{"id":556286279753,"title":"Ritual Vitamins Review: The Best Vitamins For Women?","created_at":"2022-03-10T12:20:38-05:00","body_html":"\u003cscript type=\"application\/ld+json\"\u003e\/\/ \u003c![CDATA[\n{\n \"@context\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\",\n \"@type\": \"Article\",\n \"headline\": \"Ritual Vitamins Review: The Best Vitamins For Women?\",\n \"keywords\": \"ritual vitamins, ritual vitamins review, ritual vitamins reviews, ritual vitamins prenatal, ritual vitamin, ritual 18+ vitamins, rituals vitamins\",\n \"description\": \"Our MD and research team reviews the ingredients in Ritual multivitamins, Ritual prenatal vitamins, and Ritual protein shakes based on medical research to determine if they’re likely to improve health. We also analyze the medical trial on Ritual vitamins.\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/blogs\/health\/ritual-vitamins-review\",\n\"author\": [\n {\n \"@type\": \"Person\",\n \"name\": \"Taylor Graber\",\n \"honorificSuffix\": \"M.D.\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/pages\/taylor-graber\",\n \"sameAs\": [\n \"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/taylor-j-graber-md-81351642\/\",\n \"https:\/\/www.asapivs.com\/\"\n ],\n \"jobTitle\": \"Content Partner\",\n \"knowsAbout\": \"medicine, health, anesthesiology, iv therapy, science, drugs, pharmaceutical, medical research, scientific research, medical journals, entrepreneurship, healthcare, orthopedic surgery, biomedical engineering\",\n \"alumniOf\": {\n \"@type\": \"EducationalOrganization\",\n \"name\": [\n \"University of California San Diego\",\n \"Arizona University\",\n \"University of Arizona College of Medicine\"\n ]\n },\n \"memberOf\": {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Illuminate Labs\"\n }\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Person\",\n \"name\": \"Calloway Cook\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/pages\/calloway-cook\",\n \"sameAs\": \"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/calloway-cook\/\",\n \"jobTitle\": \"President\",\n \"knowsAbout\": \"entrepreneurship, dietary supplements, herbal supplements, eCommerce, medical research\",\n \"alumniOf\": {\n \"@type\": \"EducationalOrganization\",\n \"name\": \"S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University\"\n },\n \"memberOf\": {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Illuminate Labs\"\n }\n }\n],\n\"editor\": {\n \"@type\": \"Person\",\n \"name\": \"DJ Mazzoni\",\n \"honorificSuffix\": [\n \"M.S.\",\n \"R.D.\",\n \"C.D.N.\",\n \"C.S.C.S.\"\n ],\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/pages\/dj-mazzoni\",\n \"sameAs\": \"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/dj-mazzoni-rd-cdn-cscs-00a33038\/\",\n \"jobTitle\": \"Medical Reviewer\",\n \"knowsAbout\": \"exercise, drugs, pharmaceutical, health, workout, strength and conditioning, nutrition, dietetics, medicine, medical research, scientific research, scientific method, healthcare, patient care, wellness\",\n \"alumniOf\": {\n \"@type\": \"EducationalOrganization\",\n \"name\": [\n \"State University of New York College Oswego\",\n \"D’Youville College\"\n ]\n },\n \"memberOf\": {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Illuminate Labs\"\n }\n},\n\"image\": {\n\"@type\": \"ImageObject\",\n\"url\": \"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0047\/1524\/9737\/files\/Ritual_Vitamins_Review_Article_Header_Image_Optimized.png?v=1646948311\",\n\"width\": \"3840\",\n\"height\": \"3840\"\n},\n\"citation\": [\n\"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fnut.2021.610382\/full\", \n\"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/pages\/bryn-sachdeo\",\n\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC3309636\/\",\n\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC5312744\/\",\n\"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/blogs\/health\/best-magnesium-supplement\",\n\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/28600398\/\",\n\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC7071347\/\",\n\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC7558284\/\",\n\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC6450282\/\",\n\"https:\/\/www.fda.gov\/drugs\/medication-health-fraud\/tainted-body-building-products\",\n\"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/blogs\/health\/beyond-meat-review\",\n\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/labs\/pmc\/articles\/PMC6062396\/\",\n\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/labs\/pmc\/articles\/PMC6627124\/\"\n],\n\"mentions\": [{\n \"@type\": \"Thing\",\n \"name\": \"vitamin D3\"\n},\n{\n\"@type\": \"Thing\",\n \"name\": \"magnesium\"\n},\n{\n\"@type\": \"Thing\",\n \"name\": \"FDA\"\n},\n{\n\"@type\": \"Thing\",\n \"name\": \"natural flavor\"\n}\n],\n\"datePublished\": \"2022-03-10\",\n\"copyrightHolder\": {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Illuminate Labs\"\n},\n\"publisher\": {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Illuminate Labs\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/\",\n \"description\": \"Illuminate Labs is the most transparent supplement company in the U.S., and is a leading publisher of research-based health information.