Some supplements are the same, but different!

Recently, I was sitting with a relative who shared some of the supplements she was taking. Although they were a different brand from the ones I recommend, they were purportedly the same in every way. But are they really?

As with most things today, price points matter. Many cheaper supplements use less expensive, more readily available ingredients to keep costs down. However, this can become a false economy if the ingredient is not as effective as it could be, or if the body struggles to process it due to underlying health conditions. This doesn't necessarily mean the cheaper supplements are bad, but they usually contain unnecessary fillers and need to work harder to be effective.

We discussed two supplements in particular: B12 and CoQ10. In both cases, the products appeared similar at first glance, but the forms of the active ingredients were actually quite different.

With Micronutrition B12, the active ingredient is Mecobalamin, whereas her supplement contained Cyanocobalamin. Both are forms of Vitamin B12, however there is an important distinction between them. Mecobalamin is already in its active form, meaning the body can use it directly. Cyanocobalamin, on the other hand, must first be converted by the body into an active form before it can be utilised.

For individuals with impaired liver function or certain metabolic issues, this conversion process may be less efficient, potentially reducing the effectiveness of Cyanocobalamin. That said, Cyanocobalamin is still considered effective for the general population and is widely used because of its stability and lower cost. Mecobalamin is often preferred in practitioner-grade formulations because it is already bioactive and readily available for the body to use.

The other supplement we discussed was CoQ10.

Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is a naturally occurring antioxidant and enzyme cofactor that helps generate energy within cells. People commonly take CoQ10 supplements to support heart health, reduce statin-induced muscle pain, help prevent migraines, and boost cellular energy production.

Ubidecarenone and Ubiquinol are both forms of CoQ10. Ubiquinone (as used in Micronutrition) is the oxidised form and the version that has been studied most extensively in clinical research. Ubiquinol, meanwhile, is the reduced “active” form of CoQ10 that the body uses directly in energy production and antioxidant pathways. Normally, the body converts ubiquinone into ubiquinol after absorption.

Once again, we have two forms of the same supplement — one that the body can utilise directly, and another that requires conversion before it becomes fully effective. As with B12, individuals with impaired liver function or metabolic issues may not convert these nutrients as efficiently, which can impact their overall effectiveness.

Importantly, all of the active ingredients mentioned above are perfectly fine to take. The purpose of this blog is not to say one is “bad” and the other is “good,” but rather to highlight that some forms may be more effective or better utilised by the body than others.

There are many good supplements on the market. I recommend Micronutrition because their products contain no unnecessary fillers and only use excipients where required. Excipients are inactive substances included alongside the active ingredient to help stabilise the product, aid manufacturing, improve absorption, and ensure the supplement is safe and practical to take.

Above are just 2 examples of supplements that are the same but different.  Another is Iron Supplements.