Showing posts with label Supplements. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Supplements. Show all posts

Schiff Melatonin Ultra - Discontinued at Costco

Schiff Melatonin Ultra
Schiff Melatonin Ultra was a popular melatonin supplement sold by Costco that was discontinued in 2018. In addition to melatonin, Schiff Melatonin Ultra featured a few additional ingredients to help people get to sleep and stay asleep. It was a phenomenal product at a great price that I used as a professional triathlete and Ironman Champion.

 What happened to Schiff Melatonin Ultra? Why is Schiff Melatonin Ultra Unavailable? 

 In short, it was discontinued. I do not know why.

Looking for a Schiff Melatonin Ultra alternative replacement? 

I have switched back to Nature's Made Melatonin - 3mg. It is inexpensive and convenient to purchase via Amazon here.

Another product I have had success with is Vicks ZzzQuil.

Interested in getting Schiff Melatonin Ultra back on the market? Sign this petition to make your voice heard. Share it with others to get them to sign it as well. Maybe if enough people sign it then Schiff will bring it back.


Original backstory on discovering that it was discontinued: Today I was at my local Costco and I was looking for my all-time favorite sleep aid, a specific version of Melatonin made by Schiff called Melatonin Ultra. This product was made exclusively for Costco and sold over the past several years. The proprietary blend of Melatonin featured not only 3mg of Melatonin, but also 25mg of L-Theanine, 25mg of Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), and a blend of Chamomile and Valerian Extract totaling 8.5mg. The product really does work wonders and other Melatonin just isn't the same. 

Anyway, after coming up empty-handed at Costco I figured I would just order it from Amazon as I have ordered it this way before. For those that are not aware, there is an entire cottage industry of people who purchase products in bulk from their local Costco and then resell them on Amazon. This appeals to both people that don't have a Costco membership or simply don't want to visit the store for a single item. Tonight I went to Amazon and was astounded that the price, almost like the infamous pharma-bro Martin Skirelli's Daraprim, had risen over 2000% to $149.95. My last purchase which from Amazon was $9.99 shipped via 2-day prime, and I have purchased it at a Costco store for $7.99 from Costco. It was even $4.99 when it was on a Costco coupon promotion. Given the discontinuation, I wasn't exactly surprised that it had increased but I was shocked by how large the increase was in a short period of time. 

For those that doubt that this is selling or is just a temporary pricing error think again. According to eBay completed sales, which is public knowledge, it shows that these bottles are selling for north of $200. It is safe to say that I will be looking for a new brand but it goes to show how much we as a society value our drugs, products, and our brands and at any cost. 

Completed eBay Sales of Schiff Melatonin Ultra 

I have to imagine that Schiff will make this product again if there is enough interest, but I have switched to Vicks ZzzQuil for now. Because supplements are unregulated I prefer to go with big, stable, and trusted brands. With ZzzQuil you get 2mg of melatonin + the valerian & chamomile. You also get some lemon balm and lavender which was not in Melatonin Ultra.

Vicks ZzzQuil
My replacement for
Schiff Melatonin Ultra

For those that are unfamiliar with melatonin. Melatonin is what your body produces in the Pineal gland to put itself to bed naturally. I have used a 3mg tablet 30-60 minutes before bed as an effective way to help set the bedtime process in motion. 

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Best Magnesium Supplement for Athletes - MgSport

I have been using magnesium supplements for years to make sure my magnesium levels are sufficient given the amount of exercise I do as a professional triathlete. Magnesium plays an important role in over 300 body functions and endurance athletes / triathletes can be prone to low magnesium levels.

However, a damning 2015 report by the New York Attorney General accused various big-box retailers, including: Wal-mart, Walgreens, and Target, of selling supplements not containing the ingredients they were purported to and that had me questioning every supplement I took.
Save 20% on MgSport Magnesium at
Amazon with Coupon Code TGMS2017
As a professional triathlete, I am responsible for knowing what I put in my body and because of that report I sought out products that were manufactured under GMP standards (Good Manufacturing Practices). I was fortunate enough to discover MgSport and I have since replaced my big-box retailer magnesium with MgSport.
There has been a lot written about Magnesium and why athletes need it, but I don’t want to recreate the wheel. Just know that despite eating a nutrient dense diet, I would never go a day without also supplementing with magnesium. It is cheap insurance as far as I am concerned.
What I do want to highlight are the benefits of MgSport specifically. While MgSport actually contains what it says it contains, it also contains a more expensive, but more absorable form of magnesium. Most supplements you will find in stores contain magnesium in the form of magnesium citrate. In clinical research, the magnesium in MgSport was found to absorb 3x times better than magnesium citrate. While athletes typically deplete their stores in hard summer training in heat & humidity, magnesium levels ARE NOT something that can be corrected overnight and need to be built up over time. Right now is the best time to start building those stores back up!!!
MgSport is made in the USA and has GMP certification and does have a Certificate of Analysis (CoA) done by a 3rd party. This CoA is important for athletes who will be drug tested for doping as many stories of cross-contamination are occurring and having it certified makes sure it has what it says it has and not banned substances.
MgSport magnesium also contains vitamin d which is essential for calcium absorption to strengthen bones, along with vitamin b6. Lastly, the pill is significantly smaller than store bought magnesium citrate. This is possible because the magnesium in MgSport is more absorbable and you don't need as much of it to get the same effect.

As for me, I take one MgSport capsule at bedtime. Magnesium absorption happens best during sleep + it is also known to improve sleep quality. You can get your own supply of MgSport and save 20% with coupon code TGMS2017 (Expires 12/31/2022). Just visit MgSport Magnesium on Amazon and add the coupon on the "Shipping & Payment" screen.
Add the coupon on the Amazon "Shipping & Payment" screen

Lastly if you are a triathlete or endurance athlete, I am setting up a FREE Q&A group on Facebook. Feel free to ask any questions you might have about Magnesium or anything else you can think of.

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