Cross posting this from the IP Food Alternative thread (actually it still says Altnerative
), post #413, 13 February 2011.
Ok, I've spent the last ??? hours researching and comparing supplements and combinations to come up with something that's comparable to IP's Multi-Vita + Cal Mag + Pot Cal (K Cal). It was a labour of love; I found it fun to figure out. Ok, I'm a nerd.
Apologies in advance for the iherb mentions. I love them -- they have great prices, lots of stock, high turnover so the products are fresh, they publish the expiry dates on product, and they ship to Canada! If you do order, use enter code DEP027 to get $5.00 off your first order.
***Important note***
If you are using non-IP product, read your product labels. Many low carb products have supplementation. If your products have supplemental vitamins and minerals at levels > 10% of RDA, DO NOT USE the recommended combination of products below. The levels from your protein sources plus these supplements are **not** appropriate.
The links below take you to iherb.com pages (an online vitamin/supplement/herb retailer I'm using) except for the Google spreadsheet link which takes you to ...
... a spreadsheet in Google Docs.
One combination is
- Solgar Vitamins Only (
SOL-02812, $18.56 for 90, 1/day)
- Bluebonnet Nutrition Minerals + Boron, Iron Free (
BLB-00218, $19.86 for 180, 4/day)
- Natural Factors Potassium Citrate 99 mg. (
NFS-01660, $4.49 for 90, 3/day)
I'd take them as follows:
- Breakfast: Solgar + 2 Bluebonnet mineral capsules
- Lunch: 2 Natural factors potassium
- Dinner: 2 bluebonnet mineral capsules
- Snack: 1 Natural factors potassium
A 90-day supply of this combo costs
$71.75 (1 Solgar + 2 Bluebonnet + 3 Natural Factors). The minerals are all in very absorbably forms, citrates and chelates, the same as IP. This gets you everything IP supps offer except the Vanadium, and is short by about 85 mg on Vitamin B5 & B12. If you wanted to address the Vanadium and B5 & B12, spend $17.84 more and add
- Source Naturals Vanadium (1 mg) + Chromium (200 mcg) (SNS-01835, 1 tablet per week or 1/2 tablet twice per week, $5.46 bottle would be 2 year supply)
- Source Naturals Pantothenic Acid (SNS-00510, 1 capsule per day, $6.86 bottle is 8 month supply)
- Solgar B12 (SOL-03180, 1 tablets per day, $5.52 for 100 day supply)
If you do these, take them with breakfast or dinner.
Here's a spreadsheet I pulled together to summarize and compare:
Google Spreadsheet - Supplement Comparisons
