Care/Of Subscription Box Review + Coupon – February 2017

Care/of is a personalized vitamin and supplement subscription. You can choose individual items a la carte or take a quiz to personalize your Care/of packets. Possibilities include vitamins, minerals, probiotics, Ayurvedic herbs, and more.

This box was sent to us at no cost for review. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes.)

The Subscription Box: Care/of

The Cost: Varies depending on the vitamins you select. Each vitamin is priced individually and start at $5/month. 

The Products: Vitamins, minerals, and other supplements. You can elect to take a quiz and have Care/of select products for you (you can edit what they choose) or you can pick your own supplements.

Ships to: U.S. (free if your total is over $20)

Check out more health and fitness subscriptions in the Fitness Subscription Box Directory and make sure to add Care/Of to your subscription list or wishlist!

A handful of different cards were in the box. One was personalized with my name, one had more information on the packs and how to take the pills, and one was specific to the items I had chosen (an identification key).

They are still ironing a few things out with the profile quiz. I sent some suggestions and they got back to me quickly and with an answer that sounds like they really listened to what I said.

But for example, I did not check the box that I was vegan because I am not vegan (I am vegetarian but that was not an option) and then I got recommended fish oil and a few things with gelatin in them. So you will still have to read the ingredients, although a lot of the items available from Care/of are at least vegetarian.

So check what you are signing up for so you don’t end up with extra doses of, say, vitamin D, from taking both a multivitamin and the calcium supplement.

You get 30 packets and each packet contains the daily allotment of each vitamin. So you take the contents of one packet each day. I chose the following:

Magnesium - Value $8

This mineral has a lot of potential effects. It is supposed to increase calmness and relaxation (if you have ever had the Natural Calm drink powder, magnesium is the main active ingredient). It also may decrease blood pressure and it is supposed to promote sleep. Well, I have only taken one pill so far and I have definitely been sleepy, but it is too soon to say if all of this is connected.

Calcium - Value $12

This also has vitamin D and vitamin K; these vitamins help with calcium absorption. Caffeine can interfere with calcium absorption and I do drink a ton of caffeine. Plus, as I was trying to lose weight last year, I cut a lot of dairy because it was an easy way to drop calories, so I’m not getting as much calcium in my diet as I used to. But, as a small-framed Caucasian woman, I am in a fairly high osteoporosis risk group, so I’d like to do what I can while I’m still relatively young. Vitamin K may also help fight inflammation. (Plus, magnesium supplementation can deplete calcium stores over time so if you are taking magnesium, it is a good idea to also take calcium.)

Probiotic - Value $8

I am all about finding the right probiotic. I have a few that I like, but I’m always looking for the next great thing. It is too soon to tell if this is working, but it isn’t causing any issues. Gut bacteria are increasingly being found to be important contributors in many areas of health.

Turmeric - Value $8

This one is good for fighting inflammation. I worry about my knees based on family history and my own experience, so I was curious to see if this would change anything. One month should be long enough to decide! I am not normally one to take herbs, but I feel like turmeric has a lot of science to back it up and also I know that it is unlikely to be harmful since people regularly consume it as a food ingredient.

Verdict: The dollar value of my Care/of package this month is $36 (value will vary based on what supplements you choose or receive for the month). You can get more pills of each for less money per pill/capsule from other sources, like Swanson, but you are paying a little for convenience here - if you are traveling and don’t want to take a bunch of pill bottles or buy a pill case, just toss a few packets in your bag and you are good to go. Also, you're not stuck with 240 capsules of turmeric or something if you decide it's not for you - you can change what's in your packet for the next month. 

The other place you get added value is if you need help selecting supplements. Let's say you are worried about heart health due to family history but you don't know where to begin. The Care/of quiz can help guide you there. I like having specific information about sourcing and manufacture in one place, as well as links to resources about the supplements. 

What do you think of Care/of?