Four major criteria may be used for evaluation of premium multivitamins in the medical
marketplace.
A summary is listed below the table.
- Quality Ingredients
- Value
- Compliance
- Independent Rating
Comparison
This table highlights the contents of the manufacturer's
recommended 1-day dose of the premium
multivitamins from Rejuvenation Science®,
Douglas Labs®, VRP, and
Thorne® Research.
|
Supplement |
Rejuvenation Science®
Maximum Vitality® |
Douglas Labs®
Ultra Preventive®
X |
VRP Extend Plus |
Biogenesis®
UltraGenesis™ |
Thorne®
Research Al's Formula |
Comments |
| # pills per day |
2 |
8 |
12 |
6 |
8 |
|
| Price per month |
$29.98 |
$57.10 |
$46.95 |
$38.55 |
$46.70 |
|
| 2007 Comparative Guide rating
NEW |
5 |
5 |
4.5 |
3.5 |
3.5 |
5 is highest, 0 is lowest |
| 2003 Comparative Guide rating |
100* |
95.4 |
93.1 |
none |
46.9 |
*2004 update after publication |
| Premium
Ingredients |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Coenzyme Q10 |
20 mg |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
expensive, assists ATP production |
| Alpha-Lipoic Acid/R-Lipoic Acid |
20/20 mg |
0/0 |
0/15 mg |
0/0 |
0/0 |
expensive, potent antioxidant |
| Gamma E |
67 mg |
0 |
1.3 IU |
0 |
0 |
new research
demonstrates important benefits of these expensive natural forms of
Vitamin E |
| Tocotrienols |
10 mg |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| N-Acetyl Cysteine |
100 mg |
150 mg |
400 mg |
0 |
0 |
|
| Milk Thistle |
72 mg |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
liver health |
| Choline |
50 mg |
0 |
250 mg |
75 mg |
100 mg |
|
| Inositol |
50 mg |
0 |
250 mg |
75 mg |
0 |
|
| DMAE |
30 mg |
0 |
9 mg |
0 |
0 |
|
| Proanthocyanadins |
30 mg |
50 mg |
0 |
0 |
0 |
from grape seed, red wine and pine bark |
| MSM |
25 mg |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
skin & hair |
| Turmeric |
25 mg |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
for immune system, liver |
| Hawthorn |
25 mg |
0 |
0 |
0 |
50 mg |
heart benefits |
| N-Acetyl-L-Tyrosine |
25 mg |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
| Green Tea Extract |
25 mg |
50 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
for immune system |
| Quercetin |
25 mg |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
| Ginkgo Biloba |
20 mg |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
for microcirculation |
| Bilberry |
10 mg |
100 mg |
0 |
0 |
0 |
vision |
| Lycopene |
3 mg |
6 mg |
3 mg |
0 |
0 |
blood pressure |
| Lutein |
2 mg |
6 mg |
3 mg |
42 mcg |
0 |
for vision |
| Black Pepper Extract |
3 mg |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
enhances multivitamin absorption |
| Trimethylglycine |
0 |
0 |
0 |
250 mg |
0 |
|
| Base |
0 |
2,000 mg |
0 |
0 |
0 |
vegetable, fruit, herb, green food base |
| Other minor components |
yes |
yes |
yes |
yes |
yes |
|
| Standard
Ingredients |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Vitamin
A |
2,500 IU |
5,000 IU |
6,000 IU |
5,000 IU |
2,500 IU |
Higher Beta Carotene:Vitamin A ratio is
preferred |
| Beta
Carotene |
12,500 IU |
10,000 IU |
9,000 IU |
15,000* IU |
12,500 IU |
Beta Carotene is converted to Vitamin A as
needed with no toxic build-up.
