A Budget-Friendly Vitamin Option: Why I Recommend Undevit, But Won't Buy It Again

I've been taking vitamins for a while now, and I'm sure I'm not the only one. Whether it's due to medical reasons or just a gut feeling, we all end up searching for the perfect supplement. I usually opt for something with a rich formula and a price that won't break the bank.

One day, while browsing through supplements, I stumbled upon Undevit. I had written a review for it back then, but it got lost in my documents folder. I recently found it and decided to share it with you. Hopefully, this information will be helpful!

Availability, Price, and Quantity

I first heard about Undevit from my pharmacist, who recommended it to me. Little did I know that I had just gotten lucky, as the supplement is quite hard to find in my area – especially during the day!

The price was unbeatable – I bought Undevit for 39 rubles. Unfortunately, the price has since increased to 51 rubles. For that money, we get 50 tablets. I was pleasantly surprised, but I did have some reservations. Compared to my usual go-to supplements like Complivit (50 tablets for 160 rubles) and Vitrume (30 tablets for 510 rubles), Undevit's price raised some eyebrows. I think it might be due to the fact that it's made in Russia, uses budget-friendly ingredients, has a simpler formula, and lacks the advertising budget that other brands have.

Appearance

You get what you pay for, right? The packaging is basic – no fancy cardboard box here. Undevit comes in a simple plastic bottle with all the necessary information printed on it.

Inside the bottle, you'll find a small wad of cotton, followed by a generous helping of bright orange, fairly large (about the size of a small pea), lozenges.

The Smell

I've got to say, the smell of this stuff is pretty off-putting – it's got that same stale, medicinal whiff you'd find in a hospital. If you leave the bottle near your clothes, they'll pick up the scent, so it's best to store Undevit in a dedicated area for medications.

The Ingredients

I bought this out of curiosity, to be honest, and given the low price, I wasn't expecting much. But:

- the formula includes all the most in-demand vitamins (A, B group, C, D, and so on);

- the vitamin dosage in Undevit is spot on, meaning they're not overdoing it – you don't want to risk overloading on vitamins, trust me.

As an aside, I dug up some info on the ingredients in my usual go-to supplements, Complivit and Vitrume. If you take a look, you'll notice:

- the more expensive options have higher vitamin dosages. On the one hand, that's tempting, but when it comes to vitamins, the 'more is better' rule doesn't apply. There's a sweet spot for vitamin intake, and going over that can either be wasted or even have negative effects on your body. Undevit hits the mark without going overboard, which I see as a testament to its effectiveness and safety.

- I've gotta say, Undevit's a breath of fresh air in the world of supplements. Unlike those other products, it's just pure vitamins and minerals. Some might see that as a drawback, but I see it as a plus - it lets you top up on the vitamins you need without loading up on unnecessary minerals.

Undevit's Composition

One tablet contains:

Retinol acetate (Vitamin A) - 0.01g (3300 IU);

Thiamine chloride (Vitamin B1) - 0.00258g;

Riboflavin (Vitamin B2) - 0.002g;

Pyradoxine hydrochloride (Vitamin B6) - 0.003g;

Cyanocobalamin (Vitamin B12) - 0.002mg;

Nicotinamide (Vitamin PP) - 0.02g;

Rutin (Vitamin P) - 0.01g;

Alpha-tocopherol acetate (Vitamin E) - 0.01g;

Folic acid - 0.0005g;

Pantothenic acid calcium - 0.003g;

Ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) - 0.75g.

Composition of Competitor Product, Complivit:

One tablet, coated, contains:

Vitamin A (retinol acetate) 1.135mg (3300 IU).

Vitamin B12 (cyanocobalamin) 12.5mg.

Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol acetate) 10mg.

Alpha-lipoic acid 2mg.

Vitamin B1 (thiamine hydrochloride) 1mg.

Phosphorus (as magnesium hydrogen phosphate trihydrate) (as calcium phosphate dihydrate) 60mg.

Vitamin B2 (riboflavin mononucleotide) 1.27mg.

Iron (as iron sulphate heptahydrate) 5mg.

Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine hydrochloride) 5mg.

Manganese (as manganese sulphate monohydrate) 2.50mg.

Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) 50mg.

Copper (as copper sulphate pentahydrate) 750mcg.

Nicotinamide 7.50mg.

Zinc (as zinc sulphate heptahydrate) 2mg.

Folate 100 mcg.

Magnesium (as magnesium phosphate trihydrate) 16.40 mg.

Rutoside (rutin) 25 mg.

Calcium (as calcium phosphate dihydrate) 50.50 mg.

Calcium pantothenate 5 mg.

Cobalt (as cobalt sulfate heptahydrate) 100 mcg.

Ingredients in VITRUM:

Vitamin A (acetate and beta-carotene) - 5000 IU;

Vitamin E - 30 IU;

Vitamin C - 60 mg;

Folic acid - 400 mcg;

Vitamin B - 11.5 mg;

Vitamin B - 21.7 mg;

Vitamin B - 62 mg;

Vitamin B1 - 26 mcg;

Nicotinamide - 20 mg;

Vitamin K - 125 mcg;

Vitamin D - 3400 IU;

Biotin - 30 mcg;

Pantothenic acid - 10 mg;

Iron (as fumarate) - 18 mg;

Calcium - 162 mg;

Phosphorus - 125 mg;

Iodine - 150 mcg;

Magnesium - 100 mg;

Copper - 2 mg;

Zinc - 15 mg;

Manganese - 2.5 mg;

Potassium - 40 mg;

Chromium - 25 mcg;

Chlorine - 36.3 mg;

Molybdenum - 25 mcg;

Selenium - 25 mcg;

Nickel - 5 mcg;

Lead - 10 mcg;

Silicon - 10 mcg;

Vanadium - 10 mcg.

