Multivitamin/multimineral supplements are the most popular dietary supplements in the United States. Millions of Americans take one every day, but finding the right multi is tricky. Ingredients vary from brand to brand, and finding the one for your needs depends on your age, sex, health, and lifestyle.
“I believe every person in the United States should be taking a multivitamin every day,” said Dr. Earl Mindell, author of “Earl Mindell’s Vitamin Bible.” While a multivitamin won’t solve all health problems and make up for a bad diet, it can help. “A multivitamin can help fill in the gaps that almost all Americans have in their diets,” Mindell tells NewsmaxHealth.
Use these tips to choose a multivitamin/multimineral supplement:
1. One size doesn’t fit all
Choose the right supplement for your age, sex, and health condition. Women of childbearing age may choose a supplement with iron, but senior citizens might prefer one that omits iron. If you believe that certain nutrients, such as CoQ10, are good for heart health, choose a supplement that contains extra amounts. If in doubt, ask a registered dietician or your doctor for advice specifically targeted toward your nutritional needs.
2. Consider the source
Buy from a company you know and trust. “Choose a company that’s been around for 40 or 50 years,” Mindell says. “If they’ve been in business that long, they must be doing something right.” If you have questions, ask your pharmacist for advice. In addition to being good sources of basic information, they get a lot of feedback from their customers on specific products. And if you want to double-check that you’re getting what you pay for, ask the company for a quality control analysis. “If they won’t send it to you,” says Mindell, “you’ll know something’s not right.”
3. Choose natural vitamins
The cheapest multivitamins usually have fewer ingredients in lesser amounts and include synthetic vitamins, such as dl-alpha tocopherol, a synthetic form of vitamin E. A Finnish study found that synthetic vitamins don’t deliver the same protection from lung cancer, stroke, and other catastrophic illnesses as natural vitamins.
“The majority of commercial vitamin supplements are made up of synthetic vitamins,” Dr. Ben Kim, a Canadian chiropractor and acupuncturist, tells NewsmaxHealth. “Synthetic vitamins do not perform the same functions in your body as vitamins found naturally in whole food.”
4. Don’t overdo it
Stick to multivitamins that supply the recommended dietary allowance (RDA). Doubling up on some supplements, especially those that have high amounts of vitamins and minerals, could cause problems. “More isn’t necessarily better,” Dr. Tod Cooperman, president of ConsumerLab.com, tells NewsmaxHealth. “Some people think 1,000 percent is better than 100 percent, but there are some side effects and toxicities associated with vitamins and minerals, especially in kids. Still, make sure you are getting 100 percent of the RDA.”
5. Check the date
Buy the amount you can use before they expire, and consider buying supplements in capsule form. “Most capsules fall apart easily and are more easily absorbed by the body,” Cooperman says. Chewable tablets also disintegrate easily, but hard coverings can have difficulty dissolving.
“We’re like a Third World country when it comes to nutrition,” Mindell says. “I believe one reason we’re so fat is that our body keeps craving more and more food, just trying to get a minimum amount of nutrition. By taking a multivitamin, you can make a big difference in your health.”
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