*mixed carotenoids |
| Vitamin
C |
500 mg |
1,400 mg |
2,400 mg |
600 mg |
850 mg |
|
| Vitamin
D-3 |
200 IU |
400 IU |
800 IU |
400 IU |
800 IU |
|
| Vitamin
E |
200 IU |
400 IU |
400 IU |
400 IU |
400 IU |
d-alpha tocopherol listed here, other forms of E are
listed above |
| Vitamin
K-1 |
100 mcg |
0 |
150 mcg |
0 |
100 mcg |
|
|
Thiamin (vitamin B-1) |
50 mg |
100 mg |
99 mg |
25 mg |
40 mg |
|
|
Riboflavin (vitamin B-2) |
50 mg |
50 mg |
75 mg |
25 mg* |
11 mg |
*activated |
|
Niacin |
50 mg |
40 mg |
300 mg |
125 mg |
160 mg |
|
| Iron |
0 |
0 |
0 |
10 mg |
0 |
multivitamins
should contain no iron |
|
Vitamin B-6 |
50 mg |
100 mg |
99 mg |
25 mg |
16.9 mg |
|
|
Folate |
400 mcg |
800 mcg |
800 mcg |
800 mcg |
1000 mcg |
|
|
Vitamin B-12 |
200 mcg |
250 mcg |
150 mcg |
600 mcg* |
450 mcg |
*all are
methylcobalamin except UltraGenesis |
|
Biotin |
150 mcg |
300 mcg |
750 mcg |
800 mcg |
400 mcg |
|
|
Pantothenic Acid
|
55 mg |
500 mg |
500 mg |
250 mg |
413 mg |
|
|
Calcium |
100 mg |
500 mg |
500 mg |
200 mg |
300 mg |
|
|
Iodine |
100 mcg |
200 mcg |
150 mcg |
200 mcg |
0 |
|
|
Magnesium |
100 mg |
500 mg |
500 mg |
200 mg |
285 mg |
|
|
Zinc |
15 mg |
25 mg |
15 mg |
25 mg |
30 mg |
|
|
Selenium |
100 mcg |
200 mcg |
200 mcg |
200 mcg |
200 mcg |
|
|
Copper |
1 mg |
2 mg |
1,250 mcg |
2 mg |
1.5 mg |
|
|
Manganese |
3 mg |
10 mg |
2.5 mg |
1 mg |
6 mg |
|
|
Chromium |
100 mcg |
200 mcg |
200 mcg |
200 mcg |
200 mcg |
|
|
Molybdenum |
100 mcg |
100 mcg |
100 mcg |
100 mcg |
100 mcg |
|
|
Potassium |
50 mg |
0 |
100 mg |
99 mg |
90 mg |
|
Based on information posted on the manufacturers' websites on
12/25/06, except Biogenesis information as of 10/12/08.
Quality Ingredients:
Each multivitamin uses quality ingredients in the standard
multivitamin components, such as the methylcobalamin form of
Vitamin B-12, the D-3 form of Vitamin D, and a mix of various
forms of minerals utilizing the amino acid chelate or krebs
cycle form of the mineral (with the exception of Biogenesis®
and Thorne®
Research) for greater absorption.
Maximum Vitality® includes a number of expensive ingredients
not included in the competitive offerings. These include
Coenzyme Q10, alpha- and r-lipoic acid, the gamma and
tocotrienol forms of vitamin E, and proanthocyanidins from grape
seed. Many of the ingredients in smaller quantities are
included to balance and enhance overall health. These
dosages are not intended to cure disease or patients with
serious deficiencies.
Value
With the lowest price per month, your patients will be
pleased in your choice of Maximum Vitality as the greatest value
for your patients.
Compliance
Compliance is perhaps the most critical confounding factor.
For if the patient is required to follow too difficult a dosing
protocol, and ends up not taking their multivitamin, then no
matter how high the quality, the unused supplements provide no
value. Maximum Vitality provides the greatest ease of
compliance with a dose of only 2 tablets per day.
Independent Rating
Confirming the quality ingredients, value and compliance,
Lyle MacWilliam's Comparative
Guide to Nutritional Supplements assigned Rejuvenation
Science® Maximum Vitality™
formula a rating of 100 in an update to their
2003 edition. In the 2007 edition, Maximum Vitality™ earned a rating in the
top
1%
of the 1,600 multivitamins rated in this new edition.
