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Our Members Asked:
I've been taking a Daily Advantage multi but am now concerned by the very high % DV for vitamin C (833% DV), niacin (325% DV), and B vitamins (over 1,000% DV for several). What do you think?
Reviewed and edited by Tod Cooperman, M.D.
Answer:
Unless you are deficient in each of these vitamins you don't need to take such high doses of each. Some may do more harm than good. It's good that you are now studying the ingredients listed on the label. You may still benefit from a multivitamin, but one which is likely to fill your nutritional gaps without exceeding upper tolerable intake levels.The following resources on ConsumerLab.com can help you:
Recommended Daily Intakes and Upper Limits for Nutrients
ConsumerLab.com Multivitamin and Multimineral Supplements Review (which includes our latest tests, comparisons, and suggestions of CL Approved supplements based on age and gender, such as women's, men's, age 50+, prenatal, and children's)
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Related CL Answers (9)
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Deanna8625
April 10, 2016Many multi-vitamins seem to provide vast "overdoses". I found a three-a-day multi that does this. But I only take one a day so as to cut the dosage to a more reasonable level. A doctor told a friend of mine to take children's multi' so to help with this problem. I have no financial interest in any of these products.
Lawonda8624
April 10, 2016I get a lot of good information from the Quett question and answer program . But I've never found anywhere where I can get information on vitamin intake and how to judge what you should take when you have kidney disease . I have a stage for chronic kidney disease which naturally takes much less of the bacteria etc. in my stomach . Does this affect the amount of supplements and vitamins that I take. ? I'm currently taking 50+ four women because I am 80 five years old . Hope you can answer this question for me thank you
ConsumerLab.com
June 1, 2016Hi Lawonda - You may find this CL Answer about supplements and kidney function helpful: https://www.consumerlab.com/answers/can-taking-a-lot-of-supplements-really-damage-the-kidneys/supplements-kidney-disease/
Ira8623
April 10, 2016A don't think ANYONE in the nutritional science arena would would ever indicate that 500 mg of vitamin C which is 833% DV is excessive. I also believe there is a difference between filling the nutritional deficiencies and optimal cellular health. I agree that in general one should not exceed the upper tolerable limit, but I disagree with the answer ConsumerLab has provided here to this question.
ConsumerLab.com
April 13, 2016Hi Ira - We must disagree with you. Nutritional experts convened by the National Academies - not people who sell supplements - have determined what the nutritional needs are for vitamin C for optimal health, and it is nowhere near 500 mg per day. You can find the values, by age, here: www.consumerlab.com/RDAs. The idea of "optimal cellular health" is a marketing term. In fact, as noted in our Vitamin C Review ( https://www.consumerlab.com/reviews/vitamin-c-supplement-review/vitaminc/ a large study of physicians who took a sensible daily multivitamin (containing 60 mg of vitamin C) