EmailTypes of multivitamins
Manufacturers are becoming increasingly creative when it comes to multivitamins, and consumers are no longer confined to the traditional pill or chewable tablet. Companies are producing multivitamin drink mixes, juices and chews to attract new customers, but do these alternative multivitamins really work? The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) is skeptical, especially when it comes to multivitamin-fortified juices. It reviews Minute Maid Multivitamin Orange Juice, which claims to provide a "good source" of 16 vitamins and minerals. CSPI says juices like these are not a good replacement for a traditional multivitamin because they don't provide 100 percent of the recommended daily allowance for several crucial nutrients. Overall, the CSPI recommends that you "get your multi from a supplement, not orange juice." It also says the same about vitaminwater drinks, which it calls "essentially worthless" and a poor replacement for a regular multivitamin. One vitaminwater flavor, Multi-V Lemonade A-Zinc, failed ConsumerLab.com's latest test because it contains 1,500 percent of the folic acid claimed on the label.
The newest product from the makers of the popular One-A-Day vitamins is the One-A-Day Women's 2O Multivitamin Supplement Drink Mix (*Est. $10.50 for 18 packets). This multivitamin comes in different flavors, including lemonade or mixed berry, and the single-serving powder packets are designed to be dissolved in a bottle of water. We haven't seen any tests of this particular multivitamin, but initial user reaction is somewhat negative. Of the few reviews we see on Walgreens.com and Drugstore.com, multiple users say it has an unpleasant, fish-like taste. You'll also pay more for the novelty -- for about $10 you can get a 100-day supply of One-A-Day Women's in tablet form or an 18-day supply of the drink mix.
Liquid and gummy multivitamins for adults generally get good reviews from users who have trouble swallowing pills, but we don't see many of these vitamins included in the latest round of testing. We find no evidence to suggest that liquid multivitamins are more effective than pill-based supplements, and ConsumerReports.org states that studies have shown no difference in absorption rates between liquid and pill multivitamins.
Reviewers say the following about shopping for multivitamins:
- Multivitamins can interfere with prescription medications. Consult your physician before starting a new multivitamin.
- Formulas for heart health, energy, weight loss or "maximum benefit" aren't tested for those claims. The extra ingredients included to support these claims are usually in such small amounts that they don't have much of an effect. This includes claims for lutein and lycopene.
- Steer clear of dollar-store or ultra-cheap discount brands. In testing, many of these brands didn't contain the claimed amount of nutrients or didn't dissolve properly. However, generic and store brands are a different story and can be just as good as higher-priced multivitamins. Just be sure to compare the labels.
- Choose a multivitamin that contains 100 percent of the daily value of most of the essential vitamins and minerals. Calcium is an exception because that amount is too big to fit in one tablet. Don't take a multivitamin with excessively high levels of essential vitamins and minerals; at best, you'll just expel the excess through urine, and at worst, you could have health complications.
- Look for a maximum of 4,000 international units (IU) of vitamin A, with at least some of it in the form of beta-carotene. Vitamin A comes in two forms: retinol (palmitate or acetate) from animal and dairy sources, and beta-carotene from fruits and vegetables (like carrots). Beta-carotene is converted to usable vitamin A in the body and is considered the safest form of this vitamin. High levels of retinol are linked to liver damage, birth defects and bone fractures.
- All women of childbearing age should take 400 micrograms (mcg) of folic acid (folate) to prevent neural tube birth defects. The neural tube develops before most women know they're pregnant, and experts advise all women of childbearing age to take folic acid.
- Don't assume that all forms of a multivitamin have the same ingredients. Chewable and liquid multivitamins may not contain the same amount of nutrients that their pill-form counterparts do. Compare labels before you buy.
- Always buy a children's formula for children. Children have different nutritional needs than adults. Never give a child an adult formula multivitamin.