To OP,
Hitting to GNC store and buying a bunch of supplements is not going to solve your problem. There are tons of supplement manufacturers and their quality varies. I usually buy supplements those are USP certified. Some of them are here http://www.usp.org/usp-verification-services/usp-verified-dietary-supplements/verified-supplements .
Now that you know certified supplements, you have to study which form of the supplement is better. For example, many calcium supplements are available as Calcium Carbonate (which is also an antacid) but if your focus is calcium, you should be buying a combination of Calcium Malate and Calcium citrate (I think, its abbreviated as CSM). More Calcium is available for absorption through these compounds (Your choice is correct).
Or
If you want B12, I would prefer Methylcobalamin to Cyanocobalamin form. The reason is, methyl form also acts in detox system and is more bioavailable.
Third, did you check how much is in there in those supplements and how much you are up or down the RDA? What kind of diet do you eat? Do you know how much of what you get or don't get out of it? Did you calculate correctly (this will be lot different than RDA)? (For example, I am a vegetarian and I know my Vit A and E intake is low so I need to supplement it. Since fortified foods contain Retinal and I would like to have a form close to Retinol, I would prefer Retinyl Palmitate form of Vitamin A, about
5000IU daily, because my multivitamin supplies me with 5000IU, 66% of which is beta-carotene, which is made bioavailable only if required)
These are few pointers. Lets say, you did your homework and got your stuff. Now you just can not swallow stuff as and when you want. You have to time and combine it correctly so that its best absorbed, like fat soluble vitamins should preferably eaten with fatty food (not fries really but little cheese in breakfast should do the job) Check if these supplements interact with other supplements or drugs (since you asked a global question, if you are missing something in supplements)
Personally, if you ask me, I add fat soluble vitamins as well. I know excess of them is toxic but looking at my diet (or even regular american diet) we don't get as much of fat soluble vitamins, if you compare it to old traditional diets of our grandparents. You could give a week-off to these supplements if you think you are taking excess or showing any symptoms of toxicity (but then you need to have records)
Apologies if this post sounds like bashing but hardly any doc will take time to tell you this stuff. They either tell you don't take anything or take as you wish. These are very important things you have to consider if you want any/most benefit out of your supplements. Of course, nothing beats eating best quality food as a natural source.
hineycase said...
Stick with liquid or soft liquid gel cap vitamins and supplements. They are absorbed much more easily by your body than tablets.
Who says that? It depends on particular formulation. Even a liquid can be difficult to absorb and the tablet could be absorbed quickly. Do you have any dissociation or pK/pD studies to support your statement?