Vitamins: What's Good & Bad
Feel free to watch/listen to the video or read some of the facts I've researched and highlighted for you! Each of my sources (Insider, Cleveland Clinic, and TIME) have been reviewed and fact checked by medical professionals.
Gummy Vitamins DON'T WORK nearly as well as other traditional vitamins.
They contain inconsistent levels of nutrients despite what they print on their labels.
They degrade much faster than traditional vitamins.
They contain high sugar content & increase the risk of dental decay.
They may encourage children to overuse them since they taste like candy.
While they may include vitamins, they almost always FAIL to include minerals.
Iron is probably the most important mineral for women to ensure they have enough of because prolonged iron deficiency can lead to heart problems and problems with pregnancy.
Dr. Tom Cooperman recommends that people who struggle with pills take flavorless liquid drops in their drinks that can be found at most pharmacies, but even then only certain vitamins come in that form (Nature's Way brand).
Gelatin forms do not maintain the vitamin and mineral potency as long as traditional pills. Therefore, most companies put more than the recommended daily dose into their gummies.
Apart from the sugar, gummies contain high amounts of citric acid that can stick to your teeth.
Some say they use sugar substitutes or "sugar alcohols," but they cause their own problems. They "are associated with gastrointestinal issues and can have a laxative effect — and people who can’t consume sorbitol and similar sugar substitutes should steer clear of gummy vitamins entirely," according to Dr. Vyas.
TIME Article. (Here's the video TIME included with their article.)
80% of adults now dominate the gummy vitamin market
In a 2017 supplement analysis conducted by ConsumerLab.com, gummies were the most likely supplement to fail testing.
Some companies can't even get the nutrients into the gelatin, so they simply spray the nutrients on the gummy like a coating, according to Dr. Cooperman.
Most companies put way too much of the nutrients in the gelatin gummy because the potency wears off faster in a gelatin format than in a traditional pill or capsule.
Consuming too much of a particular vitamin or mineral is actually unhealthy and can lead to serious health problems over time.
Gelatin cannot sustain iron as well as traditional forms, plus iron tastes metallic which would ruin the sugary taste.
Many women, especially pregnant women, are recommended to take iron supplements to prevent complications.
While some companies like Flintstones Vitamins and Nature's Way passed the ConsumerLab testing as a gummy format, “I’m concerned about kids and adults becoming accustomed to getting nutrients in sugary forms,” says Dr. Mark Moyad, the Jenkins/Pomkempner Director of Preventive and Alternative Medicine at the University of Michigan Medical Center.
When commenting on the sugar levels: “It’s like eating Halloween candy 365 days a year,” Moyad says. “In the midst of the greatest epidemic of childhood and adult obesity this country has ever seen, we should be getting our nutrients from whole unprocessed foods, not from candy.”
2. Tablets Aren't Much Better
Tablets taste nasty, let's be honest.
They have awful coatings and can be rather large.
Dissolvable tablets ESPECIALLY can cause irritation, take much longer to enter your system, and break down at varying rates which creates an inconsistency in your dosage.
Some tablets actually have a special coating because they aren't meant to be absorbed in the stomach, and rather, in the small intestine. This makes me question choosing to process that vitamin or mineral in a tablet form to begin with.
Tablets are cheap and have a longer shelf life because of how they're produced, but any kind of preservative is still a preservative.
3. Capsules are the best!
Capsules are tasteless!
They act fast!
The dosages are consistently absorbed at the highest possible amount.
The stomach can handle powders and send them directly to the bloodstream.
They don't have to cost more than tablets. Especially with gummies becoming more popular, tablets and capsules are closer in price.
You just have to be careful with moisture and shelf life.
Powders in the capsule are dry, fresh ingredients and meant to be absorbed dry and fresh.
Ancient herbal teas have always proven to be the best remedies and keys to unlocking truths about our bodies and our health. So if a capsule is the closest pill form of the fresh ground ingredients ancient civilizations would use in their teas, then I'd say it's pretty clear a capsule is the best pill form.
Why I chose a GNC Multivitamin & Probiotic. Smarter Choices Article. AND ABC News Article.
A multivitamin covers all your basis.
This one includes minerals as well as vitamins.
Probiotics help with gut health and digestion.
GNC has been a trusted company for years!
In 2015, there was an investigation in part of the country that proved about 79% of supplements contained harmful plant DNA and other insufficiencies. GNC was the first one to invite other supplement companies to partner together in making new standards for making and testing their supplements and helping each other to reach a higher level of quality and transparency with customers. Since then their products have been noticeably better!
Supplements are not required to be FDA approved, and most aren't, since they are not technically a drug. Therefore, it is imperative that the supplements you choose have been tested by a third party.
Like the Smart Choices article states, you want a supplement that is tested, has proper dosages so that you only need to take 1-2 a day, and includes immune support. This one meets those criteria.
Plus, a 2-month supply was only $14.99 at WALMART! I was very pleased.
I just completed my first month on this particular multivitamin and probiotic and can already tell a decrease in my bloating and discomfort even when I eat unhealthy foods. My immune system has been stronger, and I've been able to fight off even my allergies better. My skin, hair and nails have strengthened, and I feel much more alert during the day.
