The VitaLab Study Methodology

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.

Please note that these ODI values are higher than the current recommended daily allowance (RDA) or dietary reference intakes (DRI) as published
by the U.S. Government.


The RDA and DRI values are too low and not optimal for many nutrients.

The ODI includes the 26 essential ingredients, listed in the table below with their recommended daily dosage:

  #  Vitamin Dosage    # Mineral Dosage
1 Vitamin A 5000 IU 14 Calcium 1300 mg
2 Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) 5 mg 15 Chloride 3400 mg
3 Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) 5 mg 16 Chromium 120 μg
4 Vitamin B3 (Niacin) 22 mg 17 Copper 2 mg
5 Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic acid) 15 mg 18 Iodine 150 μg
6 Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine) 5 mg 19 Iron 15 mg
7 Vitamin B7 (Biotin) 350 μg 20 Magnesium 420 mg
8 Vitamin B9 (Folic Acid) 400 μg 21 Manganese 2.3 mg
9 Vitamin B12 (Cobalamins) 12 μg 22 Molybdenum 75 μg
10 Vitamin C 200 mg 23 Phosphorus 1250 mg
11 Vitamin D3 (Cholecalciferol) 800 IU 24 Selenium 80 μg
12 Vitamin E 60 IU 25 Vanadium 75 μg
13 Vitamin K2 (Menaquinone) 150 μg 26 Zinc 15 mg

List of medical literature used in the study


  1. Dietary Reference Intakes: The Essential Guide to Nutrient Requirements. National Academy of Sciences. Institute of Medicine. Food and Nutrition Board. Retrieved 2011-09-19.
  2. Tolerable Upper Intake Limits for Vitamins And Minerals. European Food Safety Authority. December 2006. ISBN 92-9199-014-0.
  3. "Dietary Reference Intakes Tables [Health Canada]". Retrieved 2011-08-28.
  4. "Council for Responsible Nutrition". Crnusa.org. Retrieved 2011-08-30.
  5. "Information for Consumers (Drugs)". Fda.gov. 2008-10-29. Retrieved 2011-08-30.
  6. Recommended Dietary Allowances: 10th Edition". Nap.edu. Retrieved 2011-08-30.
  7. Ross AC, Manson JE, Abrams SA, Aloia JF, Brannon PM, Clinton SK, Durazo-Arvizu RA, Gallagher JC, Gallo RL, Jones G, Kovacs CS, Mayne ST, Rosen CJ, Shapses SA (January 2011). "The 2011 report on dietary reference intakes for calcium and vitamin D from the Institute of Medicine: what clinicians need to know". J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 96 (1): 53–8. doi:10.1210/jc.2010-2704. PMC 3046611.  PMID 21118827.
  8. "Vitamins: what they do and where to find them (EUFIC)". European Food Information Council. 10-12-2010. Retrieved 2011-09-11. "Vitamin D"
  9. "Linus Pauling Vindicated; Researchers Claim RDA For Vitamin C is Flawed" (Press release). Knowledge of Health. July 6, 2004. Retrieved 2011-09-15.
  10. DRI, Dietary reference intakes: for calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, vitamin D, and fluoride. Washington, D.C: National Academy Press. 1997. p. 250. ISBN 0-309-06350-7.  Nutrition
  11. Padayatty, Sebastian J.; Katz, Arie; Wang, Yaohui; Eck, Peter; Kwon, Oran; Lee, Je-Hyuk; Chen, Shenglin; Corpe, Christopher et al. (2003). "Vitamin C as an antioxidant: evaluation of its role in disease prevention.". Journal of the American College of Nutrition 22 (1): 18–35. PMID 12569111.
  12. Chapter 4, Vitamin A of Dietary Reference Intakes for Vitamin A, Vitamin K, Arsenic, Boron, Chromium, Copper, Iodine, Iron, Manganese, Molybdenum, Nickel, Silicon, Vanadium, and Zinc, Food and Nutrition Board of the Institute of Medicine, 2001
  13. Adams, J. S.; Hewison, M. (2010). "Update in Vitamin D". Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism 95 (2): 471–8. doi:10.1210/jc.2009-1773. PMC 2840860. PMID 20133466.
  14. Holick, MF (2004). "Vitamin D: importance in the prevention of cancers, type 1 diabetes, heart disease, and osteoporosis". The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 79 (3): 362–71. PMID 14985208.
  15. "Dietary Supplement Fact Sheet: Vitamin D". Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS). National Institutes of Health (NIH). Retrieved 2010-04-11.
  16. "Electronic Code of Federal Regulations:". Ecfr.gpoaccess.gov. Retrieved 2011-09-20.
  17. Gropper SS, Smith JL, Grodd JL (2004). Advanced Nutrition and Human Metabolism (4th ed.). Belmont, CA. USA: Thomson Wadsworth. pp. 260–275.
  18. Levine, M; Conry-Cantilena, C; Wang, Y; Welch, RW; Washko, PW; Dhariwal, KR; Park, JB; Lazarev, A et al. (1996). "Vitamin C pharmacokinetics in healthy volunteers: evidence for a recommended dietary allowance". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 93 (8): 3704–9. doi:10.1073/pnas.93.8.3704. PMC 39676. PMID 8623000.
  19. Addition of Vitamins and Minerals to Food, 2005". Health Canada. Retrieved 2011-09-25.
  20. "National Nutrient Database". Nutrient Data Laboratory of the US Agricultural Research Service. Retrieved 2011-09-27.
  21. Huang, Han-Yao; Caballero, Benjamin; Chang, Stephanie; Alberg, Anthony J.; Semba, Richard D.; Schneyer, Christine; Wilson, Renee F.; Cheng, Ting-Yuan; Prokopowicz, Gregory; Barnes, George J. II; Vassy, Jason; Bass, Eric B. (May 2006). "Multivitamin/mineral supplements and prevention of chronic disease". Evid Rep Technol Assess (Full Rep) (139): 1–117. PMID 17764205.
  22. Woodside J, McCall D, McGartland C, Young I (2005). "Micronutrients: dietary intake v. supplement use". Proc Nutr Soc 64 (4): 543–53.doi:10.1079/PNS2005464. PMID 16313697.
  23. Shenkin A (2006). "The key role of micronutrients". Clin Nutr 25 (1): 1–13. doi:10.1016/j.clnu.2005.11.006. PMID 16376462.
  24. McKeown NM, Jacques PF, Gundberg CM, et al (June 2002). "Dietary and nondietary determinants of vitamin K biochemical measures in men and women". J. Nutr. 132 (6): 1329–34. PMID 12042454.
  25. "Vitamin and mineral requirements in human nutrition, 2nd edition" (PDF). World Health Organization. 2004. Retrieved 2011-09-27.
  26. A.C. Carr, B. Frei, "Toward a new recommended dietary allowance for vitamin C based on antioxidant and health effects in humans", American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol. 69, No. 6, 1086-1107, June 1999.
  27. Preedy VR; Watson RR; Sherma Z (2010). Dietary Components and Immune Function (Nutrition and Health). Totowa, NJ: Humana Press. pp. 36; 52.ISBN 1-60761-060-4.
  28. Combs, Gerald F. (2008). The Vitamins: Fundamental Aspects in Nutrition and Health (3rd ed.). Burlington: Elsevier Academic Press.ISBN 9780121834937.
  29. "Nutrient reference values for Australia and New Zealand" (PDF). National Health and Medical Research Council. 2005-09-09. Retrieved 2011-09-27.
   
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