We've all probably heard doctors recommend taking vitamins to improve something (usually they don't even know what they're doing 
).
And so we go to the pharmacy to buy those very vitamins, but there our eyes run wild and the pharmacist foists on us what he needs to sell.
In this post, I'll tell you how to avoid marketing hype and buy only "effective" vitamins.
The first thing you need to pay attention to is the chemical form of all the vitamins and minerals in the ingredients.
For example, vitamin E isn't just one specific molecule, but a group of molecules (e.g., tocopherols, tocotrienols) under the general name vitamin E. So, the ingredients shouldn't just say "vitamin E," but specific molecules from this group, for example: vitamin E in the form of alpha-tocopherol (it can also be a mixture of several molecules from the vitamin E group).
Another example is vitamin C: if you see a label like "vitamin C," the form should be indicated next to it
( 
remember, the best form of vitamin C is ascorbates, such as sodium ascorbate )
. The same applies to minerals in multivitamins. Minerals are also important!
For example, magnesium. In the form of magnesium sulfate, it is not absorbed and has a laxative effect. But the forms of citrate, lactate, and glycinate provide other benefits.
In good multivitamins, all minerals should be chelated (bound to amino acids).
If you see minerals only in oxide or sulfate form (for example, zinc oxide, magnesium sulfate, or copper sulfate), or if the chemical form isn't specified at all, it's a scam in pretty packaging.
A prime example of this kind of scam is the supposedly German Orthomol multivitamins , which are sold to suckers for ridiculous prices, but the packaging description doesn't quite clarify the chemical forms of the ingredients used. This information can only be found in a separate section, where it's also unclear what exactly is what, and this is intentional. After all, you might find the same "non-functional" zinc, copper, and magnesium sulfates there.
As a positive example, I'll cite the vitamins I've been using myself for many years: Solgar Male Multiple . They also have a female multiple for women. All minerals are in glycinate chelate form (mineral + glycine amino acid). The manufacturer also uses ascorbates to ensure excellent absorption of vitamin C.
Just compare the detailed descriptions of the ingredients in Solgar and Orthomol vitamins in the photo. This is exactly what I'm talking about here. And yet, the price difference is twofold.
