Fitness enthusiasts can now keep track of their fitness and of various fitness factors in an easy and convenient way.
With fitness trackers and mobile apps, it is now very easy to count the number of steps you took, the miles you have walked, the amount of time you have spent swimming or doing other exercises, and even the number of repetitions you did for a bench press.
Some fitness trackers also give you an idea of how much calories you eat and burn. There are even some fitness apps that can estimate how much vitamins and minerals you are getting.  Â
However, these estimates can be very inaccurate. This is because food databases do not really have a complete list of vitamins and minerals found in food, so even if you are very meticulous in tracking what you eat, the level of micronutrients it shows may be a lot lower than it really is.
This is especially true when it comes to vitamins and minerals that are not so common. This is because food labels are required only to list down their Vitamin A, Vitamin C, iron, calcium and sodium content, and leave out other nutrients contained in their food item. Â
What’s more, the food you eat is only one source for the vitamins and minerals you need in your body. The level of nutrients you get also changes depending on the time of day, the amount of activity you do, and a host of other factors.   Â
Now, there’s good news for those who want a more accurate view of their vitamin and mineral levels. You can now get Vitastiq, which acts like a blood pressure monitor, but instead of measuring your systolic and diastolic pressure, it measures the amount of micronutrients and vitamins that your body currently has. Â
Why should you monitor the level of vitamins and minerals in your body? Â
There are two ways in which things could go wrong if you do not get enough or if you get too much of a certain vitamin or mineral. If you have too low of these in your body, you cannot take advantage of the benefits they bring to you health-wise.
For instance, vitamin A is good for your eyesight and immune system, and lack of it can result to increased infections and night blindness. However, if you have too much vitamin A, it will likely increase your chances of blurred vision and hair loss. Â
Vitastiq helps you ensure that you have just the right amount of vitamins and minerals in your body.  Â
How the Vitastiq pen works Â
The Vitastiq pen comes with a mobile app that helps you know the trends of minerals and vitamins in your body. Simply put, it helps you know if you need to replenish your body’s stock of various vitamins and minerals.   Â
You do not have to prick anything; you just put the pen against your skin at the measuring points specified on your hand, feet, face, and body. Each measuring point would account for a mineral or a vitamin.
For instance, measuring points near the base of your fingernails would measure biotin, magnesium, zinc, selenium, folic acid, and vitamins B1, B2, B6, and C. Those on your feet will measure vitamins A, B-12, B-3, B-5, and D, as well as calcium, Omega 3-6, chromium, glucosamine, and manganese. Â
Other minerals and vitamins that are tracked include:Â
- Coenzyme Q 10Â
- CopperÂ
- IodineÂ
- IronÂ
- PotassiumÂ
- SodiumÂ
 After calibrating the device, you can also use the app for the measurements. The app will show you the reference points and tell you whether readings for particular points have been done or not. Â
The science behind this has been around since the 1950s. It measures the electrical resistance at the measuring points. It is very similar to how electric acupuncture devices work, which can detect imbalances in your body by the changes in electrical resistance.
