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by Editors of ConsumerLab.com
ConsumerLab.com is the best source for multivitamin reviews, although its testing details are only available to subscribers. ConsumerLab.com tests multiple multivitamins to ensure that they contain the… vitamins and minerals they claim, break down properly and don't include any additional substances or impurities. Multivitamins that pass all tests are listed as approved. In its latest round of testing, ConsumerLab.com found that nearly one-third had nutrient amounts that were inconsistent with those listed on the label; some also contained dangerous levels of lead.
by Editors of the Food and Drug Administration
Because of concerns about lead in multivitamins, the FDA tested 324 vitamin supplements designed for women or children to determine their lead content and estimated daily exposure. Although 320… multivitamins tested contain small traces of lead, none exceed the provisional total tolerable intake levels (PTTI) for their intended user, but some vitamins -- even those for children under 6 -- contain more lead than others.
by Marian L. Neuhouser, et al
This article doesn't review any specific multivitamins, but it examines the necessity of taking a daily multi. Researchers took advantage of the huge Women's Health Initiative clinical trials, which tracked… over 160,000 women, to see whether multivitamin use had any significant health benefits. The study concluded that "the Women's Health Initiative study provided convincing evidence that multivitamin use has little or no influence on the risk of common cancers, CVD (cardiovascular disease) or total mortality in postmenopausal women.
by Juhi Kumar, et al
Vitamin D is an important nutrient, and this study confirms that many American children are not getting adequate amounts of it. The study looked at a nationally representative sample of young people under… the age of 21. Researchers discover that 9 percent of children in the United States are deficient in vitamin D and 61 percent are insufficient. The study also finds that vitamin D deficiency is linked to high blood pressure and lower levels of good cholesterol.
by Hugh Simon Lam, et al
This article from several years ago, published in the influential "Pediatrics" journal, looks at the risk of vitamin A toxicity from chewable kids multivitamins that are designed to look like candy. After… presenting several case studies of children who have ingested hundreds of chewable vitamins over the course of several days, the researchers conclude that these vitamins must be "treated with extreme care when kept at home."
by Editors of the National Cancer Institute
Selenium has attracted attention for its potential protection against prostate cancer. In this article, the National Cancer Institute (NCI) says that a long-term clinical trial ended early because it became… clear that selenium and vitamin E do not prevent prostate cancer. In fact, the participants taking selenium show an increase in new diabetes cases, although the NCI says this "does not prove an increased risk" and may be due to chance.
by Bonnie Liebman
by Bonnie Liebman and David Schardt
Can you replace your multivitamin pill with vitamin-fortified orange juice? The Center for Science in the Public Interest says you're better off with traditional supplements than multivitamin orange juice… -- like Minute Maid Multi-Vitamin Orange Juice -- because they don't contain the full recommended daily allowance for several crucial nutrients. Drinking this juice isn't bad for you, but CSPI recommends sticking to traditional pill-based multivitamins.
by Editors of Harvard Men's Health Watch
In the past, the editors of the Harvard Men's Health Watch (a newsletter published by Harvard Medical Center) have recommended that men take a multivitamin, but they have changed their view. In this… article, editors cite research that large amounts of folic acid may contribute to colon polyps. As a result, the "Harvard Men's Health Watch suggests that the average man give up the multivitamin" until the link between folic acid and colon cancer can be thoroughly investigated.
by Editors of ConsumerReports.org
ConsumerReports.org hasn't updated its multivitamin coverage in a few years, and it doesn't have any recent multivitamin tests. However, in a free article on its website, ConsumerReports.org recommends… Kirkland Signature multivitamins, including the Mature Multi for those who don't need iron and the Daily Multi for those who do - such as menstruating women. ConsumerReports.org likes this brand because it's inexpensive and USP-verified, although it doesn't appear that they've tested the vitamins themselves.
by Editors of ConsumerReports.org
This review focuses mostly on dollar store and ultra-cheap brands of multivitamins. In testing, many didn't live up to their claimed amount of nutrients and some had problems dissolving enough of those… nutrients to be usable by the body. In contrast, two well-known brands performed well in ConsumerReport.org's testing. The dollar store brands weren't named, making it difficult to rate these multivitamins individually, but the overall consensus is to stick with better-known brands.
by Editors of Pharmacy Times
This survey of pharmacist recommendations covers many over-the-counter products, with just a short section devoted to adult and children's multivitamins. The percentage of pharmacists who say they recommend… certain vitamins is given, but no reasons or ratings are provided. Centrum is the most recommended adult brand (57.1 percent) and Flintstones is the most recommended children's multivitamin brand (41 percent). However, each of these brands makes multiple multivitamins, so this is more a brand recommendation than a recommendation for a specific multivitamin.
by Editors of the Center for Science in the Public Interest
by Editors of ConsumerReports.org
by Maureen Callahan
by Stephanie Rogers
The FDA study of lead in multivitamins may cause alarm in some consumers, but Stephanie Rogers cautions that there is a reason why 99 percent of the multivitamins tested contained some trace of lead -- lead… is found in the soil and water, is transferred to fruits and vegetables and makes its way into vitamins. Although it may be impossible to avoid small traces of lead, Rogers recommends choosing those multis that contain the smallest amount.
by Contributors to Drugstore.com
by Contributors to Amazon.com
by Lyle MacWilliam
This report is a summary based on the third edition of the "Comparative Guide to Nutritional Supplements" by Lyle MacWilliam. The "blended standard" of optimal doses of vitamins in this article is much… higher than those recommended by U.S. regulatory bodies, and the vitamins MacWilliam recommends are expensive. MacWilliam was once a member of the medical advisory board to the company whose vitamins are ranked No.1 in the book.
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GNC MEGA MEN Multivitamins 216 Tablets (EXP:03/2011)
 from Amazon.com New: $23.99 In Stock.
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Kirkland Signature Mature Multi Vitamins & Minerals with Lycopene and Lutein 400 Tablets - Compare to Centrum Silver
from Amazon.com New: $17.09 In Stock.
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Flintstones Gummies-Children's Multivitamin Gummies, 200ct
from Amazon.com New: $7.74 In Stock.
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