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Complement dubs its multivitamin as the ultimate formula for plant-based eaters, betting on only a few “nutrients” that are deemed essential to a vegan diet.
As someone familiar with the industry, this is by no means a new approach, but it’s an effective one, assuming the right nutrients have been picked.
Let’s start with my three main takeaways, dive into a more in-depth analysis of the good and the bad, and why I think there’s a better alternative.
Main Takeaways
- I appreciate how Complement underscores the importance of the ‘Big Three’ nutrients – B12, D3, and Omega-3s – offering them in dosages that are backed by rigorous scientific research.
- If you value a company that champions transparency, clearly reveals the origins of its ingredients, provides access to independent lab results, and maintains a strong commitment to environmentally-friendly packaging, then Complement stands out.
- Unfortunately, the price is quite steep and could potentially cost north of $500 per year for those considering long-term use.
About Love Complement
Love Complement is a supplement brand co-founded by the author behind No Meat Athlete, a large community of individuals who love plant-based health and fitness, and also where Frazier shares his experience and knowledge with the world.
So, Love Complement wasn’t just created on a whim; there was a long process that led to its inception, and I don’t think there’s anyone more credible than a vegan athlete (like Frazier) to bring his knowledge to fruition in the form of complementary nutrition that brings value to other plant-based athletes like himself.
It’s also nice to see the vegan ethos and values such as transparency, ethics, and eco-consciousness being implemented by Complement, and see a large community of people coming together to celebrate it.
To sum it all up, Love Complement is everything you want a vegan brand to be, but as you know, that doesn’t always mean you’ll be purchasing.
The Big Three
Since it’s quite possible you’re interested in this supplement for being vegan, there is a reason why this multivitamin is such a good product.
To put it simply, it boosts the intake of nutrients commonly found to be in shorter supply in a vegan diet— B12, D3, and Omega-3 fatty acids, especially DHA.
The phrase “shorter supply” is crucial here; it doesn’t imply these nutrients are unobtainable, particularly if you include fortified foods in your diet.
However, it’s often advised to supplement one or two of these nutrients, especially if your diet is lacking in certain foods.
If you’re contemplating adding these nutrients to your diet (whether through separate supplements or a multifaceted one like this), it’s crucial to understand a key topic: B12 absorption.
The body’s ability to absorb Vitamin B12 hinges on the amount of intrinsic factor the stomach produces, which is essential for B12 absorption.
Thus, the body isn’t capable of absorbing the entire Vitamin B12 content of a supplement. To illustrate, in healthy individuals, only approximately 10 mcg is absorbed from a 500 mcg oral supplement.
Because of this, the supplemented quantity of Vitamin B12 should surpass the recommended daily dosage. The greater the amount of Vitamin B12 we intake at once, the smaller the percentage that gets absorbed.
The recommended daily allowance (RDA) stands at 2.4 mcg. However, if we supplement 2.4 mcg all at once, the stomach will only absorb a fraction, preventing us from meeting the RDA.
In simple terms, disregard supplements offering only 100% of the B12 RDA.
Complement’s multivitamin provides you with 300 mcg per serving, amounting to 12500% of the RDA, which is a generous, yet safe amount.
For Vitamin D(3) and Omega-3 fatty acids, the same principle does not apply due to their distinctive characteristics.
It’s prudent to adhere to the recommended guidelines when dealing with these nutrients, a stance that Complement has followed with this multivitamin.
It offers 50 mcg (2000 IU) of vitamin D3, meeting 250% of the RDA, and also 480mg of omega-3s (consisting of 300mg of DHA and 150mg of EPA), which is slightly above the amount recommended by health organizations such as the European Food Safety Authority, but it’s still far from the upper limit.
Transparency and Eco-Friendliness
If you’re like me and value a brand that is transparent and adheres to ethical and sustainable practices, then you might like Complement.
Complement doesn’t have any issues, it seems, with freely sharing information about each ingredient and its country of origin, third-party lab results, and of course, they don’t have any proprietary blends, so you know exactly what goes into the product.
For example, it turns out that Complement sources its ingredients from different countries, including the US, Canada, the UK, India, and China.
