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Our Members Asked:
I'm trying to pick a good multivitamin for my children and husband, and for myself. Any suggestions based on your research?
Reviewed and edited by Tod Cooperman, M.D.
Answer:
If you're not sure that you are eating a balanced diet, the right multivitamin can safely help you reach the daily requirements for vitamins and minerals for a person of your age and gender. Our Multivitamin/Multimineral Review includes our suggestions of specific multivitamins that 1) have passed our testing, 2) are well priced, and 3) can meet the specific needs of children, teens, women, pregnant women, and men, as well as the special needs of senior men and women (typically identified as 50+ on vitamin labels). You can also see our Top Pick for each category.The biggest differences among multivitamins for people of different ages will be in iron (children and women up to age 50 need much more than men and older adults), vitamins D and B6 (older adults need more than younger adults), and calcium (children/teens and older adults — specifically women over 50 and men over 70 -- need more than younger adults).
For the minerals chromium, fluoride, magnesium, and zinc, men's requirements are about 30% to 40% greater than those of women. For vitamins A, C, and K, men need about 20% to 33% more than women.
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Related CL Answers (10)
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Hazel487
February 2, 2015There are basically three types of supplements.
Synthetic(think plastic apple)
Extracted(taking JUST the nutrient out of the food)
and
Whole food. Every compound science has found or not found will be in there.
IMO it's no contest as to which is best. Whole food organic.
If healthy eating is eating as close to nature as possible(least processed) it just makes sense that any supplement you take should be the same.
dan491
February 2, 2015Right on, Hazel!
- Dan DeFigio, author of Beating Sugar Addiction For Dummies (BeatingSugarAddiction.com)
Arch492
February 2, 2015100 years ago everything was organic. Organic food is definitely a good idea and it even tastes better! But supplements should also be taken by most people. I would be dead today without them, according to my doctor. He said I would succomb to pneumonia by 25. The supplements so strengthened me that I have lived decades longer.
Sharon498
February 4, 2015Thank-you for your comment. I like the analogy you used. I think it was very helpful and appropriate for the matter at hand. We know so little. So why do people think they can improve on nature in its' natural form?
Tracey506
February 7, 2015I totally agree with one caveat, the nutritional value of our foods has decreased significantly in the last 50 years and its the mineral content that has taken the biggest hit. Get this book from the library: Food Plague-Arden Andersen. It explains and has references. Here's an online article:http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/soil-depletion-and-nutrition-loss/
Donald466
February 1, 2015I know it is hard to include all the multivitamin products in your comparison, but one that I have used for many years is Cooper Complete Iron Free Multivitamin and Mineral Supplement. Cooper wrote one of the earlier books on jogging and he introduced the word Aerobics. This book got me into exercizing over 45 years ago. I have no financial interest in the product, but thought it would be a good one to add to your reviews.
Best wishes from a long time subscriber,
Don
Chris21970
January 27, 2021Where do you find Whole Foods vitamins? I'm assuming you are not referring to the Whole Foods Market brand.
ConsumerLab.com
January 27, 2021Please see our CL Answer about "whole food" multivitamins https://www.consumerlab.com/answers/how-can-i-tell-if-my-whole-food-multivitamins-contain-synthetic-vitamins/whole-food-vitamins/ as well as our Multivitamin Multimineral Supplements Review, which includes tests of a "whole food" multivitamin.