Vitamins for Energy: Best Multivitamin For the Money
Whenever I’m feeling a little low on energy I look at a few things in my life. These include sleep, diet, exercise, stress and overall activity level. If all these things seem to be in order than I take a look at what multivitamin I’m taking. I have always believed in taking a multivitamin just to cover all my bases. It’s an easy way to safeguard against any potential vitamin and mineral deficiency in my diet.
I have tried a number of different vitamins over the years. The last one I was taking was GNC’s Megeman. I even did a quick video about it if you want to check it out. I was happy with Megeman for a while because it was a relatively cheap multivitamin that did not upset my stomach. It was lacking a few essential constituents like coenzyme Q10 and enough calcium; however, so it might not have been as economical as I thought.
Recommended Multivitamins for Energy and Good Health:
The multivitamin I’m taking now is called Damage Control Master Formula I first heard about damage control about seven years ago when one of my personal training clients went to a famous anti-aging doctor in NYC. This doctor has an A-list of celebrity and high power clients. He told her that Damage Control Master Formula was the best multivitamin formula on the market. Not only did my client start taking it but she also gave me a container of it, as well. I remember reading the label and was impressed with all the high potency antioxidants so I gave it a try.
One concern I have with taking any new vitamin supplement is whether it will upset my stomach. I was happy to see that it did not upset my stomach and I felt great taking it. My energy level was good and it was easy to take because the vitamins come in a small packet, which is easy to carry with you. The only reason that I stopped taking it is due to the cost. At that time the supplement was just too much money for me to spend so I started looking for cheaper alternatives.
Now money is not an issue so I’m taking Damage Control Master Formula again and I’m very satisfied with the product. The manufacture is Mark Sisson who has one of the more popular health and fitness web sites called Mark’s Daily Apple. I’m a regular reader of his blog and trust him as a manufacture of supplements. If you start reading his blog you will learn that he really knows his stuff.
If you’re looking to take vitamins for energy or just want to safeguard your diet against any deficiencies give this Multivitamin a try and see how you feel.
My Best Multivitamin Picks:
Least Expensive Multivitamin – GNC’s Megeman or Women’s Ultra Mega
Worlds Best High Potency MultiVitamin – Damage Control Master Formula
Let me know if you like to take a multi-vitamin. Does it give you more energy?
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Best – Mike Cola
Fitness Contrarian – Fitness Blog
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I take Costco’s Kirkland Signature Performance Multi Vitamin. $13.99 for 300 of them. Inexpensive and I think they more than do the job.
http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?Prodid=11098484
In my experience I have found that for vitamin options the best thing to do is go with a multi-vitamin targeted specifically for your age, gender and/or level of activity.
For example, a man should go with something like a multi-vitamin “for men” and women should go with one that has “Women” on the label.
If you work out and are active then something like a multi vitamin that says “Sport,” is best.
Just a small tip for anyone reading this.
-Sam
When eating a balanced diet, you really shouldn’t be taking multivitamins. Our bodies have evolved to regulate our vitamin and mineral levels based on a hunter gatherer’s sporadic and varied diet, a diet in which there are large lapses in the bio-availability of key nutrients. Lapses that don’t occur for anyone with a moderately varied diet.
When you are feeling lethargic, it is unlikely to be a multivitamin deficiency, unless you are existing on a single food-type or neglecting all fruit and vegetables. Especially if you eat pre-prepared cereals or protein shakes that already contain an abundance of added vitamins and minerals.
With this in mind, rather than “covering your bases”, you are actually dosing yourself in far too much of a vitamin or mineral than your own metabolic processes can deal with, which in the long-term can have serious health consequences. A meta-analysis conducted by Copenhagen University 2007 showed a 32% increase in porostate cancer in men who take a daily multivitamin, compared to those who don’t, and double the risk of fatal prostate cancer.
The risk was most pronounced in those that took Selenium, beta-carotene or zinc supplements, of which Damage Control Master contains 287%, 200% and 200% the RDA, respectively.
Also, regarding premature death, supplemented Beta-carotene produced an approximate 7% increased risk, vitamin E a 4% increase and vitamin A, a 16% increase.
Pretty damn scary. It also makes a lot of sense: every chemical has a point where it is effective in the body and when this point is reached, the chemical can become damaging: drink too much water and you become water intoxicated, your brain swells and you die; too much oxygen and you suffocate.
Imagine what the long-term effects of dosing yourself in Vitamins & Minerals you already receive in your diet is going to have….
Multi-vitamins just seem part of the crude 60s Americana way of seeing things…”if you do more of something, it’s more better for you” . The same applied to weight training and exercise and as we understand know, gains and physical benefits are actually far more complex and contrary to any kind of crude, folk-psychological extrapolations…..
