Most multi-vitamin brands are pretty much similar...but to get the best complete combination of vitamins and minerals, you will need to go to a health food store and buy them seperately or get a 3-6 tab a day supp.
The least expensive Vit C is as good as the high priced stuff, and I look for 1 gram C with rose hips as this usually contains micro-fractions like Bioflavinoids and Rutin. Avoid "timed-release" as it contains more binders?also avoid buffered and Esther-C. Plain old Ascorbic Acid works best.
No Vitamin B supplement works anywhere near as efficiently as B complex vitamins derived from whole foods, so I don't skimp here and always get Solgar's "Megasorb 50."
Vitamin E should always be D-Alpha tocopherol?not DL. And it's best to have the beta, delta and gamma tocopherols added.
Look for ferrous fumarate as your iron source, as it is derived from wheat, and is one of the few forms of iron which does not interfere with absorption of vitamin E. Men don't really need much iron anyway.
Cod Liver Oil should be the source for Vit A and D. The irradiated ergosterol forms are the kind that can prove toxic in mega-doses.
I also do not like minerals in gluconate form or derived from limestone, oyster shells, etc. Calcium lactate or citrate are best absorbed. Calcium and Magnesium should be in a 1 to 1 ratio. The 2-1 Cal/Mag is outdated thinking.
Look for a complete array of trace minerals. Overlooked, but important.
I also take 400 mg Co-Q-10 (200 Q-sorb twice a day)
Last, but not least, I prefer capsules over tablets, as I am more certain of complete breakdown and absorption. Tablets contain binders that hinder absorption.
On B-12....most red meat eaters get more than enough B-12, and the addition of dessicated liver tabs provides all the B-12 the body can use. Cooked beef liver is probably even better.
I buy all my vitamins and minerals separately.
Years ago I searched for a multi-vitamin that filled all my requirements. THe closest I found (about 12 years ago) was a 6 tab a day product called "Omniplex." A friend of mine was a long distance truck driver and asked my advice on the best multi to take on his trips. He said these provided a dramatic energy increase. Good luck.
