The Best multivitamin

Power Player

Power Player

Bionic Poster
Many folks take the classic "one a day" type multis you buy at the grocer. I was that guy..well I have converted to Orange Triad, and I was wondering who else takes it.

I have immediately noticed a much more regulated digestive system. It is a multi, so it's tough to gauge too much, but I feel like this could make a huge difference for athletes since they provide so much more than a crappy one a day type.

Thoughts?
 
Power Player

Power Player

Bionic Poster
4/10 on the r2473 quip scale..I know you can bring more than that my man.

I was mainly interested in who uses what (or even thinks twice about this stuff), it does make a difference IMO.
 
Kevin T

Kevin T

Hall of Fame
I like the disclaimer from Controlled Labs:

For best results, Orange Triad™ should be used in combination with other Controlled Labs products, at least 1-2 gallons of water per day, a high protein/moderate carbohydrate diet.

So I hope you are drinking 1-2 gallons of water per day, PP. :) Their source of chondroitin is beef trachea, so hope you're cool with that. It also contains shellfish-derived ingredients-just FYI for potential allergies. I haven't seen much on Controlled Labs products on the US Pharmacopeia website. Orange Triad is listed on the Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database website but it requires a subscription to access. I'm always suspicious of products actually containing what they say they contain, particularly from smaller companies.
 
r2473

r2473

G.O.A.T.
I lift some weights, but I don't read any of the garbage surrounding the "sport".

Keep it simple.
 
S

StreetFighter

New User
I have used Orange Triad, along with Usana Essentials, Anavite, Animal Pak, OptiMen, Activite, OrthoCore.
Optimen is not recommended, worst out of all of them.
Usana is not recommended, unless you can get it free or extremely cheap, but overall not a bad experience.
The rest helped with digestive system as you experienced equally well. If I was going by blind personal experience, I wouldnt be able to differentiate between them. (I could with OptiMen, it had a negative impact)
 
R

Ramon

Legend
I take Now Adam, and I used to take Optimum Opti-Men. Both of those are similar to Orange Triad but a little less expensive. Orange Triad has joint supplements which I'm already taking. Opti-Men has a bunch of ingredients that are gender and bodybuilding specific, but I'm skeptical that there's actually enough to do some good. Now Adam has gender specific health ingredients, and they list the amounts, which are significant enough to have benefits.
 
Power Player

Power Player

Bionic Poster
Kevin T said:
I like the disclaimer from Controlled Labs:

For best results, Orange Triad™ should be used in combination with other Controlled Labs products, at least 1-2 gallons of water per day, a high protein/moderate carbohydrate diet.

So I hope you are drinking 1-2 gallons of water per day, PP. :) Their source of chondroitin is beef trachea, so hope you're cool with that. It also contains shellfish-derived ingredients-just FYI for potential allergies. I haven't seen much on Controlled Labs products on the US Pharmacopeia website. Orange Triad is listed on the Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database website but it requires a subscription to access. I'm always suspicious of products actually containing what they say they contain, particularly from smaller companies.
Click to expand...


Yeah, you have to drink a lot of water..but as tennis players we should be doing that anyway. I am around a gallon a day, multis or not.

Controlled Labs has been a real solid supplement manufacturer for a while now.

It's easy to say that you take a basic multi and fish oil and thats it..but the harder you exercise and older you get, IMO the supplements should be revisited. tennis can be super physical, and you add in weightlifting and other exercise, and I don't see anything wrong with better vitamins and recovery aids.

I take the Triad, Vitamin D3, Magnesium, Fish Oil and Zyflamend for my wrist. Switched over to Cytomax as well and dumped the powerade.

The Triad has been extremely popular for 3 years now, so I am interested in how it works for me, and if anyone else takes it or something similar.

Yes I have heard to avoid Optimen as well.
 
SystemicAnomaly

SystemicAnomaly

Bionic Poster
I've not taken any uber multi-vitamin supplements in a quite a while (or even the cheaper 1-a-day). However, I might be tempted to try Orange Triad for a while (but I doubt that I would take 6/day; perhaps only 3-4/day). ADAM from Now (Foods) looks very impressive as well and is quite a cheaper. You might consider alternating the 2 products to save some coin.

