Cheap Vitamins etc?

mrs_baggins

I was looking in Boots and high street shops the other day for various vitamins and the ones I wanted (st Johns wort) were just so expensive . I have been looking at a couple of online sites and for the same type of thing (strenghth etc) they seem to work out cheaper and I know that they SHOULD be the same thing but I just wonder if they are in fact. I dont suppose that vitamins and things are regulated so how do you know that you are getting whatyou think you have ordered? or am I just being a bit silly?

Ted_Hutchinson

I think all vitamin & supplement sellers have to meet hygiene and their advertised specification standards so in my view 500mg of vitamin c is the same from Boots as it is from H&B or Zipvit or Simply Supplements.

Variations will occur where other ingredients are added and different formulations apply. So a time release vitamin c will be more effective than a non time release vitamin c because the body can only deal with a limited amount at time and wastes large doses.

However with Vitamin d3 it will absorb a large amount and it will use that so that in 3 weeks around half is still working. So there would be no point in a time release vitamin d3 formulation.

St John's Wort acts a bit like an SSRI anti-depressant so, like lightboxes, is treating the symptoms and not the cause of Winter Blues. Since I've been taking High Strength (5000iu/d) vitamin d3 my mood has been much better. I also take a high dose OMEGA 3 (Zipvit omega juice) to help mood stabilisation. As both Vit d and Omega 3 have pleiotropic (work on many different parts of the body at the same time) benefits you won't be wasting your money if you don't notice the effect straight away. Both may take 8-12 weeks to correct any insufficiency status.

When I was using St John's Wort I used the Zipvit ones can't say though how they compared with Boots or Tesco's because I didn't try theirs. As the high street stores sometimes have half price, buy 2 get one free, or similar promotions I'm sure they all source their supplies from similar manufacturers. Many people swear by Healthspan, They use the right kind of vitamin d3, They regularly have a discount code for £2 off £15 I'll look for one and edit it in unless someone beats me to it.

anniewoo

I get most of my supplements from H&B,usually in store,but sometimes online.

They always seem to have half price offers on and a couple of days ago when I went in,there were also a lot of BOGOF offers.

Natures Best is also a good company that I use sometimes.

mrs_baggins

Thanks for the feedback. I will look into the various diffent ways to buy after christmas and give it a go. I think I was jusy thinking that if something is a lot cheaper than high street shops it could just be capsules filled with anything!! thats what comes about reading about fake NHS drigs on the market! Your mind goes off at a tangent-well mine does anyway

Ted_Hutchinson

Tesco's 30's Omega 3 1000mg capsules are now on offer buy 2 get lowest price free so work out at 2.5p each so are cheaper than Simply Supplements, who are cheaper than Zipvit. So stock up now.
Quite surprised that Aldi aren't particularly cheap.
I don't use these myself but live with someone who can't stand Omega Juice.

miken

Usually have Tesco Multivitamins and I have been happy with them for years.
Just noticed that they now contail Gelatine which for us Veggies is a no no.
Anyone suggest other makes that would be suitable.
Thanks

Ted_Hutchinson

It really depends on how strictly veggie you are.
I use Boots Complete A-Z these don't contain gelatine but are labelled as Not suitable for vegetarians however that will be because Vitamin D3 Cholecalciferol is made from lanolin, with comes from the waste products from wool making. It isn't coming from the carcass of the sheep so no animals are killed to make it. So if your the kind of veggie that wears woolen jumpers there should be no ethical dilemma.
Zipvit A04b
Multi-Vitamins and Minerals - 360 (size M)
7.75
are OK for veggies but this must mean they use Ergocalciferol and The case against ergocalciferol (vitamin D2) as a vitamin ... explains why this is a poor second best option.
So if you are not prepared to use wool or wool derived products, sun exposure,(three weeks in tropical sunshine in January) sunbed/tanning studio will be your best option for ensuring you stay in the high Vitamin d status group that has 50% lower risk of breast, colon, prostate cancer and MS and using ergocalciferol the least best option.
Do remember the current RDA for Vit d is not science based. The amount your body really needs is here and the results of misguided people using supplements and thinking they must have adequate Vitamin D status is here

miken

Thanks Ted, a good clear explanation.
Will try the Boots one as you suggest it.

Regards

Nikiya

Thanks Ted! Never heard of those manufacturers but the vitamins seem to be dead cheap....I buy Solgar multis one a day and they come at nearly 8 pounds a month (never manage to get the pound sign in this site!!)...
The Solgar extra potency do have a lot more ingredients but no Vit A. I noticed the ZipVit formula contains: Vitamin A 800mcg. Now Vit A seems to increase or promote osteoporosis and I suspect that is why it is missing in the Solgar formula.
To tell you the truth I never quite know what to do with multis and they DO cost a fortune... I suffer from CFS and need to take them.

Factor25

These are working out about £16 a month. MIL finds them very good but I cant find anything with exactly the same ingredients, they are the ones with Glucosamine plus Chondroitin & cod liver oil. Plus projoint formula vitamins, calcium, amino acids & minerals.