Tired of the Flinstones Complete Chewables :( - anything else out there that's better?

Hi everyone...I was wondering if anyone  had ay suggestions as to other tastier options for multivitamins? Currently I take 3 of the Flinstones Complete Multivitamins (chewables) and I HATE the nasty aftertaste and I find I'm not as consistent as I should be with taking these as I should be because they are not very appealing to me and leave the ugly chalky aftertaste. 

Perhaps there are other types of multivitamin supplements that dont have to be chewed that I can just swallow? Any suggestions? Is there anything that is just ONE pill versus so many different pills to be taken throughout the day?

Any suggestions for good supplements would be greatly appreciated! Price isn't necessarily an option, I'm willing to spend more if its more convenient and tasty and appropriate for bariatric patients, of course.

P.S. Also - any suggestions on good protein? Currently I take the Matrix 5.0 powder shakes (cookies and cream and orange cream) and would like something different.

Thank you all!! :)

I take the Centrum chewables and follow them by about 3 almonds (just to get the remaining vitamin powder oiff my tongue).  There are lots of vitamins that are small enough that you can just swallow them, but the chewables are better absorbed (especially for RNYers.)

Lora

Hi Lora...thanks for the info! So the chewables are promoted because of the absorption? I see. I thought it was just a matter of flavor or maybe to make one feel as if having a "treat". Darn well that changes things. As for your Centrum chewables - do you also take 3 of those daily? (like my flinstones complete?)

thanks!

I take only 2 of the Centrum, but they are designed for adults (whereas the Flintstones are designed for kids (and many will argue that they are therefore not suitable for adults)).

Lora

I'm wondering where you get the information that chewables are better absorbed.  I've heard some people say that but others say vitamins you swallow are fine.  I've looked and looked and cannot find any studies that indicate chewables are absorbed better.  Can you share where you get that info from?

Kelly

Initially,  the info came from the material that my surgeon gave us indicating that with chewables the absorption starts immediately (the same reason that they recommend chewing a baby aspirin (as opposed to taking one by mouth) when someone suspects a heart attack).

Then, when someone else asked about it, I found several references to the same thing.  This is the only one I bookmarked:
http://www.bariatricfusion.com/supplementpractitioner.php:  "The nature of a chewable supplement makes the vitamins and minerals more available for absorption since the micronutrients begin to be broken down before they reach absorption sites."

I'm certainly no vitamin expert... and am certainly willing to be corrected if someone has "hard" evidence to the contrary... but it does make sense to me that, without the upper portion of intestine that normally would absorb the vitamins, chewables would result in better absorbtion.

Lora

I don't have any research to the contrary.  I don't have any research one way or the other.  Neither does anyone else, apparently.

I'm sure with chewables, we absorb them faster because we don't have to break them down at all.  But many vitamins that you swallow are dissolved pretty quickly.  I don't really see how it helps me if I start absorbing something one minute after I swallow it instead of 15 minutes after I swallow it.  I mean, if I'm having a heart attack, I can see how that helps.  But my multivitamin?  I can wait 15 minutes for that.

I would not go by a statement made by a company that makes chewable vitamins, unless they can back it up with research.  And I really wouldn't go by something said by the company that makes Bariatric Fusion, 'cause they are full of crap.  They sell vitamins that contain calcium carbonate, which we cannot absorb after RNY, and say we don't need to take additional calcium.  They say we don't need to take additional iron if we take their vitamins, which is not true, since the calcium (even though some of it's the wrong kind) would block the absorption of the iron in those things.  I just don't have confidence in anything they say.

Kelly

I just have my labs.

For me?  That's pretty good evidence.


In fact, some of my labs even astound Vitalady.  Especially my B's..

do your labs say chewables are better, or pills. I went through some hefty tooth problems about 2 months postop and switched to swallowable pills isntead of chewables, since I couldn't chew... have done them since.

I don't do chewables.

My labs are good.

Therefore, pills must be working.