Social Nature is a program that will send you a sample (or sometimes a full product coupon) to try, you simply fill out a short survey. A while back, they added a "Boost" feature that allows you to show interest in products (many of which seem to still be in development) and let the company know what store(s) you'd like to see their products in. I boosted a few of them, including Vous Vitamin. . . .
What is it?
Vous Vitamin makes custom-designed vitamins, rather than a one-size-fits-all. I've looked for customized vitamins in the past, and Vous seems to be the most affordable of the ones I've seen.
How does it work?
You take a "Vitamin Quiz" which asks for a lot of detailed information, starting with the goals you hope a personalized vitamin will help you achieve. You give your age (well, month/year you were born), gender (they include "Transitioning or Transitioned", if that applies), and region (US only). Then they ask what type(s) of diet you follow (Vegetarian, Vegan, Paleo, etc), how many servings of vegetables, dairy, etc you eat in a day (I'm guessing those questions vary based on what diet[s] you selected). They ask about vices such as coffee, alcohol, and tobacco use. They ask about your activity level and what type(s) of activities you do. Plus, they ask questions about your current health, medications, and medical history. Based on all this information, they create a supplement based on your needs.
How much does it cost?
Well, I got my bottle for free (because I "boosted" the product on Social Nature). But it appears a one month trial bottle is $46.99. If you ask for a "1 month subscription" (they remind you again in a month), it's $39 per month. A "3 month subscription" is $90 every 3 months. And a "6 month subscription" is $150.
What else do they offer?
In addition to the personalized vitamin, they also have an "Omega-3 Essential Add-On", which ". . . [I]s a vegan alternative created from marine algae that delivers a rich source of EPA and DHA for improved health and wellness." A one month trial comes to $40 after shipping, a "1 month subscription" is $33 per month, a "3 month subscription" is $75 every 3 months, and a "6 month subscription" is $138.
They also have "Situational Supplements" called "Immune Blast", "Power Up", and "Recovery Act" with price ranges from $5-$40. And gift cards.
Initial impressions
The vitamin bottle arrived neatly packaged, and with detailed instructions (see photo above). The bottle itself is a dark blue plastic with a black safety lid, to keep out light (and children, lol). The dosage is two tablets, taken together or separately (the detailed instructions recommended taking them separately, with food and a full glass of water). I was surprised at how unbalanced these vitamins were! I expected a basic multi with specific nutrients added. Instead, it was only 7 vitamins and 4 minerals. The tablets were larger than I'd expected for so few ingredients (but still smaller than some multis I've taken), and are a pretty Robin's egg blue.
I reached out to Vous Vitamins, because I couldn't imagine taking these with my usual multi (I'd OD on fat soluble vitamins and iron if I did!). Sure enough, they said it's meant to replace my usual vitamin. But if I want to keep using my own vitamin, I should alternate days. I think I'll take these daily, but keep taking my Vegan DHA and the Vitamin C my chiropractor suggested (for my easy bruising and mystery bruises, which is something I've dealt with my whole life [until I started a regimen of Vit C]).
Day 5
I've been overly emotional the last couple days. And surprisingly tired. It COULD be current situations which have been messing with my sleep schedule. Other than that, I don't feel any different. The tablets are easy to swallow in spite of their size. And (unlike some vitamins I've taken) haven't upset my stomach.
Day 11
Around a week in, I noticed that my always-regular bowel movements have become very irregular (both in frequency and in texture [and that's all I'll say on THAT, lol]). Also, the mystery bruises have been coming back, in spite of still taking my Vitamin C. So there must be some OTHER nutrient involved too.
I'm still really tired, in spite of sleeping more. But much less emotional than I was. I'm surprised, since I expected this supplement to increase my energy (I mentioned "low energy" in the quiz).
Day 14
Same as Day 11, except I've started to experience "urgency" when I have a bowel movement. Which is most inconvenient, given that some days I'll go three times a day and other days not at all now. I think I might alternate this with my regular multi and see what happens.
Update
I alternated my own multi and the Vous Vitamins for a little over a week. I noticed I felt a tiny bit better on the days I took my regular vitamin. The mystery bruising and bowel issues continued. I stopped alternating and after a few days, things started to even out. I'm thinking that perhaps there was something in the formula that I was reacting to (I do have some weird allergies and sensitivities).
Final thoughts
If you're in the market for an affordable personalized vitamin, I'd say to give Vous Vitamin a try. I'd suggest starting with a single month supply (whether the trial or "1 month subscription") and see how you feel.
That's it for this post. Be on the lookout for the next (unsolicited) reviews post, as soon as I dig that Pure Farmland "sausage" out of my freezer and try it. I'll be reviewing a couple other things along with it (again, I've been working in bits on it). Until next time. . .