something alpha tocopherol does not do. I

use tocotrienols from rice oryza oil and have my product made with no filler

oils – thus you get a 100% pure unesterified product. Look for a product like

my Daily Super E, which contains both alpha tocotrienol (antioxidant) and

gamma tocotrienol (cholesterol support). Tocotrienols have ushered in the new

era

of vitamin E as a stellar nutrient for cardiovascular, nervous system, and

immune support.* See:

_http://www.wellnessresources.com/tips/articles/tocotrienols_a_multi_dimensional\

_nutrient_powerhouse/_

(http://www.wellnessresources.com/tips/articles/tocotrienols_a_multi_dimensional\

_nutrient_powerhouse/)

 

 

And: _http://www.wellnessresources.com/products/daily_super_e.php_

(http://www.wellnessresources.com/products/daily_super_e.php)

 

 

Summary

In this two part series I have given you a comprehensive overview of basic

quality information about what is in your multiple vitamin. Every individual

nutrient has its own quality story. By looking at how a company puts together

its main multiple vitamin, mineral, and antioxidant products you can get a

very good idea of the philosophy it uses when paying for the ingredients that

went into the product. This helps you to predict how that company is likely to

behave on numerous quality issues that you have no real way of knowing –

which typically extends to their whole product line. This is an important

predictive strategy because the quality of many extracts used in other types of

products is very difficult to tell by looking at a label.

 

Unfortunately, the dietary _supplement industry_

(http://www.naturalnews.com/supplement_industry.html) is being bought up by

large companies – often _Big

Pharma_ (http://www.naturalnews.com/Big_Pharma.html) companies. The

downside is that the bottom line is more important than what is actually in the

products. The overall industry is hoping that you don't understand what is

actually in your products – as putting real quality into their products would

turn

their corporate profit margin on its head. Or if they do use real quality

they don't use enough to actually make a difference.

 

My company, Wellness Resources, is family owned and operated since 1985. Our

products evolved in a clinical setting working with thousands of people who

were trying to fix and improve their health with natural methods. Often we

were a place of last resort – our products simply had to work. Quality

matters.

 

 

About the author:

Byron J. Richards, Board-Certified Clinical Nutritionist,

nationally-renowned _nutrition_ (http://www.naturalnews.com/nutrition.html)

expert, and founder

of Wellness Resources is a leader in advocating the value of dietary

supplements as a vital tool to maintain health. He is an outspoken critic of

government and Big Pharma efforts to deny access to natural health products and

has

written extensively on the life-shortening and health-damaging failures of

the sickness industry. _www.wellnessresources.com_

(http://www.wellnessresources.com/) _askbyron_

(askbyron)