NUTRIENT

FORMS¹

With or Without Food and Other Nutrients

NOTE: For most vitamins and minerals, the whole food form is generally best but that is not always possible.

FAT-SOLUBLE VITAMINS

· Excesses of fat-soluble vitamins are stored in the liver and fatty tissues. Thus, it is easier to overdose on fat-soluble nutrients. On the other hand, if you forget to take your supplement or your diet is lacking (short term) in a fat-soluble vitamin, you may have reserves stored in your body to compensate.

VITAMIN A

VITAMIN D

Worst: Ergocalciferol (D2

VITAMIN E

Worst: Synthetic forms starting with “dl”

· It is best to consume an intake of all 8 forms. Tocopherols (Alpha, Beta, Gamma, and Delta) and Tocotrienols (Alpha, Beta, Gamma, and Delta) to avoid excess of only Alpha-tocopherol.

· Must be taken with meal that contains fat.

· Best to take vitamin E with selenium as they enhance each other’s absorption.

VITAMIN K

Avoid: K3 Menadione· Vitamin K includes a family of compounds including vitamin K1 (phylloquinone), vitamin K2 (menaquinone), vitamin K3 (menadione)

· Must be taken with meal that contains fat.

WATER-SOLUBLE VITAMINS

· Excess of water-soluble vitamins are not stored in the body and are excreted in urine.

· Most water-soluble vitamins do not stay in the blood stream for more than a few hours.   Taking them throughout the day maximizes blood levels over a longer period.

BIOTIN

· Also known as Vitamin H, Vitamin B7, or coenzyme R)

CHOLINE

OK: Phosphatidylcholine, and Lecithin

Worst: Chloride, Bitartrate, Citrate

Note: CDP Choline not recommended for pregnant or breastfeeding women.

· Take with meals unless supplement directs otherwise.

FOLATE/FOLICACID

(Vitamin B9)

Worst: Folic Acid, Pteroylglutamic Acid

· Methylated Folate is the natural, active form and folic acid the synthetic form.

· Taken with meals unless supplement directs otherwise.

· Absorption increases when combined with vitamin C.

· Absorption decreases when combined with zinc.

VITAMIN B1 (Thiamine)

Worst: Mononitrate (somewhat better than HCI/HCL) and Hydrochloride (HCI/HCL).

· A fat-soluble version of Thiamine is “benfotiamine” and studies show it is absorbed greater than water-soluble version and enhances thiamine levels in the blood and liver but not the brain. This version is generally used for therapeutic purposes.

· Take with meals unless supplement directs otherwise.

VITAMIN B2 (Riboflavin)

Best:  Riboflavin 5-Phosphate (r5P)
Worst: Riboflavin free form

· Take with meals unless supplement directs otherwise.

VITAMIN B3 (Niacin)

Worst: Niacin (Nicotinic acid), inositol hexanicotinate

· Take with meals unless supplement directs otherwise.

· Absorption increases when combined with folic acid/folate.

VITAMIN B5 (Pantothenic Acid)

Worst: Calcium D-Pantothenate

· Take with meals unless supplement directs otherwise.

VITAMIN B6
(Pyridoxine)

Worst: Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (HCI/HCL)

· Absorption decreases when combined with zinc.

· Take with meals unless supplement directs otherwise.

VITAMIN B12

Best Other Forms: Sublingual, Intranasally, Injections

Worst: Cyanocobalamin, Hydroxocobalamin

· B12 is very poorly absorbed orally, even under ideal circumstances. This is the reason many supplements have very high dosages as we only absorb a very small percentage of it.
· B12 is one of the water-soluble vitamins that we store in our liver.

· Absorption decreases when combined with vitamin C ≥ 500 mg.

· Oral or Other Forms: Take with or without food.

·

VITAMIN C

Best: Most prevalent forms, which have strong bioavailability are Ascorbic Acid (if you do not need a buffered form) and Mineral Ascorbate forms (buffered).

· Ascorbic acid also comes in combination forms with bioflavonoids or as Ester-C®, which contains calcium ascorbate, dehydroascorbate, calcium threonate, xylonate and lyxonate. It has been debated whether these combination forms have higher or equal bioavailability.

· Mineral ascorbate forms include sodium ascorbate, calcium ascorbate, potassium ascorbate, magnesium ascorbate, zinc ascorbate, molybdenum ascorbate, chromium ascorbate, manganese ascorbate.

· An even better, fairly new form is Liposomal.   This is much more expensive but a good source if you need high doses for a specific ailment.
Worst: D-Isoascorbic acid (Erythorbic acid)

· Some people need a buffered form of vitamin C for those who suffer GI problems when taking the ascorbic acid form. If you take the buffered form, it is important to take into account the mineral content as that is also being absorbed.

· Absorption decreases when combined with zinc.

MINERALS

· Minerals are water-soluble. Excess of water-soluble vitamins are not stored in the body and are excreted in urine.

