VitaLab is not supported by any of the vitamin companies that were respresented in the study.  A value of 8 or above is considered to be "Excellent". 

Look who made Excellent and in the top choices:  Shaklee's Vitalizer Gold

The VitaLab Study Methodology

Visit http://www.multivitaminguide.org/study-methodology.html to view article.

Once all 101 multivitamin products were assessed, each of them was assigned a score from 0 to 10, 10 being the highest. A score of 8.0 and above is a sign of an excellent product. However, only 8 out of the 101 products were able to surpass this benchmark.

How We Determine Effectiveness Scores

We use four scientific criteria to compare multivitamin brands. We developed each criterion based on peer-reviewed evidence available in the latest published medical literature.

The four comparison criteria are as follows:

Composition
Your body needs 13 types of vitamins and at least as many different types of minerals in order to function properly. This criterion has to do with how closely the dosage of vitamins and minerals in each product follow the Optimal Daily Intake index. Optimal composition means you receive the nutrients in the most effective combinations and dosage amounts.

Composition is 30% of the final score.

Bioavailability
Bioavailable nutrients are easily and efficiently absorbed by the body. Does the product contain vitamins and minerals in their most absorbable forms, such as organic acid complexes, mixed carotenoids, or amino acid chelates?

Bioavailability is 25% of the final score.

Synergistic Effect
Vitamins and minerals work together to improve your health, but they must be in precise proportion to each other for best results. For example, the body absorbs iron through the help of vitamin C. Vitamin D helps the body absorb phosphorus and calcium. Are the vitamin and mineral nutrient quantities in the product set in such a way as to intensify their combined effect and absorption by the body?

Synergistic effect is 25% of the final score.

Potency
Does the potency of the ingredients found in the product meet or exceed the potency levels outlined in the Optimal Daily Intake index? Store brand supplements often contain low-quality forms of nutrients, which are not as potent as higher-quality nutrients.

Potency is 20% of the final score.

From these four criteria, we calculate an Effectiveness Score. A score near 10 represents a supplement with the characteristics for optimal nutrition.

Conversely, a score near 0 represents a product possessing few, if any, of the characteristics for optimal nutrition.

What is the Optimal Daily Intake for each vitamin and mineral?

The Optimal Daily Intake (ODI) represents the ideal quantities of vitamins and minerals individuals need to take each day according to the latest research in the area of nutritional supplementation.

Here are a few of the more commonly known vitamins:

Company                                         Product                                           Effectiveness

Vitamin companies like to  through around terms that not commonly used.  We've discussed synthetic, organic, chelation and natual in various articles so let's take a  look at a few other terms that are tossed around the supplement world.

Time Released: This is excellent for a you to be able to absorb the vitamin in graudal amounts throughout the day.  Vitamin C and B are ideal in a time released tablet so your body can receive a consistent amount of these vitamins all day long.  Without being time released (which is also known as sustained release), these vitamins could pass through to your urine within a few hours regardless of the quantity initially taken. 

Fillers:  Also known as dilutents are inert materials added to the vitamins to increase their bulk to make them a desired size for production.

Binders:  These give cohesive properties to the powder material so it can bind and form a tablet.

Fillers and Binders do NOT have to be listed in the ingredient list and often are NOT listed.

Although Cellulose and sorbitol may be safe fillers and binders there are many that are not safe that may have severe negative side effects such as the following:

• acacia - mild to severe asthma attacks , rashes
• algin - possible mutagen, reproductive problems and birth defects

To purchase safe, effective vitamins, visit Qualtiy Spplements now.  Until the FDA can get a handle on these vitamin companies that insist on producing poor quality vitamins, it is best to stick with a reputable company like Shaklee where quality is backed by real clinical studies and real medical publications and patents. 

  Does it Matter?  Does it really matter if you have artificial sweeteners or artificial colors in your multivitamins?  Can you truly have the best multivitamin with artificial ingredients?

When you start adding artificial anything - colors, additives, and especially sweeteners you are making it tougher for your body to decipher what it should be doing with the multivitamin or protein powder or anything (even just standard food).  You make it harder for your body to fully utilize the ingredients.  Plus you make your kidneys and liver among other organs work harder to filter out the 'junk'.

