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 Background Information
Multivitamin products have several advantages as sources of supplemental nutrients -- they provide a wide spectrum of nutrients in generally appropriate proportions and ratios, and they give reasonable confidence that the total intake of a specific nutrient is not inadequate because of improper variations in food intake.
The term "multivitamins" is not specific, but many such products are formulated to contain a very wide spectrum of vitamins and essential minerals. Products that contain both multiple vitamins and multiple minerals provide the greatest assurance that the total intake of each vitamin or mineral meets established nutritional need for that nutrient.
Similarly, the words "high potency" and numerous similar terms do not have specific meanings. Federal regulations allow use of "high potency" on the label if two-thirds of the nutrients included are at 100 percent or more of the Daily Value (DV). Some products are labeled "high potency" for this reason, even though a few of the nutrients are present only 10 to 25 percent of the DV because of their bulk (such as calcium) or cost (such as biotin). Many products labeled "high potency," "mega," "ultra," "maximum strength" or the like contains some of the vitamins at 100 to 300 percent or so of the DV. Many multivitamin/mineral products contain substances that may be nutritionally useful or even essential, but for which no DV has been established. These are listed only with an amount per day, rather than a percent DV.
Effects on Health
Although the typical American diet provides adequate amounts of many nutrients and perhaps surplus amounts of some, marginal intakes of certain nutrients are common among some sport groups. Nutrient intakes less than the DV usually do not indicate clinical deficiency, but the intakes are marginal and improvement of the diet or supplementation are needed to remove any risk of deficiency. Furthermore, intakes at the recommended level of several nutrients may not be adequate for persons at risk of deficiency -- those with increased needs or nutrient losses.
Anyone considering taking vitamin and mineral supplements must decide on multivitamins/minerals, individual nutrient supplements, or both. For convenience and lower cost, multivitamin/mineral products offer a broad array of nutrients at modest doses, and without taking a large number of tablets or capsules. For high intakes of specific vitamins or minerals, multi products generally are not a good approach. Nutrients such as calcium or vitamin E may be present in relatively low amounts that make it difficult to achieve the relatively high intakes that many persons want.
Multivitamin/mineral products are an excellent way to assure maintenance intakes of vitamin A, vitamin D, most of the B-vitamins, and most minerals. The multivitamin should be checked to make sure that it contains at least 0.4 mg (400 mcg) of folic acid. The Food and Nutrition Board recommends 400 mcg of folic acid from fortified foods and/or supplements to reduce the risk of neural tube defects in women of childbearing age.
Helpful intakes of some vitamins and minerals can be best obtained through supplements that contain only that nutrient, or perhaps a mixture of a few. Vitamin E intakes of 100 to 800 IU are impossible to get from conventional foods and are in very few multivitamins. Vitamin C intakes of 100 to 1,000 mg can be obtained from conventional foods if the diet is selected for that purpose (lots of citrus fruits, etc.), but some people find doing this every day can be difficult. Calcium intakes of 1,000 to 1,300 mg can be obtained from consistently high intakes of milk and milk products (about 5 servings per day), but many people cannot routinely achieve this.
Some nutrients are formulated into simple "multi" mixtures such as calcium with vitamin D, calcium with a few other minerals, or antioxidant products that might contain vitamin E, selenium, vitamin D, and some carotenes or a few other substances. These simple formulas and single-nutrient supplements can be conveniently used to achieve high intakes of targeted nutrients. |
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| Dietary Recommendation |
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- Consume a diet based on a wide variety of foods in accordance with the Food Guide Pyramid.
- Consume a multivitamin/multimineral supplement providing 100 percent of the DV.
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