Dr. Mercola’s Whole Food Plus Multivitamin Review

I have tried a large variety of multivitamins, and each one has a different factor that brings me towards it in the first place. For Mercola’s multivitamin, it was the abundance of fruit and vegetable extracts. Magnesium stearate is also a controversial subject when choosing a multivitamin, and this vitamin does not contain it.

Magnesium stearate is a magnesium salt containing stearic acid. Thanks to its natural lubricating properties, it is often used in nutritional supplementation. Some health advocates are claiming that this ingredient can lead to the development of a biofilm in the digestive tract. This biofilm would inhibit absorption, and therefore be detrimental to the body as it would not be able to absorb vital nutrients. This would certainly be a concern to any consumer, but renown nutritional expert Byron Richards of Wellness Resources says that magnesium stearate actually helps to prevent biofilm formation.

Richards says, “The claim that stearic acid causes biofilms if a blatant lie. Promoting such a false concept casts considerable doubt on the integrity and intelligence of those making and forwarding these statements.”

Regardless of whether or not these claims are valid, the Mercola multivitamin does not use this controversial substance, and many consumers may be pleased with that fact.

A Quality Buy

Given that it is a whole food vitamin, the ingredients are derived from very high quality sources. The label ensures that the product contains no preservatives, artificial coloring, or flavoring, and the vitamins are in their natural forms. While it may contain smaller doses of many nutrients than some are used to, it still packs a rather large punch in comparison in mainline vitamin brands. Some brands often pack in mega-doses of every vitamin yet forget about the art of balance. Nutrients work together synergistically to get the job done. Just as vitamin D intake must be somewhat scaled to calcium intake, so must there be a balance maintained between the others.

B vitamins are particularly evident in this multivitamin, with a 1,667 percent daily value dosage of vitamin B-12 in every 8 tablets (daily intake amount). With all of the research linking B vitamins to anti-cancer effects, particularly against lung cancer, this is great news.  Smokers will even benefit from the reduced chance of lung cancer, as the study found that the B vitamins were effective in helping smokers and non-smokers alike.

See the label for yourself.

Effective

The claims of this vitamin are pro-dominantly based around its quality, in which it delivers. These claims can be found on the multivitamin product page of Mercola’s website. Below is one such claim:

Multivitamin +Plus Vital Minerals has been carefully evaluated and selected, each ingredient has been chosen for its:*

• Proper nutrient balance — just like too little of a nutrient does not provide you any real benefits, too much can potentially do you more harm than good
• Absorbability — the key to promoting your health is absorbing as much of the nutrient as possible
• Competitive relationship with other nutrients — a complex evaluation is performed by the scientists to make sure the amounts and types of nutrients work well together to benefit you
• Allergenic potential — careful selection and measurement of the nutrient to investigate potential allergy issues
• Long-term safety — any potential toxic buildup balanced out

While it is not possible to say whether or not this vitamin achieves absolute nutrient balance, or whether or not it is optimized for absorption, it is safe to say that the ingredients properly correspond to these goals. There is not an excessive amount of one particular nutrient,  nor is there a lack of one. The fact that it was also produced in a laboratory that received the 5-Star Gold Medal of Achievement (which only 4 laboratories have received), also asserts that the creation process is professional and most likely not contaminated.

When I first started taking this vitamin, I really experienced an increase in energy. Not a sudden burst of energy after taking it, but a gradual increase throughout the day. I had been taking a different brand of vitamins previous to this (that was high quality as well), but I had not experienced this effect when taking those. During my workouts this was especially helpful, as being sluggish during a workout can completely destroy the drive to continue onward. I attribute this increase in energy to the blend of vegetables, fruits, and herbs that is unique to this vitamin.

The energy increase became less noticeable over time, but this is most likely because I was adapting to the new energy levels. My sleep quality had already been quite excellent due to proper diet and exercise regimentation, but this vitamin gave it an extra jump. Taking 4 in the morning and 4 at night made it easier for me to sleep at night. Experiment with this, and try taking the second dosage of 4 pills earlier in the day if you have trouble sleeping from the energy boost.

Valuable

The Mercola Whole Food Multivitamin Plus costs $47.97. Most consumers would most likely feel uneasy about spending this amount of money of a multivitamin, and this is understandable. Cheap generic vitamins may seem appealing to some, but they tend to actually be harmful to the body, as they are loaded with synthetic vitamins. The body simply cannot utilize synthetic vitamins like it can the natural forms of the vitamins. These synthetic vitamins, such as D2, have been linked to numerous health problems.

Some health-conscious individuals simply cannot afford to purchase this vitamin every month, and there are certainly alternatives that are much more inexpensive, but each vitamin packs a different punch.  Take a look at the comparisons below for some ideas.

The Mercola multivitamin is a great choice if you are willing to pay a bit extra. The food-based vitamins are a plus, and the laboratory is definitely legitimate. What it really comes down to is how much you are willing to spend. If you can shell out a few extra bucks for the Mercola multivitamin, then you’ll most likely be pleased at the results.