In short, Vitastiq does not really measure the level of concentration for each of the vitamins and minerals it tracks. And this is the reason why Vitastiq shows you qualitative information such as high, good, mild, or low, instead of specific numbers.   Â
The mobile appÂ
Apart from teaching you where the different measurement points are, the Vitastiq mobile app also serves as the user’s screen for the readings.    Â
Furthermore, it has several nifty features:Â Â
- Multiple users. The mobile app can handle multiple profiles, making Vitastiq a good investment. One device will be enough for different users, lowering the cost of ownership for the device. You can use the Vitastiq to track the vitamins and minerals of your family members and friends and they would have their own profiles. You can use just one mobile app to monitor everyone’s vitamins and minerals trends.Â
- Customizable templates. Because everyone has different needs, the mobile app can be customized to show the vitamins and minerals that matter most to you. For instance, you can use a template that shows only the essential vitamins (those that are measured using the points of the hand), or you can choose a template that shows only the Vitamin B complex, or choose to see all measuring points.Â
- Keep track of your history. The mobile app also keeps track of your vitamin and mineral trends over time, giving you an easy and graphical way of how each vitamin and mineral goes up or down over the course of the day.Â
- User portal. Aside from the mobile app, you can also check out the My Vitastiq user portal using any computer browser page.Â
 Three different versions Â
There are three versions of Vitastiq. Each version uses the same mobile app and provides the same functionalities and features. Â
- The Vitastiq 1st Edition. The Vitastiq 1st edition is the first device in the world to track vitamins and minerals in your body. This wired device is meant for personal use and comes with the free mobile app to help you get measurements easily. It uses an audio cable to work with your smartphone. The product is currently sold out, but it was priced at $120 (For the latest prices and discounts, check here) when it first came out.Â
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- The Vitastiq 2. The Vitastiq 2 allows you to take your own readings and uses Bluetooth LE technology to connect with your smartphone. Aside from getting rid of the wire, the Vitastiq 2 is also more durable and lighter than the original. The pen is now made of titanium, which also gives it a solid and good-looking aesthetics. This sells for €129.00, or roughly $150.00 (For the latest prices and discounts, check here).Â
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- The Vitastiq Family. True to its name, the Vitastiq Family comes with an additional sonde that allows you to measure another person’s vitamins and minerals levels. Unlike the first and second Vitastiq, where no other person should be touching the pen when you take a measurement, the sonde allows you to take the readings for another person. This is useful for people who have mobility problems like the elderly or those who cannot reach their feet because of some disability. The Vitastiq Family sells for €199.00, or around $232.00 (For the latest prices and discounts, check here) .
What you would like about Vitastiq Â
Vitastiq can really help you know if you have optimum levels of vitamins and minerals so you can avoid toxicity or deficiency. What’s more, you are presented with qualitative measurements, not numbers.
There is no need for you to guess or look up if you are lacking or if you have too much of a certain vitamin according to body requirements. The mobile app will tell you if a particular vitamin or mineral is low, high, or optimum. Â
You do not even have to memorize where to measure because the app will tell you. And if you do need more of a certain vitamin or mineral, the app also has useful information on which foods to eat so you can replenish.Â
 What could be better Â
There are a lot of things to remember when you use the Vitastiq pen. You have to take off all of your jewelry. You need to make sure that your skin is clean, and that you have not put on any type of lotion.
You would probably get used to it as you use the device more, but remember that these can affect your readings and safety. You would also need to calibrate the pen each time you use.
The good thing is that there are instructions that you can read on the mobile app and there are videos that teach you how to calibrate the device. The actual measurement is not straightforward either. You have to make sure that the tip is fully retracted, and that you get the measuring point right.   Â
In fact, during the first few readings, you will have varying measurements and this would call the accuracy of the device into question. Â
Also, the device measures only 26 vitamins and minerals. If you need to add more, there is no way to do that with the Vitastiq. Â
The Final Say on VitastiqÂ
On paper, it would seem that Vitastiq is a good idea backed by science. In reality, however, users are complaining about the inconsistencies with the readings, casting doubts on its accuracy. The company, however, has enough disclaimers to declare that the device is not a medical device.   Â
For what it is worth, Vitastiq should be a good enough product for those who want to get an idea of the levels of micronutrients in their bodies. There might not be enough studies to prove it works, but it is more accurate than the estimates we currently get from other fitness apps. Â
Speaking of fitness apps, it would have been better if Vitastiq is able to send its readings to other fitness apps so that it could work with a fitness tracker such as Fitbit or TomTom. This would give you a more holistic view of your fitness. Â
Should you buy Vitastiq? You should be fully aware that there is no evidence that shows Vitastiq works as it claims. But without a suitable alternative, those who would really like to have an idea of their vitamin and mineral levels should decide if they mind paying anywhere from $120 to $230 (For the latest prices and discounts, check here) for this device. Â
Further read,Â
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