\",\n \"knowsAbout\": \"supplements, science, nutrition, exercise, health, medication, pharmaceutical, wellness, diet, weight loss, medical research\",\n \"publishingPrinciples\": \"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/pages\/editorial-guidelines\",\n \"memberOf\": [\n {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"U.S. Chamber of Commerce\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/www.uschamber.com\/\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Certified B Corp\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/www.bcorporation.net\/en-us\/\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Natural Products Association\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/www.npanational.org\/\"\n }\n ], \n \"logo\": {\n \"@type\": \"ImageObject\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0047\/1524\/9737\/files\/Illuminate_Labs_Favicon_48x48_7595c3cc-e27b-47b8-a4fe-edcc7ed9b29a.png?v=1666502785\", \n \"width\": 48,\n \"height\": 48\n},\n \"foundingDate\": \"2019-01-30\",\n \"sameAs\": [\n \"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/illuminatelabs\",\n \"https:\/\/twitter.com\/illuminatelabs\",\n \"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/illuminate-labs-supplements\",\n \"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCpgSJAsIPb-fZ25djtTxBEA\"\n ]\n }\n}\n\/\/ ]]\u003e\u003c\/script\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0047\/1524\/9737\/files\/Ritual_Vitamins_Review_Article_Header_Image_Optimized.png?v=1646948311\" alt=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eDisclaimer: None of the information in this article constitutes medical advice, and is just the opinion of the writer(s). We recommend that patients follow their doctor’s guidance in regard to multivitamin use, especially for women seeking prenatal vitamins.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"dc\"\u003eR\u003c\/span\u003eitual Vitamins is a supplement brand originally targeting women that now sells a wide variety of supplements and health products. Their most popular product is a multivitamin for women called Essential For Women.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eIn this article we’ll review the ingredients in some of Ritual Vitamins’ most popular products based on medical research to determine if they’re likely to improve health. We’ll also analyze the results of the medical study funded by the brand.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eClinical Trial Review\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eRitual funded a legitimate \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fnut.2021.610382\/full\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eclinical trial\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e of their multivitamin for women that was published in the Frontiers in Nutrition journal, which is one of the leading medical journals in the world, and one we’re very familiar with because our Scientific Advisor \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/pages\/bryn-sachdeo\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eBryn Sachdeo PhD\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e is a Review Editor for the journal.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eIt’s a sign of a high-quality brand to fund research that makes it into medical journals.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe results of the clinical trial weren’t especially exciting: the multivitamin was found to increase nutrient levels in the bloodstream.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWe already knew from years of previous medical research that multivitamin use can increase levels of vitamins in the blood; what would have been more interesting would have been a study examining whether Ritual’s multivitamin could improve health outcomes.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eRitual multivitamin did slightly increase high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels, and this marker is associated with reduced mortality at higher levels, but the increase was not statistically significant (52.7 to 54.9 milligrams per deciliter).\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThis trial is definitely better than nothing, and we applaud Ritual for funding a study proving their product performs its health claims, but we still don’t recommend multivitamins generally because \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC3309636\/\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003emedical research\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e has shown them to provide no health benefit on average.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eRitual Women’s Multivitamin Review\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eRitual’s women’s Multivitamin 18+ is well-formulated. It contains well-absorbed forms of each vitamin and mineral.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eVitamin D3\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e is included because it’s better-absorbed than Vitamin D2.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eRitual includes methylcobalamin as the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003eVitamin B12\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e form, and this type of B12 \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC5312744\/\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eis proven\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e to be more bioavailable than the cheaper cyanocobalamin.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eDimagnesium malate is the form of \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003emagnesium\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e chosen. Chelated magnesium is more bioavailable than cheaper forms like magnesium oxide, which is why we recommended magnesium malate in our review of the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/blogs\/health\/best-magnesium-supplement\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003ebest magnesium\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e supplements.