Centrum Silver

As we age, our ability to absorb vitamin B12 through food decreases. People older than 50 need more B12 in a multivitamin; vitamin K is also important because it can help prevent hip fractures. Reviews and labels indicate Centrum Silver as a top choice for older adults because it contains 25 mcg of B12 and 30 mcg of vitamin K. There's one caveat, though – vitamin K can interfere with blood-thinning medications like Coumadin, so people taking such medications should consult their doctor. Centrum Silver contains no iron, which men and postmenopausal women typically don't need – they usually get all the iron they need from food. If you're on a budget, we find great reviews for Costco's Kirkland Signature Mature Multi 50+ (*Est. $13 for 400 tablets). This multi is very inexpensive and contains less vitamin K.

We find the best information at ConsumerLab.com, which does extensive testing of multivitamins (including Centrum Silver) for dosage accuracy, dissolvability and contaminants, but you'll need to subscribe to see it. The free section of Consumer Reports' coverage is also helpful. Pharmacy Times reports on the multivitamins most often recommended by pharmacists.