Essentia® Multivitamin For Women (90-day supply)

Q. Who would benefit from taking Essentia Multivitamin?

Women or anyone looking for a well-rounded multivitamin and mineral supplement that contains methylated folate, iron, choline, a healthy dose of vitamin D, and other important nutrients.

Q: Can I take Essentia if I'm allergic to shellfish?

Yes. There is no shellfish in Essentia. If you have reacted to radiocontrast material or antiseptics which contain iodine, you may still be able to safely take Theralogix multivitamins even though they contain iodine. These reactions are commonly confused with sensitivity to iodine or shellfish, though studies have shown that they are not related.

Q. Can I take Essentia with my other supplements?

Yes. It is safe to take Essentia with other supplements, including omega-3, coenzyme Q10, inositol, calcium, melatonin, PEA, cranberry, and glucosamine and chondroitin. Do not take Essentia with other vitamin and mineral supplements to ensure you do not exceed the safe upper limit of a nutrient.

Q. Does Essentia interact with any prescription medications?

Yes. As with any dietary supplement, it is recommended you discuss with your pharmacist and or healthcare team to clarify whether Essentia can be taken along with your medications.

Essentia may affect the absorption of certain prescription medications as follows:

Antibiotics:Certain nutrients such as calcium, magnesium, iron, zinc can bind to antibiotics in the stomach and reduce their absorption and effectiveness. Depending on the antibiotic prescribed, you may need to separate taking any multivitamins from antibiotics by at least 2 to possibly 6 hours or discontinue taking a multivitamin while taking the antibiotic. Please discuss with your pharmacist and healthcare team to determine if you should stop taking your multivitamin for a short period of time.

• • Penicillamine (Cuprimine, Depen) – Separate by 2 hours
• Cephalexin (Keflex) – Take Essentia 3 hours or more after taking this antibiotic
• • Tetracycline antibiotics (doxycycline, minocycline, demeclocycline)- Separate by 4 hours
• Ciprofloxacin (Cipro), gemifloxacin (Factive), levofloxacin (Levaquin), Moxifloxacin (Avelox) – Separate by 6 hour

Atorvastatin (Lipitor) – This medication helps control cholesterol levels in the body. Taking it with Essentia that contains 50 mcg (2,000 IU) of vitamin D may decrease the amount of atorvastatin absorbed by the body. Separate by a minimum of 2 hours

Captopril – This medication helps control blood pressure. Iron and magnesium in Essentia can affect absorption of this antihypertensive medication. Separate by 2 hours.

Digoxin (Lanoxin)– This medication helps the heart beat more strongly. Taking magnesium which is in Essentia at the same time as this medication may decrease the absorption of this medication therefore decreasing the effectiveness. Separate by 2 hours.

Dilantin (phenytoin) – This medication is an anti-epileptic drug used to control seizures. Calcium and magnesium in Essentia n can affect absorption of this antiepileptic medication. Separate by 2 hours.

Oral Bisphosphonates (i.e., alendronate (Fosamax), etidronate (Didronel), risedronate (Actonel), ibandronate (Boniva), tiludronate (Skelid)) – These medications alter bone formation and breakdown in the body, slowing down bone loss and helping to prevent bone fractures. Taking magnesium, calcium and or iron along these medications can decrease how much bisphosphate the body absorbs. Separate by 2 hours.

Sotalol (Betapace))– This medication helps the heart beat normally in people with certain heart rhythm disorders. Calcium and magnesium in Essentia can affect absorption of this antiarrhythmic medication. Separate by at least 2 hours.

Thiazide diuretics (aka: water pills) – These medications are used to treat high blood pressure, congestive heart failure as well as the accumulation of fluid and swelling (edema) in the body. These medications also increase the amount of calcium in the body. Vitamin D helps your body absorb calcium. Taking Essentia that contains 50 mcg (2,000 IU) vitamin D along with these medications may cause too much calcium in the body.

Thyroid hormone (levothyroxine, Synthroid) – This medication is used to treat an underactive thyroid gland. Iron, calcium and magnesium in Essentia can reduce absorption of these thyroid hormone medications. Separate by at least 4 hours.

Please discuss with your pharmacist and or healthcare team to determine if you should take multivitamins if you take any of these medications:

Coumadin (Warfarin) – Studies show that low-dose vitamin K (100 mcg) is unlikely to affect INR and may actually help to stabilize INR levels. Essentia contains 100 mcg of vitamin K and should be safe to take.

Medications that are changed by the liver Cytochrome P450 3A4 (CYP34) substrates – CYP34 are important enzymes in your body, mainly found in the liver to break down medications in the body. Vitamin D may increase how quickly the liver breaks down some medications. Taking Essentia that contains 50 mcg (2,000 IU) vitamin D along with some medications may decrease the effectiveness of some medications. Before taking Essentia, talk to your healthcare provider to determine if you are taking medications that are changed by the liver, for example lovastatin, clarithromycin, estrogens, and others.

If you still have questions about Essentia, please visit the general FAQ page.

Feel free to reach out to the Nutrition Department by phone at (888) 899-3899 ext. 2 or by email here.