When it comes the best multivitamins and best protein powders, there are many myths floating around for years now.

• Myth #1:  The more the better:  This is not always true.  When it comes to the best multivitamin or best supplements it is critical that the ingredients are balanced for what YOUR BODY NEEDS.  Sometimes we have a surplus in our food intake so our bodies don't require as much to be supplemented.

        Also this is common with protein powders, too much protein can 1. not be  effective because your body can't utilize all of it at once nor can it store it and  2. it can actually be harmful for your kidneys to consume excessive protein  without proper filtration (typically sufficient amounts of purified water will help  filter the kidneys).                                       

• Myth #2:  The Less the better:  This pertains to carbs.  Yes, we want our net carbs (carbs-fiber=net carbs) to be lower; however, balance is the key here also.  Guess the number one way a product reduces its carbs????  By adding artificial sweeteners.  That's right, if I make a product with Splenda or Nutrasweet then there are no carbs from sugars.

        However, this has not shown to reduce fat, in fact, it may even increase a  person's weight.  How you might ask?  By using these artificial sweeteners that are much more sugar intense than just plain white sugar, your body begins to  reset its requirements of 'sweet tasting' to a new unhealthy level.  Many times, the person is no longer happy with the typical sweet taste and now requires more not just in 1 product but in everything.  Furthermore, products like Nutrasweet are a form of formaldehyde which is a carcinogenic.  With cancer  as high as it is right now, we'd highly recommend staying away from all carcinogenics.

        Some acceptable forms of healthy sweeteners are Stevia, Truvia, Sorbitol, and Fructose.  We'll discuss the differences is these at a later time.

• Myth #3:  Organic is Best  Organic is only best if the product is safest and most effective in the organic state.  Sometimes, a product will not be organic because  1. the organic ingredients can't be found in sufficient quantities to make it. 2.  Organic is not the safest or 3. Organic is not bioavailable for your body.

        Best example I can think of for this is when my family and I checked into natural lawn care. Immediately, the companies sent us to "organic" lawn care. After checking into what was used, we discovered that it was Wisconsin  sewage.  I certainly don't want my dog or children playing in that no matter how organic it may be.

• Myth #4:  Reading is Everything  The old rule of thumb was to be able to read the ingredients and have no more than 5 ingredients on a label.  This used to be a good rule of thumb but as science has evolved and so have the best multivitamins and best natural food supplements, it is no longer the case.  Many times when a product is listing the ingredients the wellness industry is now looking for the exact terms so instead of listing Folate (a B vitamin), the company is required to list the scientific name for it.  Does it make it a bad product?  On the contrary, it is actually a better product because even though the FDA doesn't control the supplement world, this company is following their stringent rules to offer people the best.

Bottom line is to find a company you can trust, that has been time tested, that doesn't follow every fad out there but follows research, and go with them  We chose Shaklee because they aren't just time tested for over 55 years but they also are the #1 Natural nutritional company in the US because they use science as their guide, not society.

Whatever you decided to use, make sure you do your homework because 97% of the supplement labels on the market are incorrect.  That is why I am happy to know that what I use is not only tested for purity but also absorption: what is on the label is in the bottle.

Sustainable transport and carpooling:   Sustainable transport is the idea of replacing the current transport system with fuel-efficient, environmentally-friendly alternatives.  Walking and using hybrids or electric cars are some forms.  If one of these ideas is not feasible, try carpooling, which saves on gas and car maintenance, lowers emissions and saves money (which we all could use with gas prices the way they are today).  Ask your neighbors, friends and co-workers to create a carpool schedule.  Plus, you can meet new people and catch up with others on the way to work.

Also, If you'd like to take advantage of the best concentrated, green cleaners plus receive a FREE discount membership with no hassles:  Go Green & Save Your Green (money that is), contact us at HealthandHarmony@comcast.net for your $30 (typically about $40 with shipping, handling, and tax)  green cleaning basket plus FREE membership.  Hurry though, because the offer expires May 20, 2011. 

Attention FarmVille Fans:  Keep your eyes open because May 9th, 2011 you'll be able to get a virtual Green Cleaning kit for your farm too.