Tablets vs Capsules
I think it's safe to say tablets are less efficient than capsules. So is it important to get everything in capsule form?
I actually agree with this in part b/c of a prescription medication I take for acid reflux. The brand name (Nexium) one was a capsule. Worked like a top. One day I go get it refilled and the pharmacist says "new insurance requires you use the generic." It was a tablet. Within a week, symptoms were back and the tablet form was not doing any good at the same dosage as the capsule.
So, I am a big believer that the delivery mechanism can be just as important as the medication/supplement itself.
That said, capsule multi's can be hard to find. Plus, most multi-vitamin supplements have more than you need. When you pee hi-lighter yellow after taking them, that is the water-soluble vitamins that your body did not process. IOW -- you had plenty.
One trick I've read is to take a vitamin and put it in a glass. Just barely cover it with white vinegar and set a timer for 30 minutes. If you come back after that time and it is totally dissolved, then it will readily absorb in your stomach. I've tried this with One-A-Day and it works in about 20 minutes.
Multivitamin
What is a good but cheap multivitamin? Does a 'better' multivitamin really make a difference over another? How do you decide which MV to buy?
You probably won't go wrong with something like Centrum or One-A-Day although most health food/supplement store will sell a brand of their own. GNC makes one called Mega-ultra or something like that.
The difference is that they tell you to take two vs. 1 of the others because they will try to tell you that your diet is vitamin deficient and to use it as replacement vs. supplementation. BUT, if you compare labels, what you will probably discover is that one of the GNC pills is equal to one of the others. So basically, they are saying take two a day because more has to be better right?
Well, check out this link:
More is NOT always better. Fat-soluble vitamins can build up to toxic levels. Water-soluble you just pee out and waste $ on what your body does not absorb.
Other Vitamins
I've been told that the best vitamin supplements to take are C, E, and B. I know that it depends on who you are, but for me and my overall health, are these important to take in addition to a MV?
FYI
I am on a loose diet ( i go for high protein, low fat intake, moderate carbs and calories)
22 year old male
155 lbs
5 11
weight lift 5x a week
You'd probably be ok with something like a One-A-Day Men's or the cheaper "store brand" equivelent (Walgreen's, CVS, Walmart, etc. all have their own brands that are identical in makeup). If you wanna try one from a supplement shop, compare it to the labels on the drug store ones and consider cutting the dosage to a comparable level.
