What
to Look for in a Multivitamin
What to look for in a Multivitamin
By: Dr. George Obikoya
We all need to take multivitamins. The American
Medical Association recently recommended that all Americans should
take a daily multivitamin and mineral supplement 1. This is because
our diets cannot provide us with all the vitamins and nutritional
supplements we need. Yet, with the vast array of vitamins out in
the market, it is no wonder that many of us don’t know which one
to buy. This is despite new labeling laws mandating manufacturers
to provide more information on their labels to inform consumers.
This information is often too technical for people to understand
and can sometimes even be printed too small to read. Here are some
useful tips to keep in mind when shopping for vitamins.
The first thing you want to know what the constituents of the vitamins
you want to buy are. What additional nutrients do they contain?
If they contained the vitamins you are looking for, you should next
find out what their percentages of the Recommended Daily Allowance
(RDA) are. Vitamins should be at least 100% of the RDA. Minerals
except iron, fluoride, phosphorus and electrolytes such as sodium
and potassium should be at least 50%. Be sure to look check the
mineral content of the product. Many multivitamin preparations do
not have sufficient minerals because they occupy too much space.
Do the vitamins meet United States Pharmacopoeia (USP) requirements?
Some vitamins only meet the National Formulary criteria, quality
control standards currently unavailable for some products. What
about dosing? Is the multivitamins supposed to be taken once daily
or three times daily? Is the dosing what you want?
Check the individual vitamins in the product. Is Vitamin A from
non-toxic beta-carotene, its safest form What about Vitamin D? Is
it D2 (synthetic, ergocalciferol) or D3 (natural, cholecalciferol)?
This is important because obese individuals may be unable to convert
D2 to the active form of vitamin D critical for healthy bones.2
Is Vitamin E in its natural, more useful ("d") forms such
as d-alpha tocopheryl acetate or succinate or is its form preceded
by "dl" which means it is synthetic.
Does the multivitamin supplement have inorganic oxides that are
hardly digestible? Does it contain minerals as citrates, malates,
and chelates? Does the multivitamin have iron, particularly in its
sufate form that tends to constipate? Check to see if the multivitamins
you are planning to buy has herbal extracts. If so, are the extracts
good for your health? Do you need to consult your doctor about this?
What other things are in the product beside vitamins? Look for artificial
colorings and flavors, sugars and artificial sweeteners? Are these
things good for you? The sugar content of the multivitamins will
be important, for example, for someone that suffers from Diabetes
to note.
You can make an informed choice about what vitamin supplement to
buy using these tips. Remember that liquid multivitamins absorb
5 times better than do pills. So, take your time to ensure you buy
the multivitamin preparation that best suits you.
A good multivitamin is the foundation of health
and nutrition. Take a look at our scientific reviews of many of
the popular brands for factors such as ingredients, areas of improvement,
quality level, and overall value. If you are looking for a high
quality liquid multivitamin, we suggest that you take a look at
the Multivitamin
Product Comparisons.
References:
1. Fletcher RH, Fairfield KM.Vitamins for chronic disease prevention
in adults: clinical applications. JAMA (United States), Jun 19 2002,
287(23) p3127-9.
2. Trang HM, Cole DE, Rubin LA, et al. Evidence that vitamin D3
increases serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D more efficiently than does vitamin
D2. Am J Clin Nutr (United States), Oct 1998, 68(4) p854-8.
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