Introducing the All-New MultiV

What’s new & better in our foundational endurance multivitamin

By Luke R. Bucci, PhD CCN CNS Micronutrient Research  x Comments

Introduction

MultiV – our “basic” MVM (Multiple Vitamin-Mineral with additional nutrients) – has been updated, rebalanced, and made over to be even more powerful than before, with significant changes based on the latest nutrition science and experiential feedback. Read on to see why the new MultiV is Bigger, Better, and Badder, giving you a superior foundation for health and exercise performance.

Why Change Success?

Science Marches On

There are two good reasons to change MultiV. First, the Daily Values (DVs) for essential vitamins and minerals have changed, often dramatically, meaning that the % DV numbers you are used to seeing might look a lot different.

A reinvigoration of research on essential vitamins and minerals for endurance athletes has refined MVM needs and actions. Growth in endurance sports has fueled research that is more focused on actual needs – and this research is now often spearheaded by researchers who are themselves endurance athletes, bringing a more intimate expertise to the lab. Armed with more precise data – especially on metabolomics, genetics, and systems physiology – the new MultiV has been rebalanced and upgraded. The days of just giving more and more of a single nutrient until you find something change are gone.

Don’t worry – we give you even more than before, and used the mandated changes to rebalance MultiV based on Reason #2: A chain is only as strong as its weakest link.

No Weak Links

When it comes to the effects of any desired individual nutrient on exercise performance and recovery, your body is a sum total of all the nutrient-to-nutrient interactions, body-wide. If any other body system that works with the desired individual nutrient is off, then you can’t expect more and more of the desired nutrient to work as well – or even work at all. So it’s not just a case of upping the quantities and stirring it all up; rather, each nutrient must be balanced to complement every other nutrient in relation to every relevant body system. The concept is similar to our inclusion of all five electrolytes in EFS and EFS-PRO, where the full suite of electrolytes interact to promote across-the-board uptake and efficacy.

In the same way, a comprehensive MVM is the foundation for exercise performance, but only if the sum is engineered to be greater than the individual parts. The entire formula was reviewed and improved for the better by rebalancing micronutrient amounts and forms while adding other “conditionally essential” and accessory nutrients with known benefits for health and performance – a little opportunity we took to help fill some notable micronutrient gaps that most MVMs do not consider, because most MVMs aren’t built for endurance athletes.

Making the entire “chain” stronger, and ensuring it’s forged to carry the weight endurance athletes need it to carry, means MultiV produces the real-world outcomes that clinical research tells us it will.

What We Improved

Changes to Daily Values (DVs)

There were some big changes in the % DV units listed on the Supplement Facts panel. Most MVMs had their DVs reduced – some, like Biotin, dropped precipitously (90% - from 300 to 30 mcg). Eight were increased (Vitamin C, Vitamin D (a 100% increase!), Vitamin K, Calcium (once again), Phosphorus, Potassium, Magnesium, and surprisingly, Manganese). Only two went unchanged – Iron & Iodine. Importantly, the new units for Vitamin A, Vitamin D, Vitamin E, and Folate better reflect how these essential nutrients are needed.

New Additions & Good-byes

First, Vitamin K1, Choline, Boron, Yeast Beta Glucan & Spectra® Total ORAC5 Blend are new to MultiV. The Digestive Enzymes and Polyphenol Support Blend were removed. The bottom line is that MultiV has improved its immune support, antioxidant activity, and is comprehensive for vitamins and minerals.

New Forms of Nutrients

Folate is the biggest improvement of nutrient form – we dumped Folic Acid and now use a stabilized Calcium-5-Methyltetrahydrofolate (MTHF), the actual predominant form found in foods and your body that takes care of a lot of issues from Folic Acid. Vitamin K2 was changed from MK4 to MK7 to add a clinically researched amount of K2 with benefits and improved stability. The selenium source changed from amino acid chelate to the predominant, active form in foods and your body: L-Selenomethionine. The chromium form was changed from Nicotinate glycinate to Chromax®, the most-studied form in humans. For magnesium, we switched the bisglycinate for dimagnesium malate to save room – both are equally absorbed. Zinc and molybdenum got similar treatment, dropping zinc gluconate for the superior zinc bisglycinate and changing the molybdenum form from citrate to molybdate – both of which substitutions save room without sacrificing efficacy.

Amounts of Nutrients - Up & Down

Vitamin D and calcium amounts (same forms as before) were increased – substantially for vitamin D. Vitamins A and E amounts were reduced to further keep antioxidants balanced for post-exercise recovery, but still at or more than their DVs. Iron, zinc, manganese, molybdenum, and chromium amounts were reduced to maintain better balance amongst the trace minerals without compromising the functional status of each.

Although the folate amount looks decreased, the bioactivity of MTHF outweighs the previous folic acid amount. Same story for selenium, which still provides 100% DV from a more active form than before. Selenium looks like a big drop (from 140 to 55 mcg), but is still at 100% DV while being better balanced with the other antioxidants.

What Remains the Same

Vitamin C, B1, B2, B3 (niacin), B6, B12, biotin, pantothenate, iodine, magnesium, copper, Ginkgo biloba extract, and green tea extract have the same identities and amounts as before.

Iron deficiency is the number one MVM concern of endurance athletes, with studies showing up to 70% have deficiencies. Even non-deficient but marginal iron status decreases exercise performance. To remedy these conditions, we reduced the Ferrochel® iron from 27 to 18 mg since that is better balanced with the other trace minerals and quite sufficient to provide plenty of iron for the needs of ultraendurance athletes. With typical dietary iron intakes, MultiV and your diet supply at least 27 mg iron daily. And Ferrochel® iron absorption adapts to bodily needs, meaning that if you need more iron, a greater percentage of Ferrochel® iron is actually absorbed, with less interference from your diet, keeping you sufficient for iron without overload potential.

Targeting Endurance-Specific Nutritional Gaps

Strenuous, long-duration exercise places extra demands on nutritional status for essential micronutrients, and MultiV addresses those nutritional chokepoints. MultiV is meant to be taken long-term. A rule of thumb is that it takes about 3-4 months to see full effects of a nutritional change for the better. Stopping and starting supplementation can imbalance nutrient status and functions. And some nutrients take longer to reach optimal status. It’s all about harmony and balance. Your body adapts to a consistent, sufficient intake, takes what it needs and safely stores and/or disposes of the rest.

For endurance exercise, iron is supremely important, and we use the best form of iron. A comprehensive mix of antioxidants in balanced, non-aggressive doses can improve recovery and even performance. This includes the antioxidants in Ginkgo, Green Tea and Spectra® Total ORAC5 Blend that fill gaps in your redox balance to make your oxygen utilization better across the board. 

Your immune system is another target that has gaps in keeping you healthy after an event. Nutritional support by Yeast Beta Glucan and Green Tea work differently from essential micronutrients, adding to effects of Vitamin C, D, E, Zinc, Selenium and more.

Summary

We took advantage of the updated DVs and reformulated MultiV to keep up with advances in nutrition science for vitamins and minerals, and added revamped additional ingredients to improve performance and further support immune system health. Health, Wellness, Energy and Performance are maximized by having sufficient vitamin and minerals in forms and amounts specifically chosen for intense endurance athletes like you.