Maybe experiment isn’t the best word because this wasn’t exactly scientific.
After reading about Centrum not dissolving in the stomach (something about x-rays of un-dissolved vitamins), I decided to do a little test/experiment/whatever.
I put about 1/2 c. water and an oz. or two of white vinegar in a glass (simulate the acidity of a stomach, maybe), then I dropped a Centrum in. Here are the results:
1 minute: Small dark green bubbles formed around the outside, this appeared to be the vitamin starting to leak.
2 minutes: Cracks and more bubbles on the surface of the vitamin.
5 minutes: Mostly dissolved with a bit of chunky mass still in the middle.
7 mintues: Completely dissolved, no solid masses left.
I don’t know if this proves a damn thing, but in my unqualified opinion, Centrum dissolved fast enough in a glass of water and a little vinegar to give me confidence to continue taking it.
Any comments? Anyone else want to try this and share their results/opinions?
what you should do is monitor your feces and see if any centrum pills are in that. Then you have empirical data via real world application.
[quote]GatorFan wrote:
Maybe experiment isn’t the best word because this wasn’t exactly scientific.
After reading about Centrum not dissolving in the stomach (something about x-rays of un-dissolved vitamins), I decided to do a little test/experiment/whatever.
I put about 1/2 c. water and an oz. or two of white vinegar in a glass (simulate the acidity of a stomach, maybe), then I dropped a Centrum in. Here are the results:
1 minute: Small dark green bubbles formed around the outside, this appeared to be the vitamin starting to leak.
2 minutes: Cracks and more bubbles on the surface of the vitamin.
5 minutes: Mostly dissolved with a bit of chunky mass still in the middle.
7 mintues: Completely dissolved, no solid masses left.
I don’t know if this proves a damn thing, but in my unqualified opinion, Centrum dissolved fast enough in a glass of water and a little vinegar to give me confidence to continue taking it.
Any comments? Anyone else want to try this and share their results/opinions?[/quote]
Bill Phillips spoke about this in an old issue of Muscle Media. He used a poly bag with vinegar in it and chucked the vits in then carried it round in his pocket or something, to stimulate the ‘movement’ of the stomach. I hope the bag did not burst on him.
I actually tried this thing myself, but with solgar vits and vits made by a firm called Quest. They both broke down very well. I also tried vits from a store called ‘Boots’ over here and they did not break down, all that happened is the coating made the liquid go a funny colour.
If I understand correctly, I dont think the problem with centrum vitamins is that they dont dissolve, but they dont absorb into the bloodstream.
[quote]rrjc5488 wrote:
If I understand correctly, I dont think the problem with centrum vitamins is that they dont dissolve, but they dont absorb into the bloodstream.[/quote]
Three issues in multi’s
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Binders and amounts of stuff like Di-Calcium Phosphate, vegecaps are much better, but used with single vits and mins more than multis.
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Ingredients stopping absorption of others, mainly minerals - particularly the calcium (see above).
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Low doses of stuff. There are people who post here who think kids vits are the shit. Not only do most not contain a good range of stuff, the dosage is worthless. There are studies to provide the nutritional, therapeutic benefit of various vits/mins at various decent doses, usually well above the RDA figure.
However the fact they are all the vits/mins crammed in and some stuff won’t get absorbed is a huge issue.
Taking minerals separately and away from from foods that might inhibit absoroption, for instance cottage cheese and ZMA.
Taking vits separately (from mins) is a good idea.
Timing is crucial.
Insert long-awaited announcement of Biotest’s new AM/PM split multivitamin pill with new platinum coated pico-dispersion technology.
Seriously though, once Biotest conquers vitamins, they have it all.
Protein
Post Workout Nutrition
Stimulants
T-Boosters
Fat-Bruners
Creatine
Functional Fatty Acids
T-Nation vitamins…The Final Fontier.
I have seen the reports that say that when you look at the contents of “port-o-potties” you find Centrum vitamins whole with the “C” still on them. They are telling the truth. I watched a construction worker take the plastic packaging off a bottle of Centrum pills and come out with an empty bottle. He then threw the packaging and empty Centrum container on a trash heap. The worker then said that they were going to do a “test”. Now you you know why they still had the “C” on them.
[quote]samdiesel wrote:
Insert long-awaited announcement of Biotest’s new AM/PM split multivitamin pill with new platinum coated pico-dispersion technology.
Seriously though, once Biotest conquers vitamins, they have it all.
Protein
Post Workout Nutrition
Stimulants
T-Boosters
Fat-Bruners
Creatine
Functional Fatty Acids
T-Nation vitamins…The Final Fontier.[/quote]
Maybe right after T-Nation brand oatmeal, flax, and condoms.
[quote]tall tom wrote:
I have seen the reports that say that when you look at the contents of “port-o-potties” you find Centrum vitamins whole with the “C” still on them. They are telling the truth. I watched a construction worker take the plastic packaging off a bottle of Centrum pills and come out with an empty bottle. He then threw the packaging and empty Centrum container on a trash heap. The worker then said that they were going to do a “test”. Now you you know why they still had the “C” on them.[/quote]
I don’t get it. You say they are telling the truth, but then offer up evidence against the that.
[quote]eengrms76 wrote:
I don’t get it. You say they are telling the truth, but then offer up evidence against the that.[/quote]
Indeed, that post confused the hell out of me…
The biggest thing you have to look at synthetic binders used in processing of the vitamins. Most importantly you want to go with vitamins that use NO binders or at least organic binders. The best, in my honest oppinion, as a retailer for vitamins, is Source of Life, Life’s Fortune, and Miracle 2000 (a liquid only product).
You also have to look at the overall effectiveness of the product. A multi-vitamin should make you “feel good” in terms of a clean energy, allowing you to get through the day’s low points without a big problem. Then of course you have the nay sayers that say well I dont feel a thing when I’m on it than when I’m off, then to those, I can only say that, you get what you pay for. Unfortunately, it’s a cliche, but it is the truth. Look at Biotest’s stuff, not the cheapest on the market, but you know your getting quality out of their stuff. When they put together a multi vit/min blend, I’ll be more than happy to promo it as I do other quality items, till then, those top 3 are my picks for me and my clients.