My Vitamins for Health

The Basics

What is Mitamins?

Mitamins' Nutrition Team consists of physicians, nutritionists, biochemists and herbalists from the US, Canada, UK and China led by Dr James Balch, a physician and surgeon with over thirty-five years of experience. Dr Balch is a Certified Nutritional Consultant, a member of the American Medical Association, a Fellow in the American College of Surgeons, and a leading authority on integrative medicine and nutritional healing. He has written several books and has co-authored two best selling texts, including the well known Prescription for Nutritional Healing, which has sold over 8 million copies. Dr Balch continues to drive research and discussion on a broad range of health and nutritional issues.

The team coordinates experience in preventative, complementary and alternative medicine with their knowledge of natural and oriental remedies. They match these skills with the latest developments in nutritional science and the latest products from our brand name ingredient suppliers.

Mitamins' Management Team consists of a proven board of IT and biotechnology professionals based out of our laboratories in Sunnyvale, California.

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What does Mitamins do?

Mitamins is a nutrition company headquartered in Sunnyvale, California. Our unique mass customization system allows you to take complete control of your health supplements and delivers everything you need in customized capsules in a single bottle made just for you.

A supplements program is a long term effort and we feel that the convenience of only having one bottle of supplements to deal with every day will make it easier for people to stick to their plan, and stay healthier.

We also provide in-depth resources on the science of nutrition to allow you to make up your own mind as to the benefits of individual supplements. Our online system then gives you the means to create a customized supplement program.

Although there are some companies that will provide you with a mix of different supplement pills in a daily plastic bag, Mitamins is the only company that provides truly custom health supplements to the American market. Mitamins actually manufactures a custom capsule according to your wishes.

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How do I contact Mitamins?

Please direct any questions to us through this form. We generally reply within 1 business day. We also have live chat available between 10 am and 10 pm Pacific Standard Time (PST). Just click on the Live Chat button on the website to chat with an operator.
Customer service is available by phone between 10 am and 6 pm PST on the number below:
Our address is:

Mitamins Inc

1394 Borregas Avenue

Sunnyvale CA 94089

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Legal information

Please see our terms of use for legal information. Please contact us with any other questions you may have.

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Security and privacy information

Mitamins aims to be the leader in targeted supplements. In order to earn your confidence in our services, we respect your privacy rights. For that reason, we will never sell, trade, or rent your personal information. We consider any data we collect on this website or through any contact with our customers highly confidential and we have taken the utmost protection and security measures to ensure the safety and integrity of your data. We are also members of the Truste and Verisign security programs. You can click on their logos on our website to verify this.

Please see our privacy and security policy for further information.

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What Guarantees do you offer?

Mitamins is dedicated to providing the most convenient way of achieving nutritional health and this dedication extends to all aspects of our company. We offer a money back guarantee if you are not totally satisfied with your product, for any reason. Please go to the returns section of My Account for further details on returning your product. Also, make sure to review our Returns Policy.

Mitamins 5 Star Guarantee

1. Confidence - It is Mitamins' policy to give you a full refund if you are not completely satisfied with your order for any reason.

2. Price - Our pricing is transparent: we charge $8 per month for each order and we will only charge the weight cost of the ingredients on top of that. We provide free shipping, always.

3. Quality & Safety - Our vitamins are freshly made from the highest quality brand-name ingredients. We manufacture to order and deliver straight to your door, so your vitamins won't spend months sitting on a shelf. We even produce a replica of every order for extra assurance. Your vitamins can be checked for interactions against your medication to ensure that you are getting all the benefits of both, and none of the risks.

4. Relevancy - We aim to cover your health conditions, whatever they may be. If we don't have a formula for you, we will create one with the help of our staff physicians and nutritionists.

5. Security & Privacy - Your privacy and protection are our top priorities. We deploy state-of-the-art Secure Socket Layer (SSL) 128-bit encryption in conjunction with the leading internet security certification provider. Your data is safe with us.

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My Account

How do I change my contact or delivery information?

All of your personal information - including your contact and payment information, outstanding orders and shipping history - is stored in the My Account section of the website. Visit My Account to view or change any of your personal information or your account settings.

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I forgot my password!

Click here to have your password emailed to you immediately.

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Viewing your order history

Returning customers can click here to view their order history.

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Editing your account information

You may wish to change your account information if you have moved or if any of the other information we have - including payment methods - has changed.
To view and make changes to your account, follow these simple steps:

1 ) Sign in.

