Centrum-type multivits don't dissolve fast enough. What to do?

Vikki C.

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I tried the 30-minute dissolution test on my multivitamin (a "compare to Centrum" type, the ones with the shiny grey coating.) After 30 mins, the pill was only half dissolved; the central core of the vitamin was still hard. Is anyone taking a good quality multi that they know dissolves quickly enough for us to absorb?
 
I have never heard of doing this and my centrum men's 50+ (store brand usually) does just fine for me. Are you doing this test in water, and frankly what made you worry about this enough to do a test? I take two multivites a day because that is how much I need based on my other vitamins that I take and then my lab results. Our stomachs & systems have acid and other enzymes to help break down and absorb things like vitamins.

At the end of the day I don't see any value in worrying about things like the dissolution rate of a vitamin because we can't control that. What we can control is taking our vitamins, getting frequent labs drawn and then adjusting our vitamin intake accordingly.
 
Is there a specific reason that you believe you must dissolve your multi before you take it? I use the regular multi from Costco and have never had a problem with them.
 
I do not routinely dissolve my multi before I take it; I was checking the vitamin to see whether it would dissolve within ½ hour. This test is per the advice of my surgeon, who told me that any pill (including Rx meds) that does not fully dissolve within 30 minutes will not be fully utilized by our DS anatomy. This is the same reason we are cautioned not to use time-release and enteric-coated medications.

Does anyone have a recommendation for a good quality vitamin capsule?
 
Your surgeon's recommendation, while interesting and unique, doesn't sound very scientific. It seems to me that absorption would depend on where in the digestive tract that particular medication or vitamin is absorbed, and also how fast it dissolves in the acid environment of the stomach and/or the environment (acid or otherwise) of the small intestine of the alimentary limb and/or common channel, not how well it dissolves in water. Since extended release meds are designed to dissolve or be absorbed gradually, we have a problem with them. But that logic doesn't necessarily extend to a vitamin or a non-time-release medication.
Your surgeon's water test fails to duplicate the conditions in which the vitamin or medication will or won't be absorbed in a living organism, i.e. you. If this is your biggest worry, you have nothing to worry about. If you still want a capsule, fine. Unfortunately, I don't have one I can recommend. If you can't find one you're happy with, how about taking your multi 2 times/day instead of one? there is always an alternative.
 
OK, I get it. Just break in half if you are concerned. You do take more than 1 per day anyway, right?

A better test, closer to the real thing, would be to put the vite in warm vinegar(acetic acid) and swish around. The pH of vinegar is usually around 2.4 and stomach acid is normally 1.5 to 3.5. The pH of water is around 7, neutral. The test in your article can be improved by using vinegar.

And BTW, not everything is absorbed in the stomach. Most is absorbed in the intestines.

I wouldn't worry about this too much unless your transit time is too short. You can always check with the fun glitter capsule or just eat some beets. Write down the time the beets go in and the time they come out!

And BTW some medications are in a plastic matrix. And you are supposed to poop out the tiny piece of plastic mesh. People see the mesh in their poop and assume they are not absorbing the drug!

I wonder...has anyone ever checked to see if we have alkaline poop? That would be interesting to know!
 
I don't worry about how long it takes to break down. I watch my labs and if something isn't working, I adjust.

Actually I take three Kirkland Daily Multi's but that is me.
 
I don't worry about how long it takes to break down. I watch my labs and if something isn't working, I adjust.

Actually I take three Kirkland Daily Multi's but that is me.
yep, me too.....but I take 2 Centrum's Men's 50 + (Target or Walmart equivalent)
 
@Vicki C I bet you weren't using vinegar, and didn't heat the water AND keep it at 98.6 AND swish it around continuously. I know I wouldn't have bothered with all that! And even then, while that tries to approximate real conditions, it doesn't. But I get your point.
I think @southernlady got it right. Follow your labs carefully and adjust your vitamin intake accordingly. For example, she takes 3 Kirkland vitamins/day, I take just one of the same vitamin, and both of us are doing fine.

And I forgot last night to mention that Bariatric Advantage has a chewable multi. I've never used them, but I do use their chewable calcium citrate lozenges because I have so much trouble swallowing large pills. I usually let them dissolve in my mouth, but chewing them would work as well, and you would know for sure that the pill has broken up.
 
Twin Labs Daily One is a capsule. It doesn't have as many or as much of the things as the Centrum type multi.

Methinks your surgeon gave ridiculous 'advice' with zero basis in evidence.
 
At the end of the day I don't see any value in worrying about things like the dissolution rate of a vitamin because we can't control that.
You would if you had WHOLE vitamin tablets coming out in YOUR poop!
Get with the program; this isn't about YOU!
 
is that what is happening to you, UncleScotty ? but you have not had weight loss surgery, is that correct?

either way, your post seems unnecessarily cranky although you are certainly welcome to disagree with DSRiggs.
 
is that what is happening to you, UncleScotty ? but you have not had weight loss surgery, is that correct?

either way, your post seems unnecessarily cranky although you are certainly welcome to disagree with DSRiggs.

Although Uncle Scotty's post was, IMHO unnecessarily blunt, I also understand that Vikki was just trying to get an answer to her question and that he was trying to support her. I want to support her, too. Responses like "don't worry," although well-intentioned, tend to feel like someone is saying your question is dumb, annoying or unnecessary. They feel like blow-offs.

I've gotten those kind of responses a few times and I don't care for them, either. If you can't answer my question -- fine, but it's not helpful to tell me to relax, stop worrying, or how to feel in any way.

And Vikki, your question seems reasonable to me AND backed up by that article (from a decent source, no less). We do have a shortened digestive path and you just want to make sure the pill is completely absorbing. We also have less stomach acid than before so there's that, too.

Munchkin's idea about vinegar at 98.6 degrees with some stirring might help you feel assured as it may come a bit closer to simulating a pill's journey through us. Give it a shot. I, for one, would be curious what you find!


a big :hugs: for everyone!
 
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