Daily intake of vitamins (taken from the Farmamed website):

Usage

Why I take vitamins in the first place? I'll start with this question, and it's fundamental. I used to take vitamins on a whim – 'oh, it's winter, I need some immunity' or 'it's spring, I don't want to get a vitamin deficiency.' I never actually got my blood work done, but that approach is not only useless, it's actually pretty dangerous. Vitamins aren't as safe as they seem.

Now, I only take vitamins on the advice of my doctor, after getting my blood work done. The main reason remains the same – I don't eat a super healthy diet, and I often don't have time to grab a snack during the day. The consequences are inevitable – my mood suffers, my productivity drops, and I'm more susceptible to illnesses.

So, every six months, my doctor prescribes me a vitamin supplement – I get to choose which brand, since the composition is pretty similar, but the price varies.

Dosage. I took Undevit, like most vitamins, once a day, in the morning (it's easier to remember), about 30 minutes after breakfast for better absorption.

Course duration. A standard month, then I get my blood work checked and see my doctor. I'm hesitant to take vitamins for too long, since vitamin A, for example, has a cumulative effect, which can lead to over supplementation and some pretty nasty side effects.

First Impressions. The tablets are huge and awkwardly shaped, making it a real struggle to swallow them. I had to wash it down with a full glass of water. I'm not sure I'd trust kids to take this stuff, and the taste isn't exactly child-friendly either. The 'hospital-like' smell is paired with a bitter-sweet, unpleasant aftertaste that lingers in your mouth for a while. Swallowing the tablet quickly is the best way to avoid the worst of it, but even then, you might be left with a lingering memory of the smell and taste. I wouldn't even consider dissolving the tablet in my mouth, it's just not an option.

The Effect

I'm evaluating it based on three criteria, but only the first one really matters – lab results, which can show whether the supplement actually had a positive impact on my body or not. The other two criteria – how I feel and visible signs of effectiveness (improved hair, nail, and skin health, etc.) – are less important and shouldn't be the main focus. The reason is simple: feeling unwell or having bad hair could be caused by a variety of factors, not just a vitamin deficiency. It could be a chronic illness, a certain lifestyle, lack of other essential nutrients, hormonal imbalances, or something else entirely.

Lab Results. Below are the lab results for the vitamins I tested, along with the average values.

Vitamin A: 0.30 - 0.80 mcg/mL

Vitamin B1: 1.06-3.98 ng/mL.

Vitamin B6: 5-50 ng/mL.

Vitamin B12: 25.0-165.0 pmol/L

Vitamin C: 4.0-15.0 mcg/mL

Vitamin E: 5.0 - 18.0 mcg/mL.

Folic acid: 3.1 - 20.5 ng/mL

My lab results - BEFORE and AFTER taking Undevita respectively.

Vitamin A: 0.40 mcg/mL and 0.70 mcg/mL

Vitamin B1: 1.88 ng/mL and 2.93 ng/mL.

Vitamin B6: 18 ng/mL and 25 ng/mL.

Vitamin B12: 31 pmol/L and 47 pmol/L

Vitamin C: 7 mcg/mL and 12 mcg/mL

Vitamin E: 6 mcg/mL and 13 mcg/mL

Folic acid: 8.2 ng/mL and 12.1 ng/mL

I can safely say that many of my initial results were pretty low, but not critical. Undevita didn't work miracles, but it did bring many of my results closer to normal. To be honest, I think this result is pretty impressive, especially considering the price of the supplement and the fact that I only took it for a month.

Impact on my overall well-being. It's hard to judge the effectiveness of vitamins based on how you feel, unless you had a severe deficiency that made you feel really awful. I wasn't in that bad of shape, so I didn't notice any dramatic changes. However, by the end of the course, I did feel a bit of an improvement:

- I had more energy and felt stronger;

- my sleep became more peaceful and I fell asleep faster;

- my muscle aches, which were always there even after light workouts, started to subside.

I have to say, the initial results were pretty impressive. I think if I'd stuck with the Undevita for a longer period, the benefits would've been even more noticeable, but I stopped taking it for a reason I'll explain in the 'Side Effects' section below.

Visible signs of the supplement's effectiveness. These became apparent towards the end of my Undevita course. My skin was definitely less prone to flaking, which might've been due to the vitamins A and E, which dermatologists say are essential for maintaining healthy-looking skin.

My nails started growing a bit faster and stopped being so brittle, but it wasn't a dramatic change. I'd say they improved by around 30-40%.

Unfortunately, my hair didn't seem to benefit from the supplement. It didn't start falling out less, and the small amount that did grow back (about 1 cm) didn't have any extra shine or strength. But, as I mentioned earlier, there could be many reasons for hair loss and breakage, so I'm not counting this against Undevita.

Side Effects

I have to admit, it was Undevit that made me ditch it. Not because of an allergic reaction, but because of heartburn and this awful taste in my mouth that started showing up after I started taking it. At first, I wrote it off as food – spicy, fatty, or whatever – but I'd sometimes indulge in those kinds of dishes. However, I soon noticed that the heartburn was popping up even when I hadn't eaten anything 'triggering', and it was usually in the morning, not after every meal. And the final straw was when I stopped taking Undevit and the problem just disappeared on its own.

This doesn't mean you'll experience the same issue – I'm writing about my personal feelings here. Apparently, something in the formula just didn't agree with me.

The Verdict

Undevit's got some good points – it's a great value for money, has a decent formula, and works. The downsides are that it's hard to find in stores, has a nasty smell and taste, and the massive tablet size makes it a pain to swallow. I also had this weird side effect of heartburn.

So, I'd give Undevit a 4 out of 5. I still recommend it, though – it's worth a shot, as you might not experience any side effects, and the price and effectiveness are pretty impressive.