2) From the My Account page click on the type of account information you wish to update (for example, your billing or shipping address).

3) Type your new information in the fields provided.

4) Update your account by clicking the Submit button at the bottom of the page.

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Changing your email address or password

You may wish to change your account information if you have moved or if any of the other information we have - including payment methods - has changed.
To view and make changes to your account, follow these simple steps:

1 ) Sign in.

2) From the My Account page, click on User Info

3) Enter your new email address and/or password in the fields provided.

4) Update your account by clicking the Submit button at the bottom of the page

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Do not send me any emails!

We understand how much spam there is out there and we do not want to add to it.

To change your email preferences, follow these simple steps:

1 ) Sign in.

2) From the My Account page, click on User Info

3) Below the fields for your email address there are some check boxes. Uncheck them all if you do not want to receive any emails unless they concern an order you have made.

For legal and reminder purposes we would prefer to be able to send you an email if you have made an order, but if you do not wish for ANY emails please contact us.

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How Do I Use Mitamins.com?

Purchasing a Physician Designed Health Specific Formula

If you would like to choose one of our Physician Designed Formulas, follow these simple steps.

1. Go to the home page and select your health concern, from the scroll menu on the right.
2. A new page will load with the nutrition information for your vitamin. Below this information you can click to either "Save My Formula" to purchase at a later date or "Add to Cart" to purchase now.
3. When you click "Add to Cart" it will take you to a sign-in page where you can click "Register with Mitamins".
4. Input a Username of your choice, your email address and a password
5. Make sure the Multivitamin Formula is in your Shopping Cart and then click "Proceed to Checkout

If you would like to combine more than one of our Physician Designed Custom Formulas or start from scratch, please see the "What is the Multivitamin Builder" section.

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How do I Create my Own Supplements Formula?

The Multivitamin Builder is Mitamins' system of creating a supplement tailored to your nutritional needs. After using the Multivitamin Builder you will have a custom supplement formula that allows you to choose each ingredient and specify exactly how much of it you want in your capsule.

You can start from scratch and build a formula all on your own here. The Multivitamin Builder also has a huge range of disease and health concerns with specific formulas for you to start with and then adapt to your personal situation. You can also check whether your chosen supplements will interact with your medication, and make adjustments according to your research. To start with one of Mitamins physician designed health formulas, click here.

Mitamins Multivitamin Builder is simple and easy to use. It's divided into four sections:

1) Select Concerns: Simply check the box next to each of your health concerns and the Builder will display the recommended physician designed health formula(s) in the box below. You can select one or a number of these to add to your customized formula.

2) Check for Interactions: Simply check the box next to each of your current medications and the Builder will display the latest information on interactions with that medication and automatically adjust your formula accordingly.

3) Adjust Mixes: Here you can add or delete popular multi-mixes such as multivitamin mixes, antioxidant mixes and vitamin B mixes from your formula

4) Adjust Ingredients: In this section you have the option of adjusting the amounts of each ingredient by hand.

At My Formula List: Give your personalized formula a name and save it in the My Formula List by clicking the "Save My Formula" button to the right of the box containing your formula's nutrition facts. The system also allows you to store several different formulas using different names.

What makes the builder so easy to use is that is does not have to be used in any set way; you can use all or part of it to create your own personal formula. Any ingredients you add can be edited at any stage of the process.

You can also purchase your multivitamin at any time by clicking the "Add to Cart" button. If you do this without saving your formula first, don't worry, the system will save it for you automatically. Or, if you save the formula first, you can purchase it by simply clicking the "Add to Cart" button to the right of the formula's name in My Formula List.

In addition, we have made it easy for you to share your formulation with others by email. In the My Formula section, simply click on the E-Mail formula link to the right of the formula's name.

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Do I have to use one of your formulas or can I just create my own?

You can do it any way you want. In the Multivitamin Builder you can create a custom multivitamin by putting the ingredients you want together without using one of our starting formulas. Use the ingredient adjustor to begin.

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Ordering & Billing

Can I order only 1 month's supply instead of 3 month's?

We appreciate that some people may only want 1 or 2 month's supply of their custom multivitamins, but unfortunately our system is unable to produce these amounts. Nutritional supplementation is a long term commitment and our production system and procedures are all geared toward providing customers with long term support. However, you can return any unopened bottles for a full refund.