Took a look at some reviews at various sites and the general consensus on both Orange Triad and ADAM was very positive. Many commented on the high price of the former. Some positive feedback on the joint support and the digestive support of Orange Triad. ADAM appears to have digestive enzymes as well (but does not have the joint complex).

Even with one of these products, I'd still be tempted to add some additional vitamin D. Might also consider a food carotene product if you believe that you are not getting enough from your fruit and vegetable intake. In addition to β-carotene, a food carotene product would also include α-carotene, possibly γ-carotene, and various oxygenated carotenoids (such as lutein, zeaxanthin, etc.).

You might also want to look for a vitamin E source that contains more than just α-Tocopherol. Some foods and supplements also contain a number of other vitamin E compounds -- a mix of various tocopherols and tocotrienols.


http://www.supplementreviews.com/forum/index.php?topic=9002.0

http://www.supplementreviews.com/controlled-labs/orange-triad
 
ollinger

ollinger

G.O.A.T.
Meaningful comparisons of multis are probably impossible, but if you're concerned about impurities and quality control, Centrum would be a great choice. A patient of mine is a quality control chemist at Wyeth, recently purchased by Pfizer, where it's made. He tells me what they go through to assure purity and quality there, and it's really impressive. They're constantly checking and rechecking absolutely everything. People like to rag on "Big Pharma" here but Big Pharma clearly has the money and resources to make a pure, high quality product.
 
mikeler

mikeler

Moderator
SA,

PP lives in sunny Florida so just curious why you recommend additional vitamin D with all the outdoor exposure that we get here?
 
r2473

r2473

G.O.A.T.
I don't like the marketing for Centrum. Seems too much like a multi for the uninformed common man. And it doesn't cost enough.

My multi needs to be naturally harvested from the exotic plants of the remote region of some exotic region of the world. They also need to be Kosher.

EDIT: Well I'll be damned. I was just making that up.

http://www.koshervitamins.com/
 
Last edited:
Power Player

Power Player

Bionic Poster
Nice SA, I am currently taking D3 as well.

The Adam looks real good..I will go through this bottle of Orange Triad and see how it goes. If I like it and can budget it, I will stay with it, if not I'll try the Adam.

I was taking Centrum beforehand. The complete version. It is not as loaded with vitamins obviously. Main thing I noticed was the digestive was not nearly like it is now.

r2, I don't know why you are being so snide about it. The "common man" does not exercise as much as us and exert themselves as much physically.
 
LuckyR

LuckyR

Legend
The "best" multi-vitamin by a truly objective measure (as opposed advertising BS) is the cheapest one you can find.
 
Power Player

Power Player

Bionic Poster
LuckyR said:
You are the reason that the advertising industry exists.
Click to expand...

No you would be. And the reason for that is there are links posted in this thread that prove what I am saying, while you posted nothing.

You can make smart comments all day long and think you have it all figured out. Doesn't mean you know anything.
 
Power Player

Power Player

Bionic Poster
I play with a doctor who told me about trying better multis and also suggested dosing Vitamin D3 as well. He said that he is suggesting that to all his patients.
 
r2473

r2473

G.O.A.T.
Power Player said:
r2, I don't know why you are being so snide about it. The "common man" does not exercise as much as us and exert themselves as much physically.
Click to expand...

I love to eat and eat like a friggin' king. If I'm missing something from my diet, it ain't for lack of trying :)

And I ain't exactly exercising like a professional athlete. I lift a few weights, run a few miles, and play a few games. Maybe an hour a day. Not exactly a high demand.

Look, if you need 'em, take 'em. Like Ollinger said, there really is not way to know what is really in the bottles and no real way to compare. And like LuckyR says, any "research" you do will be comparing company marketing in reality. For all I know Centrum is as good as anything else. How the hell would anyone be able to really say differently?

Maybe read the book KevinT suggested in a different thread. If nothing else, it should keep you busy for a while (and put you right to sleep which will surely have a health benefit):

http://www.amazon.com/Advanced-Nutrition-Metabolism-Sareen-Gropper/dp/0495116572

Actually, I stand by my first post: Go with your gut.
 
