Why you should only seek out natural vitamins, not synthetic ones

When deciding on a vitamin to make part of your daily supplement routine, do you choose the $4 brand at your local grocer, or the $30 enteric-coated brand at the local health food store?

In proper fashion, 'you get what you pay for' -- and nowhere is this more demonstrated than with the vitamin and supplement industry. Think that all Vitamin E is created the same? No chance -- the synthetic version (read: not real) is found in most bargain vitamins.

Think that calcium is created equal across the board? Nope -- there are several varieties of calcium as well, from citrate to ascorbate. Some are much more bioavailable than others, and others are cheaper (filler) ingredients just meant to give the impression that normally comes along with the term "calcium.

Remember to research the ingredients you put into your body, and always bypass the dollar-store vitamin variety. They're usually not even worth that amount. But hey, you may be a pretty bottle.