Natural Whole Food Vitamins: Information
Natural whole food vitamins are intended to fulfill human vitamin requirements using only whole food ingredients. The main benefit to these supplements is that whole food ingredients are usually better absorbed by the body, and therefore more beneficial to your overall health. Cheap synthetic vitamins may cost less per serving, but the tradeoff may be that your body is not getting as much of its required vitamins and minerals. The label may say "100% daily value" but that refers only to what has been placed into the pill - it does not mean that your body is actually absorbing 100% of the vitamin! Read more about Synthetic vs. Natural Vitamins
Vitamin Code vs New Chapter: GMO's?
Vitamin Code and New Chapter whole food vitamins are both Non-Gmo Verified (per the Non-GMO Project). This is a nice certification to look for as a consumer in search of a truly natural whole food multivitamin. After all, if you are taking action by avoiding synthetic vitamins, then why switch to a vitamin made out of "synthetic", mad-scientist gene-altered plants? The good news is neither of these supplements use GMO's.
Advantage: DRAW
Vitamin Code vs New Chapter: Organic?
Both Vitamin Code and New Chapter use non-GMO ingredients, but another key point to consider is whether these plant sources were grown using organic methods. Plants readily absorb chemicals from their surroundings and often pass them on to us in trace amounts. Washing does not always help because some substances are actually absorbed into the plant tissue itself. Thus, it is ideal to eat organically when possible for maximum benefit to your health. New Chapter is ICS Certified Organic, while Vitamin Code makes no mention of any organic certification.
Advantage: New Chapter
Vitamin Code vs New Chapter: The Pills
A major consideration for many individuals when choosing a new supplement is how large are the pills, and how many need to be taken? Vitamin Code is dosed in 4 capsules per day, split into 2 doses. New Chapter is one tablet, taken once per day. Each brand's offerings are fairly large in size (consistent with any multivitamin). It boils down to four pills vs. one - for some people this alone would be the deciding factor. There are also those who do not mind and just want the best supplement for their money. We'll look at what is actually inside the pills in the next section.
Advantage: New Chapter
Vitamin Code vs New Chapter: Vitamin Levels
Vitamin Code % Daily Value New Chapter % Daily Value
Vitamin A6000 IU120% 5000 IU100%
Vitamin C60 mg100% 60 mg100%
Vitamin D400 IU100% 1000 IU250%
Vitamin E30 IU100% 30 IU100%
Vitamin K80 mcg100% 80 mcg100%
Thiamin8 mg533% 1.5 mg100%
Riboflavin4 mg235% 1.7 mg100%
Niacin20 mg100% 20 mg100%
Vitamin B64 mg200% 2 mg100%
Folate400 mcg100% 200 mcg50%
Vitamin B12100 mcg1667% 12 mcg200%
Biotin300 mcg100% 150 mcg50%
Pantothenic Acid20 mg200% 10 mg100%
Calcium18 mg2% 15 mg1.5%
Iodine75 mcg50% 75 mcg50%
Magnesium17 mg4% 5 mg1%
Zinc15 mg100% 15 mg100%
Selenium125 mcg179% 75 mcg107%
Copper1.5 mg75% 1.5 mg75%
Manganese2 mg100% 1 mg50%
Chromium120 mcg100% 60 mcg50%
Molybdenum75 mcg100% 10 mcg13%
It is clear from the comparison above that Vitamin Code contains a higher level of several different vitamins. This is to be expected since Vitamin Code is comprised of 4 capsules versus only 1 tablet for New Chapter. Taking a look at the daily value fulfillment, New Chapter still satisfies 100% of the daily requirements for all but a few vitamins. Vitamin Code exceeds 100% in several areas, especially the B-Vitamins. B-Vitamins are commonly overdosed in many vitamins and usually this is not a problem, since the body can excrete whatever is not used. One effect from large doses of B-Vitamins is a slight energy boost, so if you are going to actually "feel" anything from either of these vitamins, it will probably be more likely with Vitamin Code, although if you are looking for a significant energy boost then you may want to consider other supplements such as yohimbine.
Advantage: Vitamin Code
Vitamin Code vs New Chapter: Custom Blends
Vitamin Code New Chapter
Probiotic & Enzyme Blend 168mg Stress & Energy Support 60mg
Antioxidant & Immune Support 78mg Immune Support 20mg
Organic Fruit & Vegetable Blend 20mg Cardio Support 20mg
Mineral Enzyme Activators 20mg Ginger & Turmeric 8mg
CoQ10 425 mcg
Vitamin Code and New Chapter each include a custom blend in addition to all the standard vitamins and minerals. Herbal supplements are used for a variety of purposes to a varying degree of success. These are not required by the body for proper function, but they may provide benefits that regular vitamins do not. Vitamin Code's custom blend is larger than New Chapter's (consistent with its larger dosage size). The individual herbs are relatively underdosed in both supplements, however, and therefore unlikely to provide any real benefits. The probiotic and digestive enzyme complex in Vitamin Code is most likely to help the user by aiding in the digestive process, thus maximizing vitamin absorption. Vitamin Code also contains a small amount of CoQ10 which is known for its cardiovascular benefits.
Advantage: Vitamin Code
Vitamin Code vs New Chapter: Conclusion
Taking everything into consideration, which vitamin is better? The answer is not so cut and dry, and it really depends on the individual. Those looking for the greatest energy boost, highest vitamin content, and some digestive support may lean toward Vitamin Code. Individuals who prefer organic supplements and only care about the minimum requirements are more likely to choose New Chapter, since it only requires one pill per day. Whatever your choice, you will be putting yourself into a much better position than if you were taking a regular synthetic multivitamin. Consider combining your new vitamin with N-Acetyl Cysteine, creatine, glutamine, and a good training plan for muscle gain or fat loss.