Centrum from A to Zinc

Vitamins for men and women differ in content, as do vitamins for premenopausal women and older women. Women lose iron during the menstrual cycle, and women who expect to have children need folic acid to prevent neural tube defects. Reviews suggest Centrum from A to Zinc multivitamins for premenopausal women because they contain 18 mg of iron and 500 micrograms (mcg) of folic acid. User reviews generally say this multivitamin is easy to swallow. In a 2009 Pharmacy Times survey, 57.1 percent of surveyed pharmacists recommend Centrum multivitamins. Reviews suggest Pregnancy Plus Prenatal Multivitamin (*Est. $17 for 60 tablets) for pregnant and lactating women – it has increased folic acid and a higher percentage of vitamin A (in the safer form of beta-carotene) to help prevent birth defects. For older women, experts suggest Kirkland Signature Mature Multi 50+ (*Est. $13 for 400 tablets), which has more B12 for seniors.

We find the best information at Choice, an Australian publication that does Consumer Reports-style testing and objectivity. It recommends Centrum from A to Zinc as the best value for women. The free section of ConsumerReports.org's coverage of multivitamins is really all most people need to know -- that you can count on acceptable quality with brand-name or store-label multivitamins. Pharmacy Times' picks are a popularity contest -- more pharmacists recommend Centrum than other multivitamins.