Last edited:
Power Player

Power Player

Bionic Poster
Oh, I am working out and exercising so much that I felt the need to make a few changes. If I was more laid back currently, I would be fine with the Centrum possibly.
 
Kevin T

Kevin T

Hall of Fame
Power Player said:
Oh, I am working out and exercising so much that I felt the need to make a few changes. If I was more laid back currently, I would be fine with the Centrum possibly.
Click to expand...

I think that's the point of disagreement. Is there really a need? None of us here is working as hard as college/pro/Olympic athletes and the majority of these guys/gals do just fine with whole foods.

http://www.hokiesports.com/nutrition/oasis.html

I have personal experience as an athlete at Tech. The multis on hand were Nature Made (can get them anywhere and always test high for actually containing what the label says) but were only recommended for those with horrible dietary practices. They have also used the "chocolate milk" post-recovery drinks for years, even before it was fashionable. I know their former sports dietitian well (Amy Freel)-she just moved to Indiana U. This link has a nice article about Nebraska's sports nutrition program and the focus on whole foods.

http://www.sportsrd.org/News_I0FI.html

Last I heard about Liz Applegate (UC-Davis professor), she was still team nutritionist for the Oakland Raiders and I know for sure she only recommends supplements as a last resort.
 
Power Player

Power Player

Bionic Poster
I was having trouble with recovery and this is why the doc suggested the change. I'll be honest, so far it has really helped me out.

The 2nd link you posted says they do use supps, they just scrutinize them to make sure they are NCAA compliant . And I know they do for a fact anyway. I have close friends that played D1 NCAA football and all took issued supplements. What they are doing now is designing specific diets for each athlete, and that definitely makes a difference as well.

I don't train like a pro athlete, but I would say I train harder than the average person. 75 miles a week on the cycle, 3-4 days in the gym, 6-10 a week of tennis. It gets to you and can be tough to recover.
 
Last edited:
B

Boricua

Hall of Fame
I like collagen and echinacea to name two supplements.

I try to eat healthy and eat organic cereal and organic yogurt.

Besides multivitamins, fruits and vegetables are essential. A juicer is a great buy, I will get one in the future.
 
Kevin T

Kevin T

Hall of Fame
Power Player said:
I was having trouble with recovery and this is why the doc suggested the change. I'll be honest, so far it has really helped me out.

The 2nd link you posted says they do use supps, they just scrutinize them to make sure they are NCAA compliant . And I know they do for a fact anyway. I have close friends that played D1 NCAA football and all took issued supplements. What they are doing now is designing specific diets for each athlete, and that definitely makes a difference as well.

I don't train like a pro athlete, but I would say I train harder than the average person. 75 miles a week on the cycle, 3-4 days in the gym, 6-10 a week of tennis. It gets to you and can be tough to recover.
Click to expand...

Yes, they do issue supplements but these "supplements" are typically limited to a common multivite (such as Nature Made) and post-recovery drinks like Gatorade and something with a 2:1 carb/protein ratio. Nothing fancy. As the sports RD from 'Bama mentioned, the goal is to feed athletes the proper diet so the "other things" aren't necessary. When I first got to Tech, creatine was the big thing and all the strength coaches were pushing it. We literally had giant vats of it laying around. But that went bye bye pretty quickly. Supplements aren't just issued when athletes get on campus. He/She may have a one-on-one with the sports RD and if you have someone that just won't eat fruits/veggies, they'll get a multi. This is pretty common practice throughout the NCAA from my experience, as I played in the ACC, worked in this capacity with an SEC school and another ACC school. I teach now in the Cal system (and work in pediatrics) but have a lot of contact with the athletic programs...practice is nearly identical to my past experiences.
 
Last edited:
Kevin T

Kevin T

Hall of Fame
r2473 said:
How often did you get shot up with the "real" supplements Kevin :)
Click to expand...