Mitamins produces and sends 3 month's supply at a time but we only bill you on a monthly basis, after you have taken that month's supply. This subscription payment system ensures that you never run out of your custom multivitamins and gives you the ability to return anything you do not use before paying for it.

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How will I be billed?

You will be billed monthly, a month in arrears. This means that one month after confirmation of delivery, Mitamins will begin the monthly billing cycle.

The billing cycle will then continue each month for 2 months, so you will be billed a total of 3 times for every shipment.

We will send you a reminder or contact you approximately 8 weeks after delivery to ask if you require a refill. This will give us enough time to produce another run of your multivitamin so you will have an uninterrupted supply of your health formula.

You can also choose the 'Automatic reorder' option during the checkout process. By choosing this option we will automatically bill you and produce another order for you and have it to you by the end of your three month supply.

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How much do you charge?

The cost of your order will depend on the formula you select and the ingredients you add. Mitamins' system makes it possible for you to combine many targeted formulas. We recommend only combining 2 or 3 formulas, as the cost and the size of the daily serving will be too large if you try to combine more than that.

We offer a money back guarantee if you are not totally satisfied with your product for ,any reason and all purchases are shipped free within the continental United States.

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Changing or viewing your orders

Customers can track and make changes to their orders in the My Account section.

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Unsure if your order went through?

Sometimes an order submits successfully even if you get an error message on the last step. Please check the list of recent orders in My Account before attempting to place the order again.

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Empty Shopping Cart?

If your Shopping Cart is empty or items are missing from it, it is likely that you are not logged into your account.

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Receiving an error message on the payment page?

Make sure that you have selected the correct credit card type and expiration date from the dropdown boxes. Verify that the credit card number was entered correctly, without any spaces or dashes. If you are using a new or recently reissued credit card, please be sure that you have activated the new card before entering it into the order form.

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Receiving a system error?

These errors usually occur for only a short time and can be a result of the system itself, your computer or your internet connection. Please try refreshing the page - if this does not work try opening the page in a different browser (Netscape, Internet Explorer). If you still have difficulty, please try again later.

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Other troubleshooting tips

If your problem is not listed above it's possible that one of these suggestions may help:

If your problem is not listed above it's possible that one of these suggestions may help: Refresh the page. If a page loads only halfway or takes a very long time to load, clicking the "Stop" button at the top of your browser and then clicking "Reload" or "Refresh" often solves the problem.

Clear your cache. Most web-browsers temporarily store a local copy of every page you visit.

Clearing your cache deletes those files and makes room for new ones. Go to the "Cache" or "Temporary Internet Files" option on your browser (on Netscape, go to "Options" and choose "Network Preferences"; if you use Internet Explorer, go to "Tools" and choose "Internet Options"), and delete the temporary internet files stored in your cache.

If none of these suggestions solves your problem, please contact us using the link below. Please include as much information in your message as possible, including:

What point in the ordering process is causing you trouble?

If you are receiving an error message, what does it say?

What items are you trying to order?

Customer Service will be happy to assist you. However, at present please note that we cannot accept orders via e-mail or phone.

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Using the Shopping Cart

Purchasing items

1. Create and save your formula with the Multivitamin Builder. See the "How do I use Mitamins.com" section for more detailed instructions.

2. In the My Formula section, you then click the 'Add to Cart' button for your formula.

3. If you wish to add more than one formula to your order just create another formula and store it in your account under a different name.

4. Once you've added all the formulas you want your Shopping Cart should be visible on the right-hand side of the page and you can proceed to the next step.

5. Click the 'Proceed to Checkout' button to fill out the order form.

If you are having difficulty adding items to your cart or your cart appears empty after you have added items to it, please consult the "Other troubleshooting tips" FAQ elsewhere on this page.

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Removing items from your Shopping Cart

Click the 'Edit Shopping Cart' button. In the new window, click the 'Remove' button below the name of the formula you want to remove from the shopping cart.

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Missing items from your Shopping Cart?

Your Shopping Cart is related to your Mitmains.com account, so logging into or out of your account can cause items to disappear from your cart.

If the cart associated with your account had no items in it, then your Shopping Cart will seem to be empty. Likewise, if you create your list while you are logged into your account, and then log out, your items will seem to disappear. If this is the case, you should be able to retrieve your cart simply by signing in again.

