Men's Multivitamins

Best multivitamin for men

In March 2008, the Harvard Men's Health Watch (a newsletter published by Harvard Medical Center) changed its tune on multivitamins, saying for the first time that most healthy men do not need to take a multivitamin. This is largely due to several studies that linked folic acid, a nutrient found in most multivitamins, to higher incidences of colon cancer. "In light of this research, Harvard Men's Health Watch suggests that the average man give up the multivitamin, at least until scientists solve the puzzle of folic acid and cancer," the editors write. However, they do recommend talking to your doctor about vitamin D supplements.

If you do decide to take a multivitamin, experts say there's very little difference in vitamin needs between men and women, with the exception of iron. Health professionals say that men generally don't need more than 8 mg of iron a day, an amount that is easy to get from diet alone. However, premenopausal women often need iron because they lose it monthly during their menstruation cycle, so men's and women's multivitamin formulas often differ in iron content. Even though calcium recommendations are the same for both men and women ages 19 to 50 (1,000 mg), most men's multivitamins contain less calcium than those marketed for women. Typically, men's multivitamins contain only 200 to 250 mg of calcium.

Target's store brand, Up&Up Men's Daily Multivitamin (*Est. $7.50 for 210 tablets) contains no iron, and it is the only men's multivitamin that passes ConsumerLab.com's latest test without exceeding the UL for any nutrient. This test shows that the Target men's multivitamin contains the nutrients listed on the label, dissolves properly and does not contain excess amounts of lead. Up&Up is also much cheaper than other top-rated men's multivitamins, and experts agree that store brands work just as well as the pricier name brands. The Up&Up Men's Daily Multivitamin contains 210 mg of calcium, 400 IU of vitamin D and 105 mg of selenium.

GNC Mega Men Multivitamin (*Est. $26 for 180 tablets) also contains no iron and has 100 percent or more of most recommended nutrients in a two-tablet serving. There are a few exceptions -- Mega Men only contains 200 mg of calcium (far less than the 1,000 mg recommended for adult males) and 100 mg of magnesium (the RDA ranges from 400 to 420 mg for adult males, based on age). GNC's Mega Men also contains an "antioxidant fruit and vegetable blend," containing broccoli, spinach, apple, kale and other fruit powders, but there's no evidence that this does you any good. The GNC Mega Men multivitamin contains fish ingredients, so it's not suitable for vegetarians or vegans.

The GNC Mega Men multivitamin passes ConsumerLab.com's latest test, with the caveat that it contains more than the upper tolerable limit for niacin (vitamin B3). Niacin is water-soluble, so excess amounts are flushed out of the body, but high doses can lead to a flushing or tingling of the face, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Excess niacin is not unique to GNC Mega Men -- 24 out of the 46 multivitamins tested by ConsumerLab contain more niacin than stated on the label. GNC Mega Men also contains large amounts of thiamin (3,333 percent of DV) and riboflavin (2,941 percent of DV). On a positive note, GNC's Mega Men multivitamin gets high marks from 20 reviewers at Amazon.com, who say it works well for them. Some users even report having more energy. However, some critics say the supplements are overpriced and the large pills can be hard to swallow. Mega Men multivitamins contain fish ingredients, so they aren't suitable for vegetarians or vegans.

One-A-Day Men's Health Formula (*Est. $19 for 250 tablets) is another men's multivitamin without iron. It doesn't provide 100 percent of all nutrients, including vitamin E, vitamin K, biotin, calcium and magnesium, but One-A-Day Men's does provide 700 IU of vitamin D, which exceeds the new guidelines released in November 2010. It also includes 157 percent of the DV of selenium, which Bayer has touted in the past as potentially reducing the risk of prostate cancer. One-A-Day Men's Health Formula contains gelatin, so it isn't suitable for vegetarians or vegans.

However, the CSPI sued Bayer in 2009 over the prostate benefits of One-A-Day Men's Health Formula. The CSPI says there is no evidence to support a link between selenium and prostate cancer prevention. A long-term study of selenium and vitamin E, dubbed the SELECT trial, shows that these nutrients do not prevent prostate cancer. In fact, the study ended early in 2008 because researchers were concerned that the high doses of selenium were leading to diabetes in study participants. In late 2010, Bayer agreed to drop the prostate cancer claims and pay a $3.3 million settlement based on litigation filed in Oregon, California and Illinois. One-A-Day Men's multivitamin wasn't included in the latest round of independent tests, but user reviews at Amazon.com are generally positive. The biggest complaint we saw is that the uncoated tablets can be hard to swallow.

Natural vitamins don't contain artificial colors, sweeteners and dyes, but they are typically more expensive than other multivitamins. We saw one recommendation for New Chapter Organics Every Man's One Daily (*Est. $12 for 24 tablets). The vegetarian multivitamin tablets meet 100 percent of the DV for several nutrients, including vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin B1, vitamin B6, selenium and zinc. However, the tablets only contain 15 mg of calcium (far less than the RDA of 1,000 mg) and 5 mg of magnesium. Even so, the natural health magazine Better Nutrition names New Chapter Organics Every Man's One Daily one of the best supplements of 2010. "Packed with organic ingredients from superfoods, including nutrient-rich broccoli and kale, these one-a-day formulas are perfect as the foundation of a healthy nutrition program," say the editors.

New Chapter Organics men's multivitamin also gets high marks at Amazon.com, where more than 50 reviews average to give it a 4-star rating. Users like that the multivitamin doesn't contain excessive amounts of nutrients, and several say the vitamins are easy on the stomach and don't leave a bad taste in the mouth. However, a few stray critics wonder if the high price is worth it. 

Rainbow Light is another popular brand of natural multivitamins. The Men's One Multivitamin (*Est. $7 for 30 tablets) says it's the "number one selling natural men's multivitamin," but it contains more than the DV for several nutrients. These include 1,667 percent DV of vitamin B1, 1,471 percent DV of vitamin B2 and 1,250 percent DV of vitamin B6. Because cereals and breads are fortified with B vitamins, experts say there's no reason to take more than the DV in a multivitamin, although higher levels of B vitamins (within reason) won't hurt you. Like most men's multivitamins, Rainbow Light contains small amounts of calcium and magnesium. Reviewers at Amazon.com like that the Rainbow Light Men's One is free of artificial colors, flavors, sweeteners and preservatives. However, a few users report unpleasant side effects. This Rainbow Light formula is suitable for vegetarians and vegans.