B Complex or Multivitamins: which brand do you buy?

[Jenny TipsforME]

It would be great if you could say which multivitamin or B complex you buy, plus maybe a sentence about why you chose that one (not feeling well enough to read long posts right now).

I find b vitamins a minefield. I was doing alright on a B50 (small doses) one but it had the cyanocobalamin which isn't meant to be good and folic acid rather than folate. I moved to a higher dose multivitamin (2 a Day Life Extension), which is better in terms of ingredients, but even 1/4 seems too much for me.

I can't find a B50 that doesn't have folic acid.

This is what I've tried recently:
Solgar
2 a Day

[Edit a couple of posts down I've added the Supplements Facts about the products we've mentioned. This was really helpful for me to make a decision, and hopefully it might help you too]

 

[Valentijn]

Jarrows B-Right. They finally dropped all of the folic acid and just have an active folate now.

 

[Jenny TipsforME]

Thanks @Valentijn I'll look that up

By chance I just came across this Thorne version when looking for the link above:
Thorne Complete Multivitamin
If I take 1 tablet (1/2 dose) I think that could be about what my body needs, though I don't think in the same proportions as a B50. Anyone else tried that?

 

[Jenny TipsforME]

[Edit, I'll add ingredients lists for supplements you mention here]
Jarrows B Right

Thorne

Bio-B 100 (in summary 100% RDA)

Solgar B50

LEF 2 a Day comparison is here
Eg

Thiamine (vitamin B1) (as thiamine HCI) 75 mg

Riboflavin (vitamin B2) (as riboflavin, riboflavin 5’-phosphate) 50 mg

Niacin (as niacinamide, niacinamide ascorbate) 50 mg

Vitamin B6 (as pyridoxine HCI, pyridoxal 5’-phosphate) 75 mg

Folate (as L-5-methyltetrahydrofolate calcium salt) 400 mcg

Vitamin B12 (as methylcobalamin) 300 mcg

Biotin 300 mcg

Pantothenic acid (as D-calcium pantothenate) 100 mg

Dr Best Fully Active

AOR:

*Swanson Ultra Activated*:

Supplement Facts
Serving Size 1 Veggie Capsule

Amount Per Serving % Daily Value
Thiamin (vitamin B-1) (as benfotiamine) 25 mg 1,667%
Riboflavin (as riboflavin 5'-phosphate) 25 mg 1,471%
Niacin (as inositol hexanicotinate) 50 mg 250%
Vitamin B-6 (as pyridoxal 5-phosphate) 25 mg 1,250%
Folate(as Quatrefolic® [6S]-5-Methyltetrahydrofolic acid equivalent to 800 mcg of [6S]-5-Methyltetrahydrofolic acid, glucosamine salt) 400 mcg 100%
Vitamin B-12 (as methylcobalamin) 250 mcg 4,167%
Biotin 25 mcg 8%
Choline (as choline dihydrogen citrate) 25 mg *
PABA (para-aminobenzoic acid) 25 mg *
Pantethine (coenzyme A precursor)(from Pantesin® 55% pantethine) 25 mg *
Inositol (from inositol hexanicotinate) 12.5 mg *
*Daily Value not established.


Supplement Facts for Seeking Health Optimal Multivitamin

AMT %DV (2 tablets so easy to halve)
Vitamin A (50% as natural beta carotene and 50% as retinyl palmitate) 5000 IU 100%
Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) 350 mg 583%
Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) 1000 IU 250%
Vitamin E (as d-alpha tocopheryl succinate and mixed tocopherols) 100 IU 333%
Vitamin K2 (as menaquinone-7) 80 mcg 100%
Thiamine (as thiamine mononitrate) 4 mg 267%
Riboflavin (as riboflavin and riboflavin 5’-phosphate sodium) 4 mg 235%
Niacin (as niacinamide) 25 mg 125%
Vitamin B6 (80% as pyridoxine HCl and 20% as pyridoxal 5’-phosphate) 5 mg 250%
Folate (50% as Quatrefolic® (6S)-5-methyltetrahydrofolate, glucosamine salt and 50% as calcium folinate) 400 mcg 100%
Vitamin B12 (as methylcobalamin and adenosylcobalamin) 20 mcg 333%
Biotin 500 mcg 167%
Pantothenic Acid (as d-calcium pantothenate) 25 mg 250%
Calcium (as calcium citrate malate) 100 mg 10%
Iron (as TRAACS® iron glycinate) 5 mg 28%
Iodine (from potassium iodide and organic Icelandic kelp (Laminaria digitata)(stem and leaf)) 150 mcg 100%
Magnesium (as magnesium citrate) 100 mg 25%
Zinc (as TRAACS® zinc bisglycinate chelate) 5 mg 33%
Selenium (as Albion® selenium glycinate complex) 70 mcg 100%
Copper (as copper gluconate) 0.5 mg 25%
Manganese (as TRAACS® manganese bisglycinate chelate) 2 mg 100%
Chromium (as TRAACS® chromium nicotinate glycinate chelate) 120 mcg 100%
Molybdenum (as TRAACS® molybdenum glycinate chelate) 75 mcg 100%
Choline (as choline bitartrate) 5 mg **
Lutein (from marigold extract)(Tagetes erecta)(flower) 5 mg **
Zeaxanthin (from marigold extract)(Tagetes erecta)(flower) 2.5 mg **
Boron (as Albion® Bororganic glycine) 1 mg **
Vanadium (as TRAACS® vanadium nicotinate glycinate chelate) 75 mcg **

