What should multivitamins contain

When this is the case, an expensive brand name is not necessary, as even standard store brands will deliver results. The contents of this website are for educational purposes and are not intended to offer personal medical advice. You should seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.

Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The Nutrition Source does not recommend or endorse any products. Skip to content The Nutrition Source. Harvard T. The Nutrition Source Menu. Search for:. Who May be at Risk for a Nutrient Deficiency? The elderly are at risk for poor food intake for various reasons: difficulty chewing and swallowing food, experiencing unpleasant taste changes caused by multiple medications, or isolation and loneliness that can depress appetite.

They also have trouble absorbing vitamin B12 from food. The National Academy of Medicine, in fact, recommends that people over the age of 50 eat foods fortified with vitamin B12 or take vitamin B12 pills that are better absorbed than from food sources. Getting enough folate , a B vitamin, is especially important for women who may become pregnant, since adequate folate can help lower the risk of having a baby with spina bifida or anencephaly.

For the folate to be effective, it must be taken in the first few weeks of conception, often before a woman knows she is pregnant. Yet in the U. Malabsorption conditions. Any condition that interferes with normal digestion can increase the risk of poor absorption of one or several nutrients. Examples: Diseases like celiac, ulcerative colitis, or cystic fibrosis.

Surgeries that remove parts of digestive organs such as having a gastric bypass for weight loss or a Whipple procedure that involves many digestive organs. Illnesses that cause excess vomiting or diarrhea can prevent nutrients from being absorbed. Alcoholism can prevent nutrients, including several B vitamins and vitamin C , from being absorbed. Certain medications. Proton pump inhibitors prescribed for acid reflux and heartburn can prevent the absorption of vitamin B12 and possibly calcium and magnesium.

A note on vitamin D For most people, the best way to get enough vitamin D is taking a supplement because it is hard to get enough through food. Although some foods are fortified with vitamin D, few foods contain it naturally. Vitamin D production in the skin is the primary natural source of vitamin D, but many people have insufficient levels because they live in places where sunlight is limited in winter, or because they have limited sun exposure.

Also, people with darker skin tend to have lower blood levels of vitamin D because the pigment melanin acts like a shade, reducing production of vitamin D. When trying to decide between a big-name brand or a store-brand multivitamin, chances are the store brand has copied the name brand and ingredient lists are almost, if not completely, identical.

This includes the active and inactive ingredients, plus equivalent percentages of each vitamin and mineral component. Assuming that is the same, where do we go now? Without spending hours reading each label, how can you figure out which are the best multivitamins for you? And men, your multivitamin should have no more than around mg of calcium.

You can check any label against our list above. As with any health advice, if you have questions or concerns, consult a healthcare practitioner you trust. Be aware that pharmacists may not know much about nutrition and what they believe about dietary supplements may be merely what the supplement companies have told them about their products. Women are all lumped together as premenopausal. Women do the purchasing and women have more problems but everything seems to be directed at the male gender or the sweet young chicks.

Some of these contain Titanium as an additive ingredient. Also, the various B Vitamins should be taken in an equal amount Such as a Balanced B Formula to promote maximum absorption by the body.

This article contains far too many inaccuracies for an organization dedicated to advancing the cause of proper nutrition and good health. Our Multivitamin article is a guide to the acceptable levels of nutrients found in popular multivitamins, not the optimal daily amounts of these nutrients that we should be getting. We are not recommending 1, mg of vitamin C, only pointing out that a multivitamin with 60 mg to 1, mg of C is OK to take.

We advise that consumers get IU to IU a day of vitamin D and that a suitable multivitamin should contain at least IU of that.

After reading the comments on multivitamins who am I suppose to believe? Lately I have found that doctors aere not recommending muti-vitamins if eat a sensible diet. But not once have I ever seen any of these experts list what you could eat in one day that would contain no more then calories and still contain the RDA for all vitamins and minerals.

Please show us the contents of a diet for one day that provides all the necessary nutrients without supplements! That would be an eye opening and helpful list. Hi, I enjoy your magazine and conferences. As a Registered Holistic Nutritionist who works with patients of several medical doctors, and Vice Chair of the charitable foundation that promotes orthomolecular therapeutic nutrition treatments of mental illness, isfmentalhealth.

Many lab tests exist for nutrient deficiencies, that a person can request from their doctor such as 25 OH Vitamin D test to ascertain the stores in the body, zinc, even Vitamin C and of course ferritin iron stores. Companies such as NutriChem in Canada can test for you. Some other tests are not so accurate such as magnesium and symptoms often tell the story.

You can call a company to ask about their processing of their product. Edison Institute nutrition school as well as Canadian School of Natural Nutrition have great courses or consulting and information about how to choose a vitamin. Lots of good information is available. Yes we have to search. Thanks very much. I have been using GNC multi-vitamins forever. A couple of years ago I switched to their Mega Men 50 Plus.

I take a total of 34 vitamins a day. These include substances such as the antioxidants lutein and lycopene. The best way to get the vitamins and minerals you need is by eating a wide variety of foods including vegetables, fruit, whole grains, milk and alternatives, and protein foods such as legumes, nuts and seeds, fish and lean meats.

A supplement can't make up for an unbalanced diet. However, some people may need a supplement to help them meet their needs. Certain people are more likely to need a supplement. They include:. Canada's Food Guide recommends vegetables and fruits, whole-grain foods, and protein foods as part of a nutritious food plan.

Many supplements are advertised as being specially designed for men or for women or for certain age groups. A standard multivitamin is okay for most people who take a supplement. But some people prefer to take a supplement that is made for their gender or age group.

When you think about buying a dietary supplement , be sure to check the claims that the manufacturers make. Supplements that don't have one of these numbers on the label have not been approved by Health Canada. This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information.

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All rights reserved. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated. Top of the page. Topic Overview What is a vitamin and mineral supplement?

A standard multivitamin usually contains: Water-soluble vitamins. These vitamins pass in and out of the body easily. Most do not build up in the body's cells.