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWe believe Ritual could use a higher dose here: 30 milligrams (mg) of magnesium is somewhat low. Most magnesium supplements contain 100-400 mg per serving.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eRitual opts for the methylated form of \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003efolate\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e instead of the cheaper folic acid. This is a good choice, as the synthetic folic acid is a less healthy form of Vitamin B9, and folic acid supplementation \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/28600398\/\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003ehas been associated\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e with increased cancer risk.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eOverall we find this to be a very well-formulated multivitamin. Every active ingredient appears to be the ideal form, which indicates that Ritual is serious about the science backing their products and has educated researchers on their team.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eAll of the inactive ingredients are safe and non-toxic as well.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eFor patients who are prescribed a multivitamin by their doctor, or who need one due to dietary choices or documented nutritional deficiencies, we think that Ritual Multivitamin 18+ for women makes a great option.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eRitual Prenatal Multivitamin Review\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWhether or not prenatal vitamins are necessary for optimal birth and development outcomes is still up for debate in the scientific community. An extensive \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC7071347\/\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003emeta-analysis\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e published in the Nutrients journal found the benefits to outweigh any risks for women in low-and-middle-income countries where patients tend to suffer from more nutrient deficiencies.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe necessity of prenatal vitamins for women in developed countries is usually assessed on an individual basis by a doctor. A woman who eats a nutrient-dense, healthy diet free of processed foods likely has no need for prenatal vitamins. However the average patient may have a need, because many patients in developed countries eat nutrient-poor diets.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eRitual Prenatal Multivitamin contains \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003eVitamin D3\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e, which is typically recommended as a supplement to pregnant women because at certain latitudes it’s impossible to synthesize from the sun in the winter. 33% of pregnant women in the U.S. are Vitamin D deficient, and upwards of 80% of women in Northern Europe are, according to a \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC7558284\/\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003emedical review\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e of supplementation during pregnancy.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe same review found that supplementation with 1500 International Units (IU) was effective in raising blood levels, and found an upper safe limit of 4000 IU, so the 2000 IU of Vitamin D3 in Ritual Prenatal is an effective dose.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eMagnesium\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e is also an effective ingredient for pregnant women, as it’s proven to minimize risk of preeclampsia and can improve glucose and insulin control based on the findings from the previously-linked research review. However the supplementation dose from the review was 250 mg\/day while Ritual only contains 32 mg.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003eDHA\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e in Ritual Prenatal appears effectively dosed. This is an omega-3 fatty acid that’s been linked in many studies with optimal maternal and fetal health. The research review found that DHA supplementation reduces risk of early birth, reduces risk of postpartum depression, and improved immunological health of the baby.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe maximally effective dose appears to range from between 1 - 2 grams(g) daily, but considering most pregnant women will likely get some DHA from diet, the 350 mg dose in Ritual appears appropriate, and is close to the European Union (E.U.) recommendation of minimally 450 mg per day from all sources.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eAnother interesting \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC6450282\/\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003emedical review\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e published in the JAMA Psychiatry journal found that maternal vitamin supplementation during pregnancy may reduce risk of autism disorder in offspring.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eBecause there are so many individualized factors like diet influencing maternal need for prenatal vitamins, we strongly recommend that pregnant women consult with their doctor before deciding whether or not to take a prenatal vitamin.