Super 2 Daily is an advanced supplement with close to two dozen vitamins and minerals to help with your body’s general maintenance. It’s a product by Carlson Labs, an Illinois company that’s been in business for fifty years. They create and sell more than 250 products, to provide benefits to anyone’s dietary needs, whether you want supplements of fish oils or just vitamins and minerals. The company seems to be very quality-centric, claiming to use only the freshest and purest of ingredients. All of their products are verified in quality by at least one independent laboratory.
1) Super 2 Daily Quick Facts
Each serving – two soft gel capsules daily – contains a host of essential nutrients in varying amounts. While most people understand the benefits of fish oil and vitamin D, for instance, some of the ingredients are less recognizable.
Lutein is nicknamed “the eye vitamin,” partly because it’s related to vitamin A and beta-carotene. It’s found in foods like corn, broccoli, spinach, kale, and some fruits. It’s thought to be effective in treating eye disease and cataracts. The recommended daily dose is 10 mg, and Super 2 Daily doesn’t even have 1 mg, so it could appear in greater amounts to be more effective. However, because lutein is pretty common in our foods, it’s possible to get enough every day just by following a normal routine. For example, just one cup of cooked spinach contains 26 mg of lutein.
2) Super 2 Daily Nutrition Facts
Super 2 Daily contains the following ingredients: Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin D3, Vitamin E, Thiamin, Riboflavin, Niacin, Vitamin B-6, Folate, Vitamin B-12, Biontin, Pantothenic Acid, Calcium, Iodine, Magnesium, Zinc, Selenium, Copper, Manganese, Chromium, Molybdenum, Lutein, Phosphatidyl Choline, Boron, Vanadium, Fish Oil Concentrate, EPA, DHA, Beeswax, soy lecithin, rice flour, olive oil, soybean oil, medium chain triglyceride oil, ascorbyl palmitate, microcrystalline cellulose, glyceryl stearate, safflower oil, Soft Gel Shell: Beef gelatin, glycerin, water, carob, contains soy and fish (anchovy and sardine).
3) Does Super 2 Daily Work and it is Safe?
With the large variety of ingredients, Super 2 Day is undoubtedly effective for all kinds of people. A few things stick out because they’re unusual inclusions in some supplements.
The recommended daily dose of vitamin D, for most people, is 600 IU. Super 2 Daily has 800 IU per capsule, and you’re supposed to take two every day, so you’ll be getting more vitamin D than you need to have in one day. Still, most people have at least some level of vitamin D deficiency in the United States, so a large amount of vitamin D is fine.
The 800 mg of fish oil concentrate per serving, derived from anchovies and sardines, contains 130 mg of EPA and 90 mg of DHA. This is a little low compared to some other products, but it’s a good amount for something that isn’t primarily a fish oil supplement. The value of such Omega-3 fatty acids has long been known and is part of why fish is called a brain food. Omega-3s are essential and do a lot to keep your body healthy, especially in the cardiovascular system.
The vanadium (bis-maltolato oxovanadium) is somewhat irrelevant. It’s in a low amount of 400 mcg and plays a limited role in human biology at best. Vanadium deficiencies in rats and chickens have been shown to result in reduced growth and reproductive ability, but no such effects have been observed in human studies. It may help glucose levels. Including 2 mg of boron is also likely unnecessary. It’s a mineral found in various supplements, but research isn’t conclusive on its benefits. It may be helpful in maintaining healthy bones and mental function, and for this 2 mg is a good amount.
4) Super 2 Daily Benefits & Results
- There’s a little bit of everything here. 21 vitamins and minerals, fish oil with Omega-3s, and lutein. These are all important for keeping a healthy body and mind, and warrant inclusion in supplements of this type.
5) What You Need to Know Before Taking Super 2 Daily
- Levels of calcium are low (70 mg) and some vitamins are too high – 1000% of your daily value for something is usually fine, but it’s sometimes less than ideal. Ideally you don’t need more than 500% of your daily value for a vitamin or mineral unless you have severe deficiencies.
- Some reviewers say the capsules smell and/or taste fishy, with one person reporting an aftertaste. Another recommended taking each capsule with food to prevent upset stomach or odd smells.
6) Super 2 Daily Cost
Bottles commonly come with 60 or 180 capsules inside. The price is about average if you buy at MSRP and follow the label’s directions to take two a day. Local and online stores generally sell Carlson products for under MSRP, making them inexpensive. For the money you’re getting a great investment into your personal health.
7) Directions For Taking Super 2 Daily
Phosphatidylcholine is used by the body to make a brain chemical named acetylcholine,. It may help with memory loss, anxiety, and other brain-related conditions. In general it’s used for fighting Hepatitis and bowel inflammation, and research is still being conducted about phosphatidylcholine’s other benefits.
8) Bottom Line – Does It Really Work?
This is a good mix of vitamins and minerals which can really help you to stay healthy from day to day. The inclusion of fish oil for the Omega-3s is a step above and beyond what most companies do for their brands of multivitamins. The only potential issue is how some non-essential substances are included like vanadium, boron, and phosphatidylcholine. Although they can be helpful, there isn’t a great amount of scientific evidence to back them up. But in general, this is a good product and well-reviewed. Carlson Labs is known for consistently delivering quality and this isn’t an exception.