But the product(s) are formulated, produced, and third-party tested in the US, and let’s face it, that’s not the reality of most supplement companies.
What I also appreciate about this brand is the non-reliance on plastic— so what they give you is 100% biodegradable pouches, and for your first purchase, you get a free reusable glass jar that you can refill when reordering the product.
100-day Money-Back Guarantee
Despite being a great product, there might be a hint of doubt in your mind that leads you to regret buying the darn product in the first place.
Well, here’s a not-so-common thing — Complement offers you (and every other customer) a 100-day money-back guarantee.
This means, in simple terms, that if you don’t like the product within 100 days of buying it, you can call ’em up to return the product and get your money back— naturally, this also implies you’ve used the product.
I’d say it’s a pretty bold tactic from Complement and is sure to work given how it removes a lot of the concerns that exist in buying these products (i.e. not getting the promised benefits, etc).
The Price Is Very Steep
One of the primary considerations when making any purchase is the cost—particularly for something like a multivitamin that you might be planning to buy monthly.
The cumulative expense over a year could be hefty, which isn’t ideal if you’re on a rather tight budget.
Unfortunately, Complement’s multivitamin does carry a substantial price tag, which isn’t surprising considering the things we’ve covered in the previous sections.
However, the final cost also changes depending on whether you opt for a one-time purchase or subscribe to their monthly delivery service.
A one-time purchase sets you back $89, translating to about $1.48 per serving. If you subscribe to their monthly service, you can trim down the overall price by 15%, lowering it to $1.25 per serving.
Keep in mind that 1-pouch comes with 60 servings, or a 2-month supply.
Taking everything into account, I’ve got to say that the price point is incredibly steep for a multivitamin, leading to an annual expense exceeding $500.
Frequently Asked Questions
Multivitamins are normally safe for most people when taken in the recommended doses.
However, like any other dietary supplement, they can potentially cause side effects in certain circumstances, especially if taken excessively or inappropriately.
Possible side effects of taking multivitamins can include stomach upset, allergic reactions, interactions with certain medications, potential toxicity from overdosing, urine discoloration, and headaches.
For these reasons, it’s always advised to consult a healthcare provider before starting a new supplement regimen.
Like any other multivitamin, you have to keep it fresh by storing it in a cool, dry place, away from direct sunlight.
In other words, you don’t want a multivitamin to be subject to fluctuating temperatures.
It’s also a good idea to avoid areas with high humidity, such as bathrooms or near kitchen sinks.
Keeping the multivitamin in its original container is also advisable, as these often contain a desiccant to maintain dryness.
There are a few options available.
If you have a compost heap at home, you can add the packaging directly to it as the materials will eventually break down and enrich the compost with nutrients.
If you don’t have a compost heap but have a garden, you can dig a small hole and bury the packaging; it will decompose naturally.
Alternatively, you can use local composting facilities or green waste bins provided by some waste management services.
For recycling, ensure to follow local recycling guidelines.
Some biodegradable packaging may also be recyclable, but this can depend on your local recycling facilities.
Usually, you also ought to make sure you remove any non-biodegradable components, like adhesive labels or seals, before composting or recycling, but Complement’s packaging is 100% compostable.
The Alternative
If there’s one supplement I’ve recommended several times, it’s the Essential Multivitamin from Future Kind— which, akin to Complement, also contains vital nutrients such as B12, D3, and Omega-3s.
In fact, that’s all the nutrients it has, which is why I like it because it’s a much simpler alternative.
It’s also more affordable, with one bottle costing $29.95. Though, if you intend to take a multivitamin for longer, you can get it for 20% cheaper if you opt for the monthly delivery service— which would bring the price down to $23.96 or $0.79 per serving.
But hey, this is not expert advice, so feel free to do your own research to better understand what’s best for you!
Editor’s note: The content on this website is meant to be informative in nature, but it should not be taken as medical advice. The content of our articles is not intended for use as diagnosis, prevention, and/or treatment of health problems. It’s always best to speak with your doctor or a certified medical professional before making any changes to your lifestyle, diet, or exercise routine, or trying a new supplement.
