Question:
Concerning your Gentle Care Multi-Vitamin, some of the components (such as Vitamin C, Thiamin, Riboflabin and, especially, B6, B12, Pantothenic Acid) significantly exceeds the daily allowable value. Since the equilibrium concept is of paramount importance to any system well-being, both deficiency and excess of any sort are equally bad. Would you please explain your choice of supplements quanitity?

Answer:
The levels are not solely on RDA's but to offer amounts that attempt to mimic blood levels shown to offer maximum disease reduction and longevity, in numerous studies, so that individual variances in absorbtion would enable even those with less than optimal absorption to achieve those levels.  It is also not quite accurate to say their is an equilibrium, suggesting a fine line between optimal and toxic.  Water soluble vitamins are non-toxic in a wide range of dosages, for example,taking anywere from 2 to 2000 mcg of B12 are all non-toxic. The B vitamins mentioned above are all in relatively low dosages, with no chance of toxicity, though they may be higher than our low RDA, that is based on what people eat, not what they should eat.  The RDA is a suggested minimum and it is not an attempt to be optimal.  For example, the RDA for vitamin C is ridiculously low, if you ate healthfully you would consume more than 10 times the RDA from food.  However, in those nutrients that have a narrow band toxicicty potential I was very careful to exclude (Vitamin A or iron) or to use amounts on the lower side, such as iodine.  Every nutrient is a judgement though there is certainly a degree of agreement with many researchers and others reviewing the nutritional literature.