Well, I got a "flu" shot once a week during my freshman year. Went from 325# bench to 425# in 3 months thanks to my enhanced "immunity". We used to get those from a guy in Michael Vick's dorm (just kidding, I was there way before Vick). :)
 
Power Player

Power Player

Bionic Poster
Kevin T said:
Yes, they do issue supplements but these "supplements" are typically limited to a common multivite (such as Nature Made) and post-recovery drinks like Gatorade and something with a 2:1 carb/protein ratio. Nothing fancy. As the sports RD from 'Bama mentioned, the goal is to feed athletes the proper diet so the "other things" aren't necessary. When I first got to Tech, creatine was the big thing and all the strength coaches were pushing it. We literally had giant vats of it laying around. But that went bye bye pretty quickly. Supplements aren't just issued when athletes get on campus. He/She may have a one-on-one with the sports RD and if you have someone that just won't eat fruits/veggies, they'll get a multi. This is pretty common practice throughout the NCAA from my experience, as I played in the ACC, worked in this capacity with an SEC school and another ACC school. I teach now in the Cal system (and work in pediatrics) but have a lot of contact with the athletic programs...practice is nearly identical to my past experiences.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I would say Bama is one of the best nutrition programs in the NCAA. As a regular weightlifting, active guy it is tough to get that type of nutrition without serious assistance. I mean, I wish I could recover as well as I do now just drinking the chocolate milk recoveries and eating my healthy diet. It just did not work out for me, and I eat very healthy.

Anyway, I am not a massive supplement hound by any means. But I do need the joint and digestive support, as I have noticed a difference rather fast there. For me, the Orange Triad is extremely thorough in giving me all of those things. For others, a Centrum will work. I was taking Centrum complete for 2 years and needed more.
 
LuckyR

LuckyR

Legend
Power Player said:
No you would be. And the reason for that is there are links posted in this thread that prove what I am saying, while you posted nothing.

You can make smart comments all day long and think you have it all figured out. Doesn't mean you know anything.
Click to expand...

Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't see the link to the peer reviewed article comparing premium priced multi vitamins to cheap drugstore brands and noting a difference in clinical outcome (not some benchtop theoretical superiority).

Oh, that's right, there isn't any. I stand by by first post (as does your accountant).
 
Power Player

Power Player

Bionic Poster
Go ahead, you are older and most likely don't lift as hard or exercise as much as me, so your opinion and lack of experience mean nothing.
 
r2473

r2473

G.O.A.T.
Kevin T said:
Well, I got a "flu" shot once a week during my freshman year. Went from 325# bench to 425# in 3 months thanks to my enhanced "immunity". We used to get those from a guy in Michael Vick's dorm (just kidding, I was there way before Vick). :)
Click to expand...

Those are supplements I can believe in.

425#? Holy*@#!&*!! I couldn't even roll that across the floor.
 
M

maggmaster

Hall of Fame
Come on you could dead that.

Multivitamins- I take one from Costco, I didn't used too but I started about 4 months ago. Don't really notice much but I figure for less than 3 cents a day I might as well. Otherwise I take fish oil and drink some protein post workout. My training schedule is pretty heavy too. I am in the gym for at least a hour a day, I hit everyday and I play 3 practice matches per week.
 
LuckyR

LuckyR

Legend
Power Player said:
Go ahead, you are older and most likely don't lift as hard or exercise as much as me, so your opinion and lack of experience mean nothing.
Click to expand...

Yes, you're right, those of us who have accumulated more practical life experience were never young and exercised a lot nor lifted. Sheesh... HDITG?
 
Power Player

Power Player

Bionic Poster
You should be old enough to have figured out that nobody appreciates a snide know it all who actually knows nothing about the topic. I'll ignore you for now, since you add nothing to the site for me anyway, and I don't need the derailing argument you are seeking out.

And you are right, health science has not evolved since you were young. Only tennis racquets and strings right? And you call me dumb, that's just idiocy.
 
Last edited:
r2473

r2473

G.O.A.T.
Riff: We gotta stand up to them Doc; it's important.
Doc: Fighting over a little piece of street is so important?
Action: To us it is!
Doc: To hoodlums it is!
Action: Who're you callin' a hoodlum?
Doc: War councils...
Action: Don't start, Doc.
Doc: ...Rumbles...
Action: D'you hear me, Doc?
Doc: Why, when I was your age...
Action: When *you* was my age? When my old man was my age, when my brother was my age... You was never my age, none of ya! And the sooner you creeps get hip to that, the sooner you'll dig us!
 