Previously recommended to me Terry's Healthy feet and nerves

 

[Marc_NL]

I took these for a while:
http://www.lifeextension.com/Vitamins-Supplements/item02014/Two-Per-Day-Capsules

It has Methylcobalamin and Folate and generally high dose of other things to.

Edit:
I see it's already in your openings post, was this edited or did I not read it

 

[Thinktank]

Biotics research BIO-B 100.
This is a very low dose B-complex with only the active B's. You need to take 3 tiny pills to get to 100% RDA, so in my opinion a perfect B-complex to start with if you're the sensitive type.

 

[Jenny TipsforME]

Thanks @Thinktank, I added the ingredients list to the comparison above.

100% RDA seems sensible. I realise that there are issues with absorption (especially B12) but I also have a healthy diet.

Jarrows looks good but for me personally I think Bio-B 100 with separate inositol and choline maybe the way forward. Unsure between them £ may come into it.

 

[Jenny TipsforME]

OK well I now can't find inositol and choline in small doses and I suspect I have need of more acetylcholine so don't want to cut those.

I'm putting the Jarrows one in my Amazon basket (£10.95 for 100). I'll wait a bit to buy though in case anyone else has ideas.

 

[Jenny TipsforME]

@Marc_NL I had already mentioned that one. I think it would be good for lots of pwme, was recommended to me by Maija Haavisto (http://www.fiikus.net/?cfs). It could be that I'm misattributing problems to it (cause and effect being so complex in ME).

 

[Jenny TipsforME]

BTW if you like small doses I've got on quite well with Floradix but I forget to take it and it goes off (you keep in fridge and take 20mins before food). I need something in tablet/capsules that I can take after breakfast.

 

[Bansaw]

I go sublingual with my B vitamins.
Seeking Health sublingual Adeno, Hydroxo, B12
and Source Naturals sublingual B1, B2

 

[Eastman]

I like Life Extension's Two-Per-Day but it has alpha lipoic acid, and since I have amalgam fillings, would rather not risk mobilising mercury with it.

 

[Mij]

I'm currently taking AOR Advanced B-Complex, but I'm going back to Jarrow B-Right now that they've changed their formula to folate.

 

[Mij]

3 capsules:

100 mgB1 (Benfotiamine)
7.5 mgB2 (Riboflavin-5-phosphate sodium)
353 mgB3 (Niacin - from 388 mg Inositol Hexanicotinate)
300 mgB5 (Pantethine, calcium D-pantothenate)
100 mgB6 (Pyridoxal-5'-phosphate)
1000 mcgB12 (Methylcobalamin)
1000 mcgFolic acid (calcium L-5-MTHF)
500 mcgBiotin
600 mgCholine bitartrate (provides 240 mg of choline)
393 mg*Inositol (from inositol hexanicotinate, inositol)
*85 mg from inositol hexanicotinate, 308 mg from inositol.

 

[mermaid]

I take Doctor's Best Fully Active B complex. It has Folate not folic acid.

I also take a multivitamin called Higher Nature Truefood which delivers the vitamins as food state which I prefer as less synthetic.

 

[Jenny TipsforME]

@Eastman that's interesting didn't know about that issue

@Mij is the 3 capsules list for AOR?

Thanks @mermaid @Bansaw
I'm zonked now but will add details for those to the comparison post.

 

[Mij]

@Jenny TipsforME yes.

 

[ahmo]

I chose this Swanson complex. I divide the caps in half, use 1 AM, 1 midday. It has all the activated ingredients I need. In my past I scoffed at such low levels. But, as noted by Freddd, this is what works great for me.

http://www.swansonvitamins.com/swanson-ultra-activated-b-complex-high-bioavailability-60-veg-caps

 

[Jenny TipsforME]

@mermaid I added Doctor Best above. I buy a couple of Higher Nature supplements but for B Complex and multi vits they don't say what the B12 is and list folic acid rather than folate.

 

[Jenny TipsforME]

@Bansaw Seeking Health looks interesting as they have methylation products. I think those sublingual tablets are way too high % for me personally, but I've added their multivitamin above.