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Enabling cookies

Cookies must be enabled for the Shopping Cart to work properly. If the suggestions above do not solve the problem, cookie blocking or file utility software may be causing the difficulty. Programs such as WebFree, Guard Dog, Cookie Cutter, Cookie Monster, Junkbuster, Watchdog, and even certain browsers can be set to suppress cookies.

If you are using Internet Explorer:

Click the Tools drop-down menu and select "Internet Options."

In the Security tab, click the Custom Level button.

Click the radio buttons next to Enable beneath "Allow cookies that are stored on your computer" and "Allow per-session cookies (not stored)." This should enable your browser to accept cookies.

The way to ensure your cookies are working varies from browser to browser. If you're using a browser other than Internet Explorer, please check your browser's user guide for more instructions.

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Payment

How does payment work?

In order to take advantage of the free shipping and savings in production, Mitamins produces and sends a 3 month supply of your custom multivitamin.

You can choose to pay all up front or pay on a monthly basis, for 3 months.

Our automated manufacturing and shipping procedures do not allow us to ship anything other than 3 months at a time.

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Credit Cards

We accept the following credit cards:

Visa

MasterCard

American Express

Discover

At the moment we only accept credit cards that have been issued in the United States. We are working with our service provider to provide alternatives.

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Checks/Money Orders

Mitamins accepts checks. To do so, please contact cusomter service at info@mitamins.com or call us at 1-866-585-1390.

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No cash or wire transfers, sorry

At this time we do not accept these forms of payment. For order assistance, please email us at info@mitamins.com or call 1-866-585-1390.

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Do you charge sales tax?

This depends on the regulations associated with your state. For California residents, sales tax will be charged at a rate based on the county it is shipped to. If you are receiving an order from us in another state, the customer is responsible for paying a Use Tax to the local state. Please check with your local government tax office for further information.

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Cancellations

Canceling orders

You may only cancel an order within twenty-four hours of placing it. After twenty-four hours the order will move through to our production system and we will not be able to cancel it. If the system does not let you cancel your order take a note of the order number and send us a message with this form and we will attempt to cancel your order for you.

We will send you an email soon thereafter advising you if your cancellation request was successful.

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How do I cancel my order using your system?

You can only cancel an order within twenty-four hours of placing it.

To do so, first log in to Mitamins and go to My Account. In the Order Center you will see a list of open orders.

Select the order you want to cancel by clicking

Then click You will be asked to enter a reason for the cancellation and after you confirm your order will be cancelled.

You will receive an email confirming your cancellation for your records.

If the system does not let you cancel see the FAQ Canceling orders

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Cancellations

We offer free shipping within the continental US. However, if you have your own account with a shipping company and you would like to ship elsewhere, you are of course free to arrange this at your own expense. Please contact customer services and we will let you know when your order is ready for delivery.

Shipping Destinations

We ship to the 50 United states and other select countries. If your country is not included, please contact us at info@mitamins.com or 1-866-585-1390 to see if we can ship to your country.

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How long does shipping take?

All purchases are shipped with standard shipping within United States for free. Standard shipping with our current provider takes three to six business days (two business days for 2nd day shipping and one business day for overnight shipping). International orders take 6-10 business days. Please note we only ship after production is complete, and it can take a day or two to custom-manufacture your order for you.

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How will I know if there is a complication with my order?

We will immediately notify you of any complications with your order, including back orders, special order items and credit card trouble.

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International Shipping

If your country is not listed, or you have any questions, please contact us at info@mitamins.com or call 1-866-585-1390.

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P.O. (Post Office) Boxes

Mitamins currently uses FedEx Ground to ship items. Unfortunately we cannot accept orders to P.O. Boxes at the moment but we are working towards offering other shipment options. Please advise customer service of your requirements and we can alert you when this becomes available by emailing us at info@mitamins.com.

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Returns

Can I return a product and what is your policy?

Yes. However, we are confident in the quality of the products we manufacture but understand that there may be factors beyond our control that may contribute to why a customer may not be satisfied with their order. That is why our Complete Confidence Policy covers you for 30 days following the receipt of your order and entitles you to a full refund.

Complete Confidence Policy
To make a return and receive a full refund (minus applicable shipping costs) please:
-Contact us within 30 days of receipt of your products for this policy to be applicable.
-Return all of the unused and unopened portion of your order.
-Have a reason for your dissatisfaction so that we can improve on this area.
For complete instructions on making a return, please contact our Customer Service Department here.