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eA pregnant woman with a nutrient-dense diet, and no dietary restrictions, may have no need for a prenatal supplement while a woman with an unhealthy diet or a diet model with some restrictions like the vegan diet may benefit from a prenatal vitamin.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eFor women who are recommended by their doctor to take a prenatal vitamin, we do find Ritual Prenatal to be an effectively formulated option. Women who don’t get much magnesium from diet may want to speak with their doctor about a separate magnesium supplement, because the magnesium level in Ritual Prenatal is relatively low.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eRitual Protein Review\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eRitual’s newest product line is their protein powders. All of their protein products are Informed Sport Certified, which is a certification that ensures the product has no harmful banned substances. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the U.S. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.fda.gov\/drugs\/medication-health-fraud\/tainted-body-building-products\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003ehas documented\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e how many workout supplements are tainted with illicit chemical compounds, so the Informed Sport Certification is definitely a net positive for consumers, and further signals Ritual’s commitment to high-quality products.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe main active ingredient in Ritual protein powders is \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003epea protein\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e, which is an effective vegan form of protein as it’s a complete protein containing all essential amino acids. The inclusion of pea protein was one of the positives we noted in our review of “\u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/blogs\/health\/beyond-meat-review\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eis beyond meat healthy?\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e”.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eRitual Daily Shake 18+ and Ritual Daily Shake 50+ both contain \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003enatural flavor\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e, which is an ingredient we recommend avoiding, because medical research \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/labs\/pmc\/articles\/PMC6062396\/\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003ehas documented\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e the potential toxicity in some flavoring compounds. Without the brand publishing exactly which chemical compounds were used for the flavoring, we can’t confirm their safety.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWe do expect the Ritual flavoring agents to be safe and non-toxic based on the certifications and research backing the brand, but we still don’t recommend their protein powders for this reason.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eRitual protein products also contain sweetener \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003eRebaudioside-M\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e (Reb-M), which is a novel ingredient without much safety data. A \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/labs\/pmc\/articles\/PMC6627124\/\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eclinical trial\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e found that a similar stevia derivative called Reb-A negatively impacted gut function in rats.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWe recommend avoiding flavoring and artificial sweeteners in protein powders for health reasons. Protein powders should have one ingredient: protein. We don’t recommend Ritual Daily Shakes for this reason.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eConclusion\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eRitual Vitamins is a high-quality vitamin brand. While we don’t generally recommend multivitamins to healthy adults, Ritual would be a good option for consumers who are set on using a multivitamin or for consumers with a poor diet who need supplemental nutrition.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWe also find that Ritual prenatal vitamins are well formulated, and may be a good option for pregnant women with their doctor’s approval.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWe don’t recommend Ritual protein products due to the inclusion of flavoring and sweetener agents.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWe appreciate that Ritual funded a clinical trial of their vitamins, and we hope that more supplement companies in the future follow their lead in that regard.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","blog_id":49281925193,"author":"Calloway Cook","user_id":26601750601,"published_at":"2022-03-10T16:46:26-05:00","updated_at":"2022-12-18T19:45:13-05:00","summary_html":"We the ingredients in Ritual multivitamins, Ritual prenatal vitamins, and Ritual protein shakes based on medical research to determine if they’re likely to improve health. We also analyze the medical trial on Ritual vitamins.","template_suffix":"","handle":"ritual-vitamins-review","tags":"_related:pregnancy, _related:vitamins-\u0026-minerals"}