Hey David,
Thanks for taking the time for leaving such an in-depth comment. You made a very good argument against taking vitamins if you are eating well. I‘m always interested in hearing the contrarian view that is why I started this blog.
I found a great article in Readers Digest called The Vitamin Myth that discusses and debates a lot of what David is saying. In my opinion, you can find research that both supports and negates taking vitamins. I personally feel good when I take them so I’m a believer. But I’m very open-minded and always interested in the latest research and findings.
I have had the vitamin discussion with a number of my clients and friends who are doctors. While some of them think it is a waste of time taking vitamins (unless during pregnancy where you should take Folic Acid) others thinks it a good idea and personally take them. For example, my pediatrician wants my kids to take a multi-vitamin every day.
It’s hard to measure the effectiveness of taking a multi-vitamin. I think it’s a good idea to experiment by going on and off and see how you feel. Talk about it with your doctor and see what they have to say.
Great comment David
Best – Mike
Hi Sam,
You make a good point. Gender specific multi-vitamins can be a good idea.
Thanks for the comment.
@ Peter
Thanks for the multi-vitamin pick.
Best – Mike
In my experience about two years ago, after a pretty tiring time, i started taking a multi-vitamin, 1 mg vitamin C and fish oil, I felt much brighter and more alive! But since then I have improved my diet, exercising more and when I took break and returned to them the effects were much less noticeable.
So, now I take specific ones depending on the situation – whether I have a cold, run down, overworked . . seems to work well. Diet I would say is the best – but hey, a little help every now and then . . .
I found these reviews on Amazon about the Damage Control Master Formula:
These are excellent vitamins, May 24, 2010
By
Irene Annette “Samba Baby” (Los Angeles, CA) –
This review is from: Damage Control Master Formula Vitamins, Minerals & More by Primal Nutrition (Health and Beauty)
My doctor suggested I take these Damage Control Vitamins to give me more energy. I was a bit stunned to discover I needed to take 12 of these pills a day. But I did it and I must they I did get my energy back and feel much better. I found I don’t need to take the whole dose every day. I was concerned that taking so many pills would give me a stomach ache. But that is not the case at all. My stomach feels fine. If you are a little low on energy I recommend these vitamins.
Makes me feel good, November 16, 2008
By
rlf “rlfrey” (Colorado)
This review is from: Damage Control Master Formula Vitamins, Minerals & More by Primal Nutrition (Health and Beauty)
After hitting 50 I needed something besides coffee to get me going in the morning and to help those periodic aches and pains. This is the solution. It gives me energy and has taken away the stiffness in my joints, and best of all my mind is clearer. I’ve been using Damage Control Master Forumula for over 3 months and I highly recommend it.
Amazing vitamin/herbal mixed suppliment, March 13, 2010
By
M. Domingo “love my kitchen” (maryland)
This review is from: Damage Control Master Formula Vitamins, Minerals & More by Primal Nutrition (Health and Beauty)
I had been reading about this Damage Control Master Formula for some time now. I read the blog daily of the creator of the formula. Knowing that he puts his all into helping people understand health and nutrition, I wasn’t too scared to try it. After all, most of the vitamins and herbals in this formula I have been wanting to take, but it was just to costly to buy them seperate and too many pills to take on a daily basis.
So just about 2 weeks ago I received this formula.. I didn’t want to take the dose that it recomended, so i decided to take only 3 pills in the morning as opposed to the 6 pills that it recommends twice daily. Even with this decrease in dosage, I have experienced amazing results. These pills have made me feel more balanced than ever. I feel like i want to eat less, I am more mentally balanced and no longer feel i am on an emotional roller coaster ride. I have an amazing amount of energy…I had no pre menstrual “mood” issues this month or other symptoms, and I really feel it is due to this suppliment.. I take it along with another fish oil suppliment that he sells on his Primal Nutrition website. I am currently running a houshold with 2 children under the age of three while my husband is in Afghanistan. I have tons of stress and the tiniest of tantrums used to set me off into an emotional frenzy.. That hasn’t happened to me at all since taking this formula. I feel more in control of myself, and i feel like my body is reaping benefits. My skin is becoming more shiny, my nails are growing, I have a nice facial glow to me that i didn’t have before. (And NO, i’m not pregnant) lol.. Anyhow, i know this formula works well for men already by reading other reviews, but I am a woman and I will NOT ever go back to taking any other “womans” vitamin out there. Awesome stuff. I highly recommend you look at the list of vitamins and herb content in it before you decide to take it, you can find a list on the creators primal nutrition website.