R

Ramon

Legend
I love when people say they can get all the nutrients they need "naturally". They say Aboriginis, for example, do just fine with their diet. Well, unless you are including dirt, worms, snails, insects and maggots in your diet then you aren't getting all the trace minerals and essential amino acids that come from those sources, so you aren't really copying their diet unless you include all that. :p
 
r2473

r2473

G.O.A.T.
^^ I can see a new book coming out of this. "Train like an Aborinini". Cookbook, DVD, the whole deal.

So, how do you like your dirt?
 
Kevin T

Kevin T

Hall of Fame
Ramon said:
I love when people say they can get all the nutrients they need "naturally". They say Aboriginis, for example, do just fine with their diet. Well, unless you are including dirt, worms, snails, insects and maggots in your diet then you aren't getting all the trace minerals and essential amino acids that come from those sources, so you aren't really copying their diet unless you include all that. :p
Click to expand...

Why do Europeans live longer than Americans? Per surveys, they take far few supplements/vites than we do. Why do Okinawans have such a long life expectancy? Again, supplement/vitamin useage is rare. Same goes for 7th day Adventists, likely the longest-living population in North America (most are vegetarian). How can people over in the Beatles/Rolling Stones thread actually vote for the Stones? The world has gone mad!!!!
 
Last edited:
r2473

r2473

G.O.A.T.
Kevin T said:
Why do Europeans live longer than Americans? Per surveys, they take far few supplements/vites than we do. Why do Okinawans have such a long life expectancy? Again, supplement/vitamin useage is rare. Same goes for 7th day Adventists, likely the longest-living population in North America (most are vegetarian). How can people over in the Beatles/Rolling Stones thread actually vote for the Stones? The world has gone mad!!!!
Click to expand...

How is it that Keith Richards has lived so long? While George Harrison died so young?

Has to be the supplements.

http://www.demko.com/dc-britneyspears.htm
 
Last edited:
Kevin T

Kevin T

Hall of Fame
maggmaster said:
It is so great that correlation proves causation.....
Click to expand...

Are you talking about Okinawan longevity thanks to no "super health" supplements or people that shell out a ton of money for supplements, yet don't live any longer (and in many cases, live shorter lives)?
 
R

Ramon

Legend
Kevin T said:
Why do Europeans live longer than Americans? Per surveys, they take far few supplements/vites than we do. Why do Okinawans have such a long life expectancy? Again, supplement/vitamin useage is rare. Same goes for 7th day Adventists, likely the longest-living population in North America (most are vegetarian). How can people over in the Beatles/Rolling Stones thread actually vote for the Stones? The world has gone mad!!!!
Click to expand...
Your logic is seriously flawed. Americans are unhealthy for a variety of reasons: eat too much, overweight, fast foods, sedentary lifestyle, stress....need I say more?

Here's what I know:

- I take Creatine, I can lift more weight. I stop taking it, I can't lift as much.

- Without joint supplements I can play tennis about twice a week, I'm stiff as heck, and I have pain. With joint supplements I can play every day if I want, and the other problems are much less.

- On my normal diet, my doctor tells me my cholesterol is too high. After I add fish oil, flax oil, and niacin, my cholesterol is normal on the same diet.

Supplements have a lot of valid scientific research behind them. It's a fact that we don't produce the same chemicals in our bodies that we did when we were younger. Supplements help to get some of that back.

You can try to get all these supplements through diet, but for some supplements it's just not possible, and for others it's too much of a pain and expense.
 
r2473

r2473

G.O.A.T.
^^ Can you tell Power Player which ones you take. This sounds like exactly what he was looking for.

Personally, I'd try the dirt and the maggots though.
 
LuckyR

LuckyR

Legend
Power Player said:
You should be old enough to have figured out that nobody appreciates a snide know it all who actually knows nothing about the topic. I'll ignore you for now, since you add nothing to the site for me anyway, and I don't need the derailing argument you are seeking out.