Ritual Vitamins Review: The Best Vitamins For Women?

Ritual Vitamins Review: The Best Vitamins For Women?


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Disclaimer: None of the information in this article constitutes medical advice, and is just the opinion of the writer(s). We recommend that patients follow their doctor’s guidance in regard to multivitamin use, especially for women seeking prenatal vitamins.

Ritual Vitamins is a supplement brand originally targeting women that now sells a wide variety of supplements and health products. Their most popular product is a multivitamin for women called Essential For Women.

In this article we’ll review the ingredients in some of Ritual Vitamins’ most popular products based on medical research to determine if they’re likely to improve health. We’ll also analyze the results of the medical study funded by the brand.

Clinical Trial Review

Ritual funded a legitimate clinical trial of their multivitamin for women that was published in the Frontiers in Nutrition journal, which is one of the leading medical journals in the world, and one we’re very familiar with because our Scientific Advisor Bryn Sachdeo PhD is a Review Editor for the journal.

It’s a sign of a high-quality brand to fund research that makes it into medical journals.

The results of the clinical trial weren’t especially exciting: the multivitamin was found to increase nutrient levels in the bloodstream.

We already knew from years of previous medical research that multivitamin use can increase levels of vitamins in the blood; what would have been more interesting would have been a study examining whether Ritual’s multivitamin could improve health outcomes.

Ritual multivitamin did slightly increase high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels, and this marker is associated with reduced mortality at higher levels, but the increase was not statistically significant (52.7 to 54.9 milligrams per deciliter).

This trial is definitely better than nothing, and we applaud Ritual for funding a study proving their product performs its health claims, but we still don’t recommend multivitamins generally because medical research has shown them to provide no health benefit on average.

Ritual Women’s Multivitamin Review

Ritual’s women’s Multivitamin 18+ is well-formulated. It contains well-absorbed forms of each vitamin and mineral.

Vitamin D3 is included because it’s better-absorbed than Vitamin D2.

Ritual includes methylcobalamin as the Vitamin B12 form, and this type of B12 is proven to be more bioavailable than the cheaper cyanocobalamin.

Dimagnesium malate is the form of magnesium chosen. Chelated magnesium is more bioavailable than cheaper forms like magnesium oxide, which is why we recommended magnesium malate in our review of the best magnesium supplements.

We believe Ritual could use a higher dose here: 30 milligrams (mg) of magnesium is somewhat low. Most magnesium supplements contain 100-400 mg per serving.

Ritual opts for the methylated form of folate instead of the cheaper folic acid. This is a good choice, as the synthetic folic acid is a less healthy form of Vitamin B9, and folic acid supplementation has been associated with increased cancer risk.

Overall we find this to be a very well-formulated multivitamin. Every active ingredient appears to be the ideal form, which indicates that Ritual is serious about the science backing their products and has educated researchers on their team.

All of the inactive ingredients are safe and non-toxic as well.

For patients who are prescribed a multivitamin by their doctor, or who need one due to dietary choices or documented nutritional deficiencies, we think that Ritual Multivitamin 18+ for women makes a great option.

Ritual Prenatal Multivitamin Review

Whether or not prenatal vitamins are necessary for optimal birth and development outcomes is still up for debate in the scientific community. An extensive meta-analysis published in the Nutrients journal found the benefits to outweigh any risks for women in low-and-middle-income countries where patients tend to suffer from more nutrient deficiencies.

The necessity of prenatal vitamins for women in developed countries is usually assessed on an individual basis by a doctor. A woman who eats a nutrient-dense, healthy diet free of processed foods likely has no need for prenatal vitamins. However the average patient may have a need, because many patients in developed countries eat nutrient-poor diets.

Ritual Prenatal Multivitamin contains Vitamin D3, which is typically recommended as a supplement to pregnant women because at certain latitudes it’s impossible to synthesize from the sun in the winter. 33% of pregnant women in the U.S. are Vitamin D deficient, and upwards of 80% of women in Northern Europe are, according to a medical review of supplementation during pregnancy.