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How do I return a product?

For complete instructions on making a return, please contact our Customer Service Department here.

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Special Offers

Do you have any Special Offers at the moment?

Mitamins regularly offers special deals and discounts. Please contact us to find out what offers are available to you at the moment.

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I heard about another special offer; is it still available?

As our special offers or promotions vary from time to time it's worthwhile to contact us to see if an offer is still available to you.

Mitamins has advertised a number of different special offers in the past and we will continue to do so. To hear about any deals or promotions please check our website or keep an eye out for the newsletter.

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Mitamins Formulas? What are they?

I have a health condition - can you help?

We cannot make any guarantees as to our ability to help with any health conditions and Mitamins staff cannot provide information or advice concerning the treatment of a condition. We always recommend that you see a physician first before starting a course of supplements. However, if you already know what you want then we will, of course, help you make it.

We can discuss the formulas we have available and show you the reasoning and research behind their ingredients. Also, the Library section may assist you in deciding on a supplement program that fits your situation.

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Will your formulas treat, cure or prevent my individual health concerns?

Nutritional science and holistic medicine is a growing field and there is still not a huge amount of sound clinical data available, nor is there a consensus amongst practitioners in the field as to what is right for what condition. To read the current evidence for a certain supplement, please see our Library.

Mitamins formulas are a collection of dietary supplements targeted at certain health concerns and are designed to work with conventional treatment. Mitamins provides a means of creating a convenient formula based on what you and your physician deem to be helpful for your condition.

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I have a number of health concerns; can I combine your formulas?

Yes. All Mitamins formulas can be combined with any others into a single convenient formula. To ensure that you do not get more than the recommended amount of any one supplement Mitamins uses the Maximum Principle to make sure that your formula only contains the highest value of each required ingredient for each formula. This ensures that your formula is safe, cost effective and specific to your individual needs.

For example, if Formula A for Night Blindness requires 15,000 IU of Vitamin A and Formula B for boosting immunity calls for 10,000 IU of Vitamin A, using the Maximum Principle, your combined formula will have 15,000 IU of Vitamin A and NOT 25,000 IU of Vitamin A. In this way we are able to avoid supplement overdose while fulfilling your daily supplement needs in a cost sensitive manner.

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I have a health condition that you do not have listed.

If you place a request for a formula for a specific health condition using our contact form our team will create a formula as soon as they can.

In the meantime, you can use the web and our information resources in the Library section to do your own research on your condition and ask a physician or a dietician what supplements might be most beneficial. You can then build a formula from scratch by going to the Multivitamin Builder, clicking on Adjust Ingredients and using the controls to add the appropriate amounts of different supplements or mixtures into your formula.

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My medication is not listed in the Interactions section.

Check to make sure that your medication is not listed under another brand name or under its generic name.

The generic name can be found on the packaging beside the brand name. For example, the generic name for Lipitor is Atorvastatin.

If you still cannot find your medication please contact us and we will add it.

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I don't think your formula is suitable for my nutrition needs; what can I do?

Mitamins' formulas are only a starting point; you can easily adjust them to fit your needs.

The rule is: decide for yourself based on information from as many sources as possible, including your regular physician. We provide tools and information to create a supplement formula that fits your individual health needs exactly. Please contact us if you need some help.

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Why do you have different formulas for the same condition?

Some of our nutritionists have extensive training in Eastern Medicine and some of our physicians have personal experience in what helps a certain condition. For this reason the formulas they design may differ.

You can see the reasoning behind every component of every formula if you click See how it works beside the formula in the Multivitamin Builder.

For information on how to adjust your formula, see the "How do I use www.mitamins.com" section of the FAQ.

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Why should I adapt my formula?

Externally, your personal diet may not supply you with a full spectrum of nutrients for your good health. Internally, you have unique health, genetic and medical needs. Finally, our understanding of nutritional science is constantly evolving, so you may need to adjust your vitamin intake to keep up with the latest findings.

We recommend custom building your own supplement formula because you have unique nutritional needs that may not be met by mass market multivitamins. Additionally you cannot choose what you do NOT want in your formula if you purchase a mass-market supplement.

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What are health concern specific formulas? How are they designed?

Mitamins formulas are supplement combinations specially created to support a specific health concern. For each health concern, we have several formulas for you to consider. Each formula reflects the best judgment of supplement experts and medical practitioners, but they may differ in terms of general supplement philosophy and the personal practical experience of the expert concerned.