And you are right, health science has not evolved since you were young. Only tennis racquets and strings right? And you call me dumb, that's just idiocy.
Click to expand...

I think your emotions are misdirected. My original point is that there is a lack of data (clinical studies to back up the much ballyhooed "improvements" of premium products). We can have an intellectual discussion of why that is, and we all have opinions in the absence of solid data, why or why not this or that product is likely to be better than another one, or not.

That sort of discussion is the heart and soul of Net Forums. No need to get personal ("That's completely false and uninformed.")
 
Kevin T

Kevin T

Hall of Fame
Ramon said:
Your logic is seriously flawed. Americans are unhealthy for a variety of reasons: eat too much, overweight, fast foods, sedentary lifestyle, stress....need I say more?

Here's what I know:

- I take Creatine, I can lift more weight. I stop taking it, I can't lift as much.

- Without joint supplements I can play tennis about twice a week, I'm stiff as heck, and I have pain. With joint supplements I can play every day if I want, and the other problems are much less.

- On my normal diet, my doctor tells me my cholesterol is too high. After I add fish oil, flax oil, and niacin, my cholesterol is normal on the same diet.

Supplements have a lot of valid scientific research behind them. It's a fact that we don't produce the same chemicals in our bodies that we did when we were younger. Supplements help to get some of that back.

You can try to get all these supplements through diet, but for some supplements it's just not possible, and for others it's too much of a pain and expense.
Click to expand...

Will taking supplements overcome eating too much (by the way, since we eat too much, we're not only overeating kcal/protein/fat but getting extra vites/minerals with the excess macronutrients), being lazy, stress, too much fast food?

I can't find the evidence-based articles/studies showing that supplements increase lifespan or improve disease states better than food sources. Could you post them?

If creatine makes you stronger for more than one or two cycles, then I would say you are the recipient of the 'placebo' effect.

I need to find your joint supplements, because it hasn't worked that way for me or most people.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-11330747

Your other supplements, niacin, flax and fish oil are easy to get from diet.
 
R

Ramon

Legend
Kevin T said:
Will taking supplements overcome eating too much (by the way, since we eat too much, we're not only overeating kcal/protein/fat but getting extra vites/minerals with the excess macronutrients), being lazy, stress, too much fast food?

I can't find the evidence-based articles/studies showing that supplements increase lifespan or improve disease states better than food sources. Could you post them?

If creatine makes you stronger for more than one or two cycles, then I would say you are the recipient of the 'placebo' effect.

I need to find your joint supplements, because it hasn't worked that way for me or most people.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-11330747

Your other supplements, niacin, flax and fish oil are easy to get from diet.
Click to expand...

I never said supplements are a substitute for a healthy lifestyle. If you eat greasy fast food almost every day, you're making a choice to shorten your life.

There's plenty of research on supplements on the internet. I don't feel compelled to look for them, nor do I need proof beyond what I already observed myself. Some people saved their own lives by taking experimental cancer treatments. If something doesn't work for me, I stop taking it. We aren't talking about drugs here, these are natural supplements.

I would really love it if all my supplements were just placebos. Then all I'd have to do is think that I'm taking something healthy. Kinda like what a Christian Scientist thinks (those guys who say you shouldn't take medication because all conditions are mental). Nearly every serious bodybuilder and strength athlete takes Creatine. With all that support behind it I seriously doubt that you can argue it's a placebo effect.

There are some supplements I know I can get through diet. It's just too much of a pain to get some of them. I might have to catch some sharks to get joint supplements, and that could be dangerous! LOL
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

manirban
Stringing Junior Rackets
Replies
9
Views
2K
manirban
manirban
P
Head rip control the best string ever
2
Replies
52
Views
2K
veelium
V
P
My Favorite Poly Hybrid
Replies
1
Views
651
raftermania
raftermania
G
The Phase One Technifibre Strings, Good for Me and Good for Medvedev
Replies
21
Views
1K
vsbabolat
vsbabolat
Hitman
Only Medvedev & Alcaraz from the younger players have won a best of five final
Replies
1
Views
266
StrongRule
S
Top