The same review found that supplementation with 1500 International Units (IU) was effective in raising blood levels, and found an upper safe limit of 4000 IU, so the 2000 IU of Vitamin D3 in Ritual Prenatal is an effective dose.

Magnesium is also an effective ingredient for pregnant women, as it’s proven to minimize risk of preeclampsia and can improve glucose and insulin control based on the findings from the previously-linked research review. However the supplementation dose from the review was 250 mg/day while Ritual only contains 32 mg.

The DHA in Ritual Prenatal appears effectively dosed. This is an omega-3 fatty acid that’s been linked in many studies with optimal maternal and fetal health. The research review found that DHA supplementation reduces risk of early birth, reduces risk of postpartum depression, and improved immunological health of the baby.

The maximally effective dose appears to range from between 1 - 2 grams(g) daily, but considering most pregnant women will likely get some DHA from diet, the 350 mg dose in Ritual appears appropriate, and is close to the European Union (E.U.) recommendation of minimally 450 mg per day from all sources.

Another interesting medical review published in the JAMA Psychiatry journal found that maternal vitamin supplementation during pregnancy may reduce risk of autism disorder in offspring.

Because there are so many individualized factors like diet influencing maternal need for prenatal vitamins, we strongly recommend that pregnant women consult with their doctor before deciding whether or not to take a prenatal vitamin.

A pregnant woman with a nutrient-dense diet, and no dietary restrictions, may have no need for a prenatal supplement while a woman with an unhealthy diet or a diet model with some restrictions like the vegan diet may benefit from a prenatal vitamin.

For women who are recommended by their doctor to take a prenatal vitamin, we do find Ritual Prenatal to be an effectively formulated option. Women who don’t get much magnesium from diet may want to speak with their doctor about a separate magnesium supplement, because the magnesium level in Ritual Prenatal is relatively low.

Ritual Protein Review

Ritual’s newest product line is their protein powders. All of their protein products are Informed Sport Certified, which is a certification that ensures the product has no harmful banned substances. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the U.S. has documented how many workout supplements are tainted with illicit chemical compounds, so the Informed Sport Certification is definitely a net positive for consumers, and further signals Ritual’s commitment to high-quality products.

The main active ingredient in Ritual protein powders is pea protein, which is an effective vegan form of protein as it’s a complete protein containing all essential amino acids. The inclusion of pea protein was one of the positives we noted in our review of “is beyond meat healthy?”.

Ritual Daily Shake 18+ and Ritual Daily Shake 50+ both contain natural flavor, which is an ingredient we recommend avoiding, because medical research has documented the potential toxicity in some flavoring compounds. Without the brand publishing exactly which chemical compounds were used for the flavoring, we can’t confirm their safety.

We do expect the Ritual flavoring agents to be safe and non-toxic based on the certifications and research backing the brand, but we still don’t recommend their protein powders for this reason.

Ritual protein products also contain sweetener Rebaudioside-M (Reb-M), which is a novel ingredient without much safety data. A clinical trial found that a similar stevia derivative called Reb-A negatively impacted gut function in rats.

We recommend avoiding flavoring and artificial sweeteners in protein powders for health reasons. Protein powders should have one ingredient: protein. We don’t recommend Ritual Daily Shakes for this reason.

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Conclusion

Ritual Vitamins is a high-quality vitamin brand. While we don’t generally recommend multivitamins to healthy adults, Ritual would be a good option for consumers who are set on using a multivitamin or for consumers with a poor diet who need supplemental nutrition.

We also find that Ritual prenatal vitamins are well formulated, and may be a good option for pregnant women with their doctor’s approval.

We don’t recommend Ritual protein products due to the inclusion of flavoring and sweetener agents.

We appreciate that Ritual funded a clinical trial of their vitamins, and we hope that more supplement companies in the future follow their lead in that regard.




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