I moved to the greater Portland Oregon metropolitan area a month ago. As I walking tonight (in rain, wind, and a temperature of 12 C), I started thinking that I should start supplementing my diet with vitamin D considering I haven't seen the sun in a week. I haven't eaten an orange in a while either because I can't find the kind I like (having grown up in Florida). This area of the US is known for "crunchy granola" people who have eclectic tastes in vegetables and don't eat meat.

Proposed is a brand of multivitamins designed to match the deficiencies and surpluses of regional foods. In Florida, they could scale back vitamin C. In Texas they could scale back B12. Hawaiians probably don't need a lot of D but may be lacking in things found in mainland crops. In Portland, they could add extra B12 and D while scaling back perhaps magnesium. Obviously a lot of research would need to go into this (and a lot more to implement outside of the US).
-- kevinthenerd, Nov 17 2015

Custom Multivitamin Pills
[xaviergisz, Nov 18 2015]

This also brings up the question of nutrient labels for fruits and vegetables, sampled by the area where the lot was grown.
-- 4and20, Nov 18 2015


This is a genius idea from a marketing perspective. It is tricky figuring out new ways to get people to buy vitamins but this could be one. Vitamins targeting specific groups (prenatal, oldsters) have been done and that works. The regional thing would definitely work.

I was impressed by a study showing that giving vitamins to sex workers in Nairobi helped with their health. Mixes targeting extreme populations should be available on the shelf in Portland for sure.

What is that vitamin that makes beards grow? They do not need that in the Portland mix either.
-- bungston, Nov 18 2015



random, halfbakery