What Makes a Good Multivitamin?
So why take a multivitamin in the first place?
There are over 34 vitamins and minerals your body needs in various amounts to function optimally. We have heard, “Eat five servings of fruits and vegetables a day,” but is this truly enough? In fact, it is not. Studies have shown that in order to receive adequate amounts of every vitamin and mineral, we would need to take in over 3000 calories worth of very specific fruits and vegetables. The idea of multivitamin is to supplement and not replace (it is not called a replacement) all the healthy foods you should be enjoying on a regular basis. Your body cannot create most vitamins and minerals required or at least in adequate amounts for optimal daily performance, so your body relies on you to help it out.
Are multivitamins safe?
“Multivitamins/multiminerals are among those supplements most likely to have quality problems. They contain multiple ingredients and, therefore, more possibility for error. Earlier tests by ConsumerLab.com have found multis that were short on ingredients, failed to dissolve properly, or were contaminated with heavy metals,” reports ConsumerLab.com.
Remember that until 2011 the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) is not regulating what is in your supplements, so vendors could overload you with dangerously high amounts or give you 1/20 th what they are promising and be breaking no law. More is not always better, as extremely high amounts can be toxic. Sticking to trusted brand names can be safe, so do not be alarmed; but always strive to be an informed consumer. Recommended products at the end of this article.
Does price matter?
No, a higher price does not guarantee a better quality product. Always remember that at the end of the day these companies are just a business trying to turn profit, and sometimes setting a higher price can be a sales strategy imposing the illusion of a higher quality supplement. A great product maintains a reasonable price with a great formula that is backed by science; a good supplement is not afraid of non-biased reviews. Look for products with the Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) seal of approval. As quality is not yet regulated, these products went out of their way to prove they have a quality product.
What about the different forms of multivitamins?
Multivitamins are available in the forms of tablets, pastilles, capsules, liquids, powders, and injectable formulations (injectable formulations being available to be administered under medical supervision only). Tablets are always superior because they allow two-thirds more active ingredients to be released properly due to better protection. Capsules are great choices as well, but try not to rely too heavily on liquids as they can be pricey and are absorbed the least because they pass through the system far too fast to be optimally effective.
What makes one multivitamin better than another?
Bioavailability, nutrient quality, and quantity are all key. Bioavailability refers to how absorbable the supplement is made for your body (mineral salts are not absorbed as well as chelated minerals) and how much you actually absorb. Two-thirds of most supplements will not be absorbed or utilized by your body due to faulty formulas and a large variety of other problems. Look for vitamins that are formulated to meet USP standards (United States Pharmacopeia), requiring full disintegration within 30 minutes. Also look for the Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) seal, which is another optional seal vendors can pass their product through for customer confidence in quality and accurate contents.
What amounts of vitamins and minerals should I look for?
It’s hard to get the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) of all the vitamins you need, even when you are eating well, so here is a good list of what should be found in a comprehensive generally good multivitamin for an active individual (individual bodily needs will always vary). If you know you have special circumstances or needs, make sure to find higher amounts for your scenario. But do your research; do not guess. The current DVs (Daily Values) are largely based on nutritional recommendations dating from 1968 and to date still have not been updated, so always make sure to be cautious with dosages. Always strive to be an educated consumer, as knowledge is power.
•Women in childbearing years should be sure to have 400 micrograms (mcg) of folic acid to help maintain new cells
•Pregnant women should take a vitamin with 600 mcg of folic acid daily as it will reduce the incidence of neural tube birth defects such as spina bifida.
•Premenopausal woman should increase iron to replace the iron lost during menstruation.
•Menopausal women should go without the iron as too much can be toxic.
