All Vitamins are not Created Equal.

Posted by admin on Jul 16, 2010 in Videos | 0 comments

All Vitamins are not Created Equal.

All Vitamins Are Not Created Equal…

(Are You Getting Your Money’s Worth?)

If you can answer the following questions correctly, you have a basic understanding of why all vitamins are not alike.

1) Which vitamin E is synthetic?

a) d-alpha tocopherol

b) dl-alpha tocopherol

2) Which of the following calcium label claims contains only 93 mg. of actual calcium?

a) Calcium (gluconate)………………………..1,000 mg.

b) Calcium gluconate…………………………..1,000 mg.

3) A quality control lab is not required in a vitamin manufacturing facility.

TRUE or FALSE

4) “Natural Vitamin E” on the label means the vitamin E is 100% natural.

TRUE or FALSE

5) By law, the vitamin potency listed on the label must be matched by the product in the bottle.

TRUE or FALSE

6) Do most vitamin companies manufacture their own products?

YES or NO

The standards under which a vitamin or mineral is manufactured vary greatly from one company to another. There are very few companies that actually manufacture their own products.

Quality standards greatly affect how and whether a supplement is absorbed and utilized by the body. A manufacturer can create a tablet that looks identical to a quality product but is nothing more than a replica. Replicas do not deliver the potency and results you desire.

DECEPTIVE LABELING

Reading a label carefully and understanding what the label actually means are important when purchasing any product. This is particularly true when comparing labels on vitamins.

Understanding Mineral Potency (Example: Calcium)

The elemental amount of calcium refers to the exact weight or potency of calcium a formula provides. (The same is true for all other minerals.)

Some labels clearly list the elemental weight and are therefore simple to understand.

Example A:

Elemental Calcium…………………………………………………….250 mg.

(Equivalent to 1,111 mg. Calcium Amino Acid Chelate)

In Example A, you are receiving 250 mg. of actual calcium, and 1,111 mg. refers to the combined weight of the calcium and amino acids.

If the label does not clearly list the elemental amount, you must then have a further understanding of interpreting the label information.

Example B:

Calcium (Gluconate)………………………………………………….1,000 mg.

Example C:

Calcium Gluconate………………………………………………….1,000 mg.

At first glance, Examples B & C appear to be the same formula, but they are not. When, the chelating agent (Example B, gluconate) appears in parentheses, it represents the “source” of the calcium supplied in the formula. The potency of 1,000 mg. listed is the actual amount of elemental calcium you are receiving. However, in Example C, when the chelating agent does not appear in parentheses, the 1,000 mg. represents the weight of the calcium together with gluconic acid, and the amount of calcium you are receiving is only a small percentage of the potency listed. In Example C, you would actually receive only 9.3% or 93 mg. of actual calcium.

Example B is an honest and intelligible label, as it clearly represents the actual amount of elemental calcium the tablet will provide. Example C, although technically not mislabeled, appears to offer much more calcium than is actually provided and is very often misunderstood by consumers.

Natural vs. Synthetic

(Example: Vitamin E)

The word natural can, unfortunately, sometimes be misleading. In the case of vitamin E, a manufacturer can use a blend of 10% natural vitamin E

Want to Live Extra Years?

Q&A: What vitamins should an older teen take through pregnancy?

Posted by admin on Jul 15, 2010 in Chatter | 7 comments

Question by Racheal: What vitamins should an older teen take through pregnancy?
Scenario:

18 year old girl, I’m gonna say 4 to 5 weeks pregnant.

My best friend told me she found out she is pregnant. She is excited about it but I am worried about the health of her and her baby. She is planning to keep it, please no lectures on ideals and philosophy.

My questions is what sort of vitamins should she take, if any? Pre-natal vitamins? Any specific brands?

Thank you for your time.

Best answer:

Answer by Pregnant with a Baby Boy =]
Prenatals all pregnant women should take them it has everything you need in them im sure you can find them and walgreens.

What do you think? Answer below!

Want to Live Extra Years?

What vitamins should I take to make my hair grow faster?

Posted by admin on Jul 14, 2010 in Chatter | 9 comments

Question by Kitty: What vitamins should I take to make my hair grow faster?
I’ve heard that prenatal vitamins make hair grow much faster, but is that safe if you’re not pregnant/planning to be? Should I take specific vitamins or just a daily multivitamin? Please help; I just got a horrible haircut.