Choosing a Vitamin and Mineral Supplement
A vitamin and mineral supplement, often called a multivitamin, provides a variety of nutrients that are also found in food. They come in the form of pills, chewable tablets, powders, and liquids. A standard multivitamin usually contains three different kinds of supplemental minerals and vitamins: water-soluble vitamins (like vitamin C, vitamin B, folic acid, and B12), fat-soluble vitamins (such as vitamins A, D, E, and K), and minerals (like calcium, magnesium, potassium, and zinc).
The best way to get your vitamins and minerals is the natural way (by eating a wide variety of healthy foods), but supplements can help individuals who struggle to get all the healthy nutrients they need by “filling in the gaps” in a diet. And while a daily multivitamin won’t compensate for an unhealthy diet, it can be part of a healthy diet.
Certain individuals are more likely to need a supplement. Those who are more likely to need a multivitamin are:
- Low-calorie dieters
Diets that provide less than 1,200 to 1,500 calories a day may not provide enough vitamins and minerals. - Children and teens
Most doctors suggest daily vitamin D supplements for children and teens, starting by age 2 months. - Those with food allergies or limited diets
For example, people who are allergic to milk and do not eat any milk products may not get enough calcium and vitamin D. - Those who are sick, injured, or recovering from surgery
- People suffering from long-term illness
There are a variety of supplements on the market to meet individual needs. While a standard multivitamin is usually all that a healthy adult needs, some people prefer to take a supplement that is made for their gender or age group. For instance, prenatal formulas have extra folic acid and iron while senior formulas are richer in vitamin B12 and vitamin D.
So what should you look for when you pick a supplement?
- Choose a multivitamin rather than a supplement that provides only a single vitamin or mineral.
Unless your doctor has recommended that you take an individual vitamin or mineral. A multivitamin will help you meet more of your vitamin and mineral needs. - Pick one that provides no more than 100% of the daily value (DV) for each vitamin and mineral.
“Too much of a good thing” is also true of supplements and consuming more than 100% of the daily value can cause health problems. This is especially important for minerals and the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K. These are stored more easily in the body, and they can build up to dangerous levels. - Check the expiration dates.
While expiration dates have been contested it’s better safe than sorry. Do not buy supplements that have expired or that will expire before you can finish the bottle. - Make sure that the supplement you buy has the Unites States Pharmacopeia (USP) seal.
The USP seal guarantees you that the supplement has been tested and its ingredients have been confirmed by a reputable government agency. - Check the label for other ingredients.
Some supplements may contain food ingredients, such as wheat, corn, eggs, or gelatin. If you have a food allergy or are sensitive to these foods, look for supplements that don’t have those ingredients.
Remember to check the labels when you think about buying a supplement. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not regulate dietary supplements in the same way that it regulates medicines. This means that supplements can be sold without research on how well, or even if, they work. You may also want to consider that a generic brand (or store brand) often works just as well as a name brand supplement and that most man-made (synthetic) vitamins are as good as natural vitamins.
Also, remember that if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. There is no proof that supplements can cure diseases or conditions like cancer and diabetes, so you should be wary of supplements that promise quick and dramatic results.