| While getting all your essential nutrients from | | | | But, from plants like raw broccoli, the minerals are |
| natural foods is ideal, it may not be practical in | | | | 63% to 78% absorbable. |
| today's society and many people turn to vitamin | | | | The reason for this difference in absorption is that |
| pills to supplement their diets. Make no mistake | | | | in nature, each vitamin and mineral molecule is |
| about it however, vitamin supplements are big | | | | attached to a protein molecule. That's why you |
| business and not all manufacturers have your | | | | must take your vitamin supplements with meals - |
| best interests at heart. | | | | unless stated otherwise on the label. During |
| There are thousands of supplements to choose | | | | digestion, only about 10% of the vitamin and |
| from and consumers spend billions of dollars each | | | | mineral molecules, aided by enzymes, will attach |
| year - many never get even a small fraction of | | | | to the protein molecules found in your food |
| their money's worth. | | | | allowing them to be absorbed and used by your |
| How do you choose a vitamin supplement that | | | | cells. Without these accompanying proteins, the |
| won't just go down the toilet? | | | | body will see the vitamin isolates as a foreign |
| There are 3 types of vitamin supplement delivery | | | | substance and filter it out. That's why you might |
| systems. Capsules, Liquid, and tablets. The trick is | | | | have noticed bright yellow urine after you take a |
| to pick one that dissolves properly and does not | | | | vitamin - that's your bodies way of getting rid of |
| just "pass through" thus wasting your hard earned | | | | chemicals it thinks it can't use. |
| money. | | | | When selecting a vitamin supplement, make sure |
| The liquid would be the best, but unfortunately | | | | it has adequate amounts of the vitamins and |
| there are not many choices out on the market. | | | | minerals you want. Remember only about 10% of |
| Plus, the can be inconvenient and they taste like | | | | what is in the supplement will be absorbed. Look |
| cough syrup. But, they are great if you can't | | | | for the BP (British Pharmacopoeia) or USP (United |
| swallow pills and are good for kids as well. | | | | States Pharmacopoeia) designation on the label. |
| Tablets are the most common form of vitamin | | | | You will find the USP or BP initials next the the |
| supplement. They are made by mixing in an | | | | vitamin and this designation means the vitamin |
| organic or inorganic cement and compressing | | | | isolates are of the highest quality and are easily |
| them into shape. For the pills to dissolve properly, | | | | dissolved in the digestion process. |
| an organic cement should be used but this costs | | | | When looking at the minerals section of the label, |
| more and as you can imagine, many | | | | look for "chelate" or "chelated". This indicates that |
| manufacturers skimp on this stel. There are also | | | | the minerals are attached to protein prior to being |
| coated tablets that resemble little candy-coated | | | | added to the supplement. This increases |
| M&M's. These are very commonly found in | | | | absorption by 400% to 800%. |
| the one a day cheap drug store vitamins. | | | | Look for a supplement with a "food base". This is |
| Capsules are gelatin containers that dissolve | | | | concentrated plant material to which the vitamins |
| quickly and in most cases the best choice. | | | | and minerals are added. Supplements with a food |
| Because they're not compressed like the tablets, | | | | base will contain enzymes and nutrients that |
| you will typically have to take two of them to | | | | boost the absorption of the vitamins and minerals. |
| equal one tablet. | | | | This is probably the best type of vitamin you can |
| One important thing with vitamin supplements is | | | | buy but the tablets will be larger and you may |
| that you want to make sure you absorb as much | | | | have to take more of them. |
| as possible, otherwise you are just wasting your | | | | Nutritional supplements can never take the place |
| money. Studies have shown that individual vitamin | | | | of food and should not be used as a crutch to |
| isolates found in supplements are only about 10% | | | | supplement a poor diet. The best recipe for health |
| absorbed while vitamins directly from a fresh | | | | is to eat a nutritious and healthy diet which can be |
| plant source are 77% to 93% absorbed. Minerals | | | | supplement when necessary. |
| have an even lower absorption rate - 1% to 5%. | | | | |