· Most water-soluble vitamins do not stay in the blood stream for more than a few hours.   Taking them throughout the day maximizes blood levels over a longer period.

· Any mineral that is TRAACS chelated is good.²

CALCIUM

OK: Lactate, Citrate

Worst:   Carbonate, Gluconate, Phosphate

· Calcium citrate – take with food or without.

· Calcium best absorbed at amounts ≤ 500 mg.

· Higher doses of magnesium (≥ 250 mg), zinc, and phosphate inhibit calcium absorption.

CHROMIUM

Worst: Chromium Chloride

· Take with meals.

COPPER

Best:   Bisglycinate Chelate
OK:   Gluconate, Chloride, Sulfate and Carbonate
Worst: Acetate

· Take with meals.

IODINE

· Some respond to both equally and some have a better response to the Iodide version (i.e., Potassium Iodide) compared to the Iodine version.   The thyroid is believed to respond best to iodide. The breast, to iodine.

· Potassium Iodine is the form found in many multivitamins and mineral complexes.

· Nascent Iodine is generally found in a liquid supplement.

· Lugol’s and Iodoral have products with iodine/iodide combination.

IRON

Worst: Any Ferric form (Citrate, Sulfate)

· Be sure to convert the forms into their elemental dosage. Example: 325mg Ferrous sulfate contains 60mg of elemental iron.

· Iron best taken with vitamin C (from supplement or food form) for better absorption.

· High doses zinc or copper inhibit absorption of iron.

· Best absorbed when taken on empty stomach although not all forms allow for this due to the adverse stomach discomfort effects.

MAGNESIUM

Great for overall oral use and has high bioavailability:
–Glycinate (helps with magnesium deficiency and may help support sleep)

Best forms for referenced use – orally (some of these have high bioavailability too):

-ZMK (great for athletes and workout recovery);

-Malate (for those with fatigue or certain kinds of pain; chelates metals)

-Chloride (if low stomach acid);

-Taurate (for those with heart disease; also good for sleep)

-Arginate (mostly for bodybuilders);

-Lysinate (if you want to increase lysine intake);

-Ascorbate (laxative);

-Orotate (great for muscle or surgery recovery and heart health);

-L-Threonate (support cognitive function);

-2-AEP (helps those with MS)

– Citrate (for constipation; helps to get bowels moving)

• Transdermal forms (through the skin as magnesium oil) – Chloride (best) and Sulfate. This is great for anyone as this form speeds up raising magnesium levels cellular levels when deficient. This works well for athletes due to and immediate recovery effect with muscle cramps.

OK: Gluconate

Worst:Carbonate & Sulfate (can be used for laxative effect in certain situations – Citrate better overall for constipation); Aspartate, Pidolate, Hydroxide, Oxide, Glycerophosphate, Lactate.

• Other Minerals (e.g. iron, calcium,  zinc) can compete with absorption, especially at higher doses.
• Higher doses of calcium (≥ 250 mg) and phosphate inhibit magnesium absorption.
• Magnesium best absorbed at amounts ≤ 500 mg.

Magnesium Forms and best time to take – keeping in mind that if you are taking >250mg daily, good to take in divided doses:

• Glycinate: At bedtime but ok other times too; no food necessary.
• ZMK: At bedtime; no food necessary.
• Malate: Throughout day w/food.
• Chloride: W/food orally OR Transdermal (e.g., magnesium oil for external use)
• Taurate: At bedtime; no food necessary.
• Arginate: Throughout day w/ food.
• Lysinate: At bedtime; no food necessary.
• Ascorbate: W/Food
• Gluconate: At bedtime; no food necessary.
• Carbonate: At bedtime; no food necessary.
• Orotate: At bedtime; no food
• L-Theonate: At bedtime; no food necessary.
• 2-AEP: Throughout day w/ food.
• Citrate: Typically at bedtime (no food necessary) to support bowel motility yet also contributes to increasing magnesium levels in the body. If significant constipation, may be taken in divided doses during the day.

MANGANESE

· Take with meals.

MOLYBDENUM

· Take with meals.

POTASSIUM

Forms: Citrate, Chloride, Aspartate, Bicarbonate, Gluconate, Orotate, Glycinate.

· Take with meals.

SELENIUM

· Take with meals.

· Best to take selenium with vitamin E as they enhance each other’s absorption.

ZINC

· Best absorbed when taken on empty stomach. However, this can cause stomach upset especially if dosage is high. If you have GI upset, take with food.

· Do not take zinc at the same time as calcium or iron.

Notes:
1.     This is not an exhaustive list of vitamin and mineral forms but includes most and the ones that are most common.
2.     TRAACS is a patented technology for testing mineral amino acid chelate. http://www.albionminerals.com/human-nutrition/products-trade/quality/traacs-ft-ir?showall=1&limitstart=.