If you're taking any over the counter or prescription medications, have any medical conditions, or planning to have surgery, talk with your doctor before taking a multivitamin. Always follow the dosage instructions on product labels.
Why take a multivitamin?
There is no question that when it comes to getting the nutrients you need, food comes first. Food packs hundreds of beneficial compounds considered necessary for energy and wellness, such as protein, carbohydrate, fat, fiber, water, vitamins, and minerals.
While dietary supplements are just that – supplements – and not substitutes for healthy eating, they are useful for shoring up diets that provide less than the recommended levels for the DGA’s nutrients of concern, and for other nutrients. In addition, the synthetic forms of at least two vitamins, folic acid and vitamin B12, are more useful to the body than the forms found naturally in food. Adequate amounts of folic acid taken before conception and during early pregnancy reduce the risk of neural tube defects, including spina bifida, in developing babies.
Many health organizations support multivitamin use. . The March of Dimes foundation says the best way to get the folic acid you need before pregnancy occurs is through a multivitamin with 400 micrograms of folic acid, in addition to eating a healthy diet. The Linus Pauling Institute’s Micronutrient Information Center at Oregon State University advises taking a multivitamin/multi-mineral supplement with 100% of the daily value (DV) for most vitamins and essential minerals to maintain health. Experts at the Harvard School of Public Health have reached a similar conclusion, noting that the potential health benefits of taking a standard daily multivitamin far outweigh the potential risks.
Several studies also highlight the connection between multivitamin use and well being. Research from the Harvard School of Medicine published in the Journal of the American Medical Association reviewed 35 years worth of studies, and concluded that every adult should take a multivitamin daily as a safe and inexpensive way to optimize health.
Not everyone is convinced of the necessity of multivitamins, however. A 2006 state-of-the-science conference on multivitamin/multi-mineral supplements and chronic disease prevention run by the National Institutes of Health concluded that more research is needed before suggesting multivitamin use to head off disease in healthy, nonpregnant people. There is ongoing research in this area. However, in bridging nutrient gaps, it is reasonable to think that multivitamins not only support general health but also help decrease the risk of birth defects of the brain or spinal cord, and may reduce the risk of osteoporosis.
Which multivitamin is right for you?
Generally speaking, if you eat a balanced diet most of the time, a regular multivitamin with about 100% of the daily value (DV) for a wide array of nutrients is suitable.
Multivitamin ingredients may be adjusted to meet specific needs. For example, in your childbearing years, make sure your multivitamin provides at least 400 micrograms (mcg) of folic acid, to help reduce the risk of certain birth defects should you become pregnant. Multivitamins designed for pregnant women should include at least 600 mcg of folic acid daily, as well as iron.
Multivitamins plus a steady diet of other, single-nutrient supplements, highly fortified foods, or both may mean you’re taking in too much of one or more nutrients.
There are some nutrients that multivitamins may not provide in large-enough amounts. For example, some multivitamins supply 400 international units (IU) of vitamin D, which is necessary for calcium absorption. However, the suggested intake of vitamin D is 600 IU for everyone aged one to 70. In addition, multivitamins do not contain nearly enough calcium.
If you're taking any over the counter or prescription medications, have any medical conditions, or planning to have surgery, talk with your doctor before taking a multivitamin. Always follow the dosage instructions on product labels.
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