Medical Questions » Vitamins Questions » Question No. 1514
| Question: | How do you identify a good-quality vitamin supplement? |
| Answer: | As with most things, you pay for quality, so, within reason, price is a place to start. The cheapest supple-ments are usually so for a reason - cheaper forms of nutrients, or lower amounts, are used. For example, iron sulphate is less absorbable than iron amino acid chelate; and natural vitamin E (called d-alpha toco-pherol) is more potent than synthetic. So look for sup-plements that use natural forms of nutrients, absorbable forms of minerals (citrate, ascorbates or amino acid chelates) and the right kind of dosage. A couple of yardsticks for a good quality multivitamin are that it should contain at least 25mg of each of the B vitamins and lOmg of zinc. Capsules are no better absorbed than tablets, but with these you are not getting added extras like colorings or sugar coating. A reputable company will also list all ingredients and state that the product is free from colorings and undesirable additives - so always check the small print. |
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