The formulas are developed by a highly experienced in-house team of physicians, nutritionists, biochemists and herbalists from the US, Canada, UK and China. The team coordinates experience in preventative, complementary and alternative medicine with their knowledge of natural and oriental remedies. They match these skills with the latest developments in nutritional science and the latest products from our brand name ingredient suppliers. They draw upon a wide range of sources including medical and health science journals, clinical trials and collaborations with leading nutritionists and health scientists.

Our goal is to help you choose a formula that best fits your own particular situation and you can of course customize this formula to your own requirements. We do this by giving you several options and providing supporting information about each with the most up to date clinical information available.

We strongly encourage you to discuss your supplement needs with your physician and health advisors and to conduct your own research into what is best for you. You should always consult a doctor before undertaking any course of dietary supplements.

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How do you know what supplements I need?

We don't; we give you the information and tools to make that decision for yourself. We have consulted doctors and nutritionists on what dietary supplements may benefit certain conditions and provided their recommended formulas as a starting point. We also provide links to a large database of information on supplements in the Library for you to review and use to help determine the best supplements for your individual condition. Our system allows you to change any or all the ingredients in any of the formulas. Please see the "How do I use Mitamins.com" section for details on how to do this.

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Do you have formulas for children?

We do not provide any supplements for children under the age of 13 and those under the age of 18 are advised to seek help from their parents or guardians. In addition, everyone should consult a physician before undertaking a course of supplements.

If you are considering purchasing supplements for your child, ask a doctor about supplements and doses. The great thing about Mitamins is that whatever your doctor advises you can create an exact match on our system. Most off-the-shelf supplements designed for children do not take into account their individual needs. Mitamins does.

Mitamins makes it easier to stick to a supplements regime as we have fewer bottles and capsules to take, making the daily chore much easier to swallow.

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What is the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA)? The Daily Value (DV)?

Recommended Daily Allowance, (RDA), recently renamed the Daily Value (DV), is typically found on supplement bottle labels (For example: Vitamin D 50% of DV). Designed by a committee of nutrition experts, the DV defines the average daily nutrient needs of healthy individuals. Therefore, the Daily Value is essentially a recommendation that applies to healthy people. It's important to remember that it has a built in margin of safety – the DV is neither the minimum value nor the optimal intake level for all individuals. It was designed to prevent nutrient index disease (see below) and does not apply to those who are malnourished or those who need to regulate nutrient intake.

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What is nutrient index disease?

The term 'nutrient index disease' is primarily used to describe diseases/conditions that appear in clear cases of clinical deficiency. For example, vitamin C deficiency is linked to scurvy, while vitamin D deficiency is linked to rickets in children and bone disease (osteomalacia) in adults.

However, it's important to realize that many of the recommendations based on the Daily Value (DV) were designed to protect against short-term deficiencies. Sub-clinical deficiency (i.e. a deficiency not severe enough to cause index disease) may have detrimental effects that don't show up for years or that manifest as another condition. People tend to assume that if the DV of a nutrient is enough to preventing an index disease, then the DV is also adequate for the function of the total being in the long term; in fact this isn't the case.

For example, iron is often associated with anemia. However, iron deficiency may also diminish various aspects of immune function. Adequate levels are necessary to help maintain cellular immunity and protect against some infections. People with poor iron status have reduced resistance to candida, herpes simplex virus and some other pathogens, while on the other hand, excess iron may predispose individuals to some infections. Hence, the iron provided in most Mitamins formulations is in small amounts (well within the upper tolerable limits) to provide just a little boost to iron levels achieved from a well balanced diet.

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Is it dangerous to take a larger dose of a vitamin than the Daily Value (DV)?

Yes and No.

It all depends on how much more than the DV of a nutrient you take and which nutrient we are talking about. Some nutrients (Iron and Vitamin A) have clear upper limits past which they quickly become dangerous. However, some nutrients have a broader margin of safety and for some overdoses appear to result in cases of diarrhea (Vitamin C). For still other nutrients the results of overdose are less clear, so Mitamins stick to dosage ranges well within those that have been studied. The Mitamins system is programmed with caps on key items such as Iron, and puts a upper limit on other items.

Finally, the danger of overdose also depends on individual needs and medication. The Mitamins medications safety checker is a useful tool to make sure that formulations do not clash with your medications based on reported interactions. However, because each individual has a unique genetic makeup, lifestyle, dietary habits etc, individual needs and responses to supplementation will be different.

