The Contest:
To personally test the absorption of my multivitamin and to create a display to show me why I can feel the difference in how I feel when I take different types of multivitamins: I will drop two different brands of vitamins into glasses containing vinegar (to represent our stomach acid) and I will closely watch the breakdown of each. I have pictures of the glasses at each description point.
The Contestants:
Todays contestants will be:
Natures Plus Prenatal vitamin: Hereafter referred to as Contestant #1
This is no 'worthless' drug store brand. This is a good quality, whole foods vitamin.
Melaleuca Vitality with Oligo multivitamin: Hereafter referred to as Contestant #2
Contestants #1 and 2 are dropped into the vinegar.
12:02 PM
Contestant #1: Nothing happening
Contestant #2: There appears to be some action going on here. Bubbles are slowly rising from the vitamin to the surface of the water. Small pieces of debris are also rising, then falling to the bottom in smaller pieces
12:05 PM
Contestant #1: There is some bubble movement, and the acid seems to be penetrating the surface of the vitamin. I swirl the glass, and the vitamin moves freely
Contestant #2: Lots of bubble movement and particles are filling the water. Vinegar is beginning to get cloudy. I swirl the glass and the vitamin doesn't move.
12:30 PM
Contestant #1: Outer layer of the vitamin is being 'peeled' back by the acid. Large pieces of debris are floating in the water. Vitamin is still mostly in one piece, and vinegar is fairly clear
Contestant #2: Vinegar is cloudy, I can no longer see the vitamin. I lift up the glass and I can see the spot where it was, but it is now soft pieces around the bottom of the glass.
1:30 PM
Contestant #1: Still large chunk of vitamin in bottom of glass. Vinegar is cloudy, but with large chunks of debris. They are not broken up by my swirling of the glass
Contestant #2: I no longer can see any pieces of vitamin. I swirl the glass, spilling the vinegar on my test paper. There are small pieces of vitamin through out the water.
I will leave the glasses for another hour and then post the results. My summery for the moment is that the Vitality with Oligo breaks down much faster, as well as into smaller pieces which can be broken down further once they are in our intestines to be absorbed through our intestinal walls. This was simply a visual test to confirm what I have been feeling on a daily basis. While the label on my prenatal boasts of very high levels (from 100%-588%) I don't always remember to take them, because I notice no real difference if I do. Now, if I am feeling a bit sluggish during the day, It takes me only about 2 seconds to remember: "Hey, I didn't take my vitamins!", and rectify that immediately so I can continue chasing after my 2 1/2 yr. old!
Let me know what vitamins you would like to engage in a test and I will comply. Or do the vinegar test at home and post your results here!