| NK | not known | |||||
| mg | milligrams | |||||
| mcg | micrograms (1,000 mcg = 1 mg) | |||||
| IU | International Units (how many mg or mcg varies by nutrient) | |||||
| Mineral | Women | Men | ||||
| minimum | maximum | minimum | maximum | |||
| Boron | NK | 20 mg | NK | 20 mg | ||
| Boron ages 14-18 | 17 mg | 17 mg | ||||
| Calcium | 1,000 mg | 2,500 mg | 1,000 mg | 2,500 mg | ||
| Calcium ages 14-18 | 1,300 mg | 1,300 mg | ||||
| Calcium ages 51+ | 1,200 mg | 1,200 mg | ||||
| Chromium | 25 mcg | NK | 35 mcg | NK | ||
| Chromium ages 51+ | 20 mcg | 30 mcg | ||||
| Copper | 900 mcg | 10,000 mcg | 900 mcg | 10,000 mcg | ||
| Fluoride | 3 mg | 10 mg | 4 mg | 10 mg | ||
| Iodine | 150 mcg | 1,000 mcg | 150 mcg | 1,000 mcg | ||
| Iron | 18 mg | 45 mg | 8 mg | 45 mg | ||
| Iron ages 14-18 | 15 mg | 11 mg | ||||
| Iron ages 50+ | 8 mg | |||||
| Magnesium | 310 mg | 350 mg | 400 mg | 350 mg | ||
| Magnesium ages 14-18 | 360 mg | 410 mg | ||||
| Magnesium ages 31+ | 320 mg | 420 mg | ||||
| Manganese | 1.8 mg | 11 mg | 2.3 mg | 11 mg | ||
| Manganese ages 14-18 | 1.6 mg | 9 mg | 2.2 mg | 9 mg | ||
| Molybdenum | 45 mcg | 2,000 mcg | 45 mcg | 2,000 mcg | ||
| Molybdenum ages 14-18 | 43 mcg | 1,700 mcg | 43 mcg | 1,700 mcg | ||
| Nickel | NK | 1.0 mg | NK | 1.0 mg | ||
| Phosphorus | 700 mg | 4,000 mg | 700 mg | 4,000 mg | ||
| Phosphorus ages 14-18 | 1,250 mg | 1,250 mg | ||||
| Selenium | 55 mcg | 400 mcg | 55 mcg | 400 mcg | ||
| Vanadium | NK | 1.8 mg | NK | 1.8 mg | ||
| Zinc | 8 mg | 40 mg | 11 mg | 40 mg | ||
| Zinc ages 14-18 | 9 mg | 34 mg | 34 mg | |||
| Vitamins | Women | Men | ||||
| minimum | maximum | minimum | maximum | |||
| Vitamin A | 700 mcg | 3,000 mcg | 900 mcg | 3,000 mcg | ||
| Vitamin A in IU | 2,334 IU | 10,000 IU | 3,000 IU | 10,000 IU | ||
| Vitamin B1 Thiamin | 1.1 mg | NK | 1.2 mg | NK | ||
| Vitamin B2 Riboflavin | 1.1 mg | NK | 1.3 mg | NK | ||
| Vitamin B3 Niacin | 14 mg | 35 mg | 16 mg | 35 mg | ||
| Vitamin B6 | 1.3 mg | 100 mg | 1.3 mg | 100 mg | ||
| Vitamin B6 ages 51+ | 1.5 mg | 1.7 mg | ||||
| Vitamin B12 | 2.4 mcg | NK | 2.4 mcg | NK | ||
| Folate | 400 mcg | 1,000 mcg | 400 mcg | 1,000 mcg | ||
| Pantothenic acid | 5 mg | NK | 5 mg | NK | ||
| Biotin | 30 mcg | NK | 30 mcg | NK | ||
| Biotin ages 14-18 | 25 mcg | 25 mcg | ||||
| Choline | 425 mg | 3,500 mg | 550 mg | 3,500 mg | ||
| Vitamin C | 75 mg | 2,000 mg | 90 mg | 2,000 mg | ||
| Vitamin D | 5 mcg | 50 mcg | 5 mcg | 50 mcg | ||
| Vitamin D ages 51-70 | 10 mcg | 10 mcg | ||||
| Vitamin D ages 71+ | 15 mcg | 15 mcg | ||||
| Vitamin E | 15 mg | 1,000 mg | 15 mg | 1,000 mg | ||
| Vitamin E (natural) in IU | 22 IU | 1,100 IU | 22 IU | 1,100 IU | ||
| Vitamin E (synthetic) in IU | 33 IU | 1,500 IU | 33 IU | 1,500 IU | ||
| Vitamin K | 90 mcg | NK | 120 mcg | NK | ||
| Vitamin K ages 14-18 | 75 mcg | 75 mcg | ||||
What are some that you can recommend?
All research information I have used is based on and backed by ConsumerLab.com, which is a wonderful independent lab that puts everyone to the test. There are many great supplements out there, too many to include in our list; but based on the latest consumer lab research, you can feel confident purchasing any of the following brands:
•Carlson® Super 2 Daily Vitamins and Minerals Iron Free
•Eniva® Original VIBE(TM)
•Life Extension® Two Per Day Tablets
•Multi-betic® Multi-Vitamin-Mineral-Antioxidant Advanced Diabetic Formula
•Solgar® Formula V(TM) VM-75® Multiple Vitamins with Chelated Minerals
•TwinLab® Daily One Caps(TM) with Iron
•WEIL(TM) Andrew Weil, M.D. Daily Multivitamin for Optimum Health
•USANA Essentials(TM) Mega Antioxidant
•Nature’s Plus® Source of Life® Whole Food Concentrates Top Choice
•CVS® Pharmacy Daily Multiple For Women
•GNC Women’s Ultra Mega® – Top Choice
•GNC Women’s Ultra Mega® Active
•Puritan’s Pride® Time Release Mega Vita Min For Women
•GNC Men’s Mega Men® Top Choice
•Target Men’s Daily Multivitamin
•PETS – 21st Century Pet Nutrition Pet Chews(TM) Plus
Written by Anthony Heredia
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