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What is a tolerable upper limit?

This limit is the maximum of a nutrient that appears to be safe for most healthy people, beyond which there is an increased risk of adverse health effects. That level can change when a person's individual medical and environmental needs are taken into consideration. For example: those with hypertension who smoke may need more antioxidant nutrients than those who don't have hypertension and don't smoke.

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What level should my supplements be at?

Essentially, each person's optimum level for a particular nutrient lies somewhere in that space between the DV and the upper tolerance limit. Optimal levels address the less visible needs beyond the basic nutrition index disease. A long-term deficiency may have negative consequences for your quality of life.

The safest route would be to use our supplements within the low to mid levels of the ranges we provide in conjunction with a healthy lifestyle - including 30 minutes of moderate exercise daily and a diet made up of fresh, whole foods.

Before starting on any supplement program, please check with your primary health care provider to discuss your individual health needs.

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Our Products

What am I buying when I buy from Mitamins?

Mitamins designed a state of the art customization laboratory in Sunnyvale, California. We offer customers the ability to create a custom dietary supplement formula specific to their needs. We then mix the ingredients fresh for each order and encapsulate them with vegetarian capsules. Finally, we bottle and seal them and deliver them directly to you free of charge. We deliver a 3 month supply at a time in personalized bottles that can hold up to 160 capsules.

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Where does Mitamins get the ingredients for the capsules?

We only use ingredients supplied by top quality trusted brand - name producers, such as Ester C, Carnipure and Optizinc.

If you would like further information on any of nearly 200 products we offer, we would be happy to supply this to you. Simply contact customer services.

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How big are your capsules and what are they made of?

Our capsules measure 0.917 "in length & 0.336" in diameter. The capsules are entirely natural and vegetarian.

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Do your products contain any nuts, shellfish, wheat, pollen or soybeans?

Mitamins' products are prepared in a facility that also deals with many other natural products, so we are obliged to warn our customers that there is a very small possibility that our products could contain traces of these other substances.

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What should I do if I think these supplements are making me sick?

Stop taking the supplements immediately unless your doctor has advised you to keep taking them. See a doctor for advice and take the label with you. Please call our office number 408-744-1070 or email us and let our medical team know the situation and the outcome of your consultation as soon as you can.

Although Mitamins allows customers to adapt their own formulas, all our ingredient amounts are capped so that it is unlikely that you could overdose by taking our products on their own. But as with anything - please be careful!

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Do you use any preservatives or artificial ingredients?

Because Mitamins' formulas are produced on demand they do not sit on a shelf until someone buys them. Therefore we do not need the same degree of preservatives that mass- market supplements require. We use only fresh ingredients with no binders, coloring or waxes.

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My Formula contains many capsules a day - why?

The number of capsules you will have to take each day will depend on which formula(s) you select and how many formulas you combine. Some formulas are small and only contain 1 or 2 ingredients but some contain over 15 ingredients and include large herbal components, which can makes them bulky. For this reason we do not recommend combining more than 2 or 3 formulas.

Items like Calcium can add considerable bulk to the mix. As an alternative, you can reduce the Calcium in your formula and obtain it from food sources such as tofu, green vegetables and low fat dairy products. By clicking on the Formula name in the My Formula section you can see the exact daily quantity that you have ordered for each ingredient.

You should always check the daily serving size of your formula before ordering.

Each capsule holds an average of 600 mg (0.6 gram), hence the more ingredients you include the more capsules you will need to take each day. However, if you were to buy most of our formulas in the form of a mass market multivitamins and separate botanicals and nutraceuticals you would probably have to take even more pills every day.

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What is the difference between niacin and niacinamide (nicotinamide)?

Niacin is a member of the Vitamin B family. It is sometimes referred to as Vitamin B3. The term niacin is used in two different ways. As a collective term, it refers to both nicotinic acid and niacinamide. Nicotinic acid and nicotinamide have identical vitamin activities, but very different pharmacological activities.

Niacin is involved in a wide range of biological processes including the production of energy; the synthesis of fatty acids, cholesterol and steroids; signal transduction; the regulation of gene expression; and the maintenance of gene integrity. In pharmacological doses nicotinic acid is used as an anti-hyperlipidemic agent.Both nicotinic acid and niacinamide are efficiently absorbed through the stomach and small intestine. However, they are metabolized differently and excreted in the urine in different forms.

