
LABEL LOSER #4: Folate or folic acid for vitamin B9įORMULATED WITH THIS FOE: Olly Multivitamin, Tespo, Vitafusion, One-a-day womens, Centrum, Optimum Nutrition Opti-Women, Alive Liquid Multivitamin, Emergen-C, One-a-day, Kirkland Daily Multi Popping sugar-laden gummies could trigger your cravings cycle and send you down a slippery slope! Additionally, sugar is more addictive than cocaine. Why would you add an ingredient that hinders the absorption of 5 other micronutrients into a multi? It’s simply not smart. Even slightly elevated blood sugar levels can block vitamin C from getting in and can cause a weakened immune system. And vitamin C is also negatively affected by sugar because of similar chemical structures, vitamin C and glucose (a type of sugar) compete for entry into your cells. This is because while sugar’s sweet flavor may be appetizing, its depletion of calcium, magnesium, chromium, and copper is not, especially when you consider the negative side effects of becoming deficient in these essential minerals. Cramps, abdominal pain, vomiting, nausea, diarrhea, and liver damage are all common when taking supplements that include copper.įORMULATED WITH THIS FOE: Olly Multivitamins, Smarty Pants Gummies, VitafusionĮven if the sugar is organic and in the form of cane sugar it has no place in a multivitamin. Even so, the evidence that excess iron and copper contribute to brain deterioration has reached the point where we have to take it seriously.”Īdditionally, pregnant woman should avoid copper in multivitamins because copper levels can nearly double during pregnancy making toxicity a concern.

“Given that nearly half of Americans develop Alzheimer’s disease by age 85, we need to urge consumers to err on the side of caution…Research on the links between metals and brain damage is ongoing. Neal Barnard, M.D., president of the Physicians Committee, stated in his letter to FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg, M.D. Many Alzheimer’s patients have been found to have elevated levels of copper, and in studies, it was determined that many of those affected took multivitamins with copper.īased on this research The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) published a statement calling for the FDA to require multivitamin manufacturers to reformulate many of the most trusted multivitamins on the market without copper or iron. Taking a multivitamin with copper is generally not recommended because too much copper in the body can hinder your body’s ability to destroy the proteins that form the plaques found in the brain of Alzheimer’s patients. If you choose to take iron, take a high quality multivitamin WITHOUT iron ( such as nutreince) and a stand-alone iron supplement, at a separate time of day, at least 4 hours away from your multi.įORMULATED WITH THIS FOE: One-a-day women’s, Centrum, Optimum Nutrition Opti-Women, Alive Liquid Multivitamin, Mytrition, Kirkland Daily Multi ( Learn more about micronutrient competition here) When you see this nutrient listed on your supplement facts – WATCH OUT! You should know that iron competes with ten (10) other micronutrients – making multivitamins formulated with iron highly susceptible to poor absorption rates. If you are a pre-menopausal woman, an athlete that works out for more than 6 hours a week, or a strict vegan/vegetarian you may want to consider iron supplementation… HOWEVER…! In general, iron supplementation is not recommended for adult males and postmenopausal women. Too much iron may be toxic-and even fatal.


Because of this, you may want to take an iron-free multivitamin to avoid iron overload, a medical condition that causes excess iron to be stored in vital organs such as the liver and heart. However, the National Institutes of Health’s Office of Dietary Supplements has indicated that too much iron can cause serious health complications. Iron is a vital mineral your body needs to function normally. Here are 5 label losers to steer clear of, and a list of just a few of the supplement brands we found formulated with these do not want ingredients.įORMULATED WITH THIS FOE: Ritual Multivitamin, Optimum Nutrition Opti-Women, Kirkland Daily Multi

But, what if the product you are choosing is actually blocking nutrients, or may even be dangerous for certain individuals. You take a multivitamin as an insurance policy to make sure you are getting all of the essential vitamins and minerals you need to thrive.
