What Vitamin Brands are Best?!
Question: I'm looking around for some good vitamin brands for Vitamin C, B, etc. Is organic really the way to go or are store brands ok? If they don't dissolve in a glass of water, it's not worth taking them, right? Nothing will make it to your system, at least that is what I've heard but I don't know anyone around here that knows enough that I could ask without them trying to sell me their product. Can a Dr give me a good vitamin RX? I wouldn't have a problem going to my Dr, but are RX vitamins really that good? I just dunno! I need a Vitamin Geek! :)
Answers: I'm looking around for some good vitamin brands for Vitamin C, B, etc. Is organic really the way to go or are store brands ok? If they don't dissolve in a glass of water, it's not worth taking them, right? Nothing will make it to your system, at least that is what I've heard but I don't know anyone around here that knows enough that I could ask without them trying to sell me their product. Can a Dr give me a good vitamin RX? I wouldn't have a problem going to my Dr, but are RX vitamins really that good? I just dunno! I need a Vitamin Geek! :)
Truth be told, any answer given here will just be personal opinion (I can give you my opinion if you'd like). There are many higher quality companies out there that are readily available and well priced... just make sure the company has a good rating with either the GMP (Good Manufacturing Practices) or USP (U.S. Pharmacopoeia), as those are the main quality assurance organizations (USP is for the U.S., GMP is for the U.S. and worldwide).
Most vitamins aren't available as organic... that's only the herbs and plants that are grown, plus the fact that certified organic jacks the price way up, too. However, when you find a good high-quality company, their products will likely be as close to organic as possible if they aren't specifically certified organic.
Store brands aren't always good, but that depends on the quality they get. You can ask the store clerk if they are GMP or USP certified... if they don't know, don't buy it. You could try calling the corporate office of the chain and ask about the rating if you really like the products and/or prices, though.
If they don't dissolve in a glass of water, that doesn't mean much of anything... there are many pills that specifically should NOT dissolve in water (usually coated tablets and softgels). The thing is, your stomach has more than water in it... your stomach acid is the equivalent of battery acid. Assuming you have enough acid in your stomach, it could eat through most things you can swallow. That whole line about dissolving in water is simply a marketing ploy for a few companies that might aim at uneducated people and/or elderly people who don't have much stomach acid.
Some of the "quick dissolving" tablets sometimes get stuck in the throat because they dissolve too fast with some saliva and end up absorbing the saliva that normally helps a pill to slide down your throat... that's why some have a coating that won't dissolve in water (like for larger tablets).
There are no prescription multivitamins (meaning one that's only available by prescription), although some doctors may recommend or prescribe a particular brand of OTC vitamins if they have a preference. Sometimes people may need a prescription level of a certain vitamin, which would be a super-mega dose... but those are only used for severe deficiencies because they would easily overdose a healthy person.
While I don't consider myself a "vitamin geek", I hope I helped ;-)
I like organic liquid vitamins. You do know it's best to get it the old fashioned way