Mitamins uses niacinamide in our formulations to avoid the well known side effects of nicotinic acid induced flushing. Nicotinic acid causes vasodilatation within 20 minutes of ingestion of immediate-release nicotinic acid which may last for up to an hour.

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How do I choose a brand name ingredient for my formula?

Mitamins has linked up with the best dietary supplement manufacturers in America to provide the highest quality supplements. If you choose an ingredient whose brand-name we have displayed on our website, the only choice for the system is the branded ingredient in most cases. To avoid confusion, however, the ingredient adjustor lists only the generic names of each supplement.

If you have a question about a particular supplement please get in touch with us.

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Am I supposed to take my capsules all at once?

In order to allow your body to get maximum, consistent exposure to the nutrients in your formula some nutritionists suggest that you take your capsules in equal amounts at mealtimes. However this is not a strict requirement and you can take them all at once or as directed by your healthcare advisor.

Please be sure to wash down the capsules with plenty of water.

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I want more/less of an ingredient than your system will allow me to order!

Mitamins' production system only allows certain increments of ingredients to be included in a formula. There is a lower limit for the same reason.

The upper limits are based on current scientific and governmental consensus on what is healthy. For more information on upper limits please see the sections on Daily Values.

Mitamins reviews these limits on a regular basis, so if you have a specific request we would be happy to include it in our next review.

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Why can't I mix Ester C with Ascorbic acid and why is Ester C preferred?

The manufacturers recommend that the two types of Vitamin C not be mixed together. Ester C is chosen as the default because our customers have indicated to us they prefer this ingredient.

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Why should Echinacea, Cayenne and Reishi not be taken for extended periods?

Although there is no empirical evidence to suggest that these herbs may be a risk to health over extended periods, there is anecdotal evidence. People who have taken these herbs for extended periods report upset stomachs, dizziness and dry mouth. Because of this, Mitamins automatically warns customers and cancels repeat orders of these herbs after a 3 months period. If you would like to discuss other supplement options that may substitute these herbs please contact us and our nutrition team will assist you.

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Do your capsules have an expiration date?

Yes. Mitamins capsules are prepared fresh for each order and we use less preservatives and additives than other companies, so the capsules do have a slightly earlier expiration date than mass market supplements. Our product is not designed to sit on supermarket shelves. Mitamins capsules will last at least 6 months in a reasonably dry and cool environment. Compliance with a supplement routine is critical for efficacy.

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Do your vitamins come in a liquid form or something easier to take?

No. All of our vitamin supplements are in powder form encapsulated in soft vegetarian capsules. It is be possible to mix the supplement powder with lukewarm water or milk into a paste if you prefer to take it that way, but you may want to add some additional flavoring to cover the bitter taste of the supplement ingredients. Please be aware that if the liquid you mix them with is too cold or too hot the ingredients could lose some potency.

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Ask Dr Balch

Please feel free to contact us with any questions you may have.

What can I do for my Eczema?

The first thing you should be aware of is that Eczema may just be an outward symptom of another problem. You should go to your doctor for allergy testing or talk with a nutritionist about trying an elimination diet to identify possible food sensitivities which can trigger eczema. In addition, you should eliminate refined sources of carbohydrates such as sugar, white flour products and use whole grain instead. Refined carbohydrates can create a biochemical response that is proinflammatory. Refined carbohydrates also feed gut bacteria that produce products that can promote many forms of inflammation.

Fish oil and evening primrose oil are helpful, as are probiotics. Probioticsin particular have a good research track record.

He needs to seek out probiotics that have a wide range of beneficial bacteria. As many are temperature sensitive, make sure you get them from reputable places that store them in the fridge.

If possible get those that contain some or all of the following bacteria strains:

• Bifidobacterium lactis
• Lactobacillus rhamnosus
• Lactobacillus GG
• Lactobacillus reuteri

Orally, lactobacillus species are usually well-tolerated . The most common side effect is flatulence; however; it is usually mild and subsides as therapy continues. Note, however, that since probiotics are bacteria, you should not start taking them while experiencing any form of infection or illness. Further, a good diet is necessary to ensure that the good bacteria thrive and starve out the bad. Ideal diets have plenty of whole fruits, whole vegetables, whole grain, lean meat and fish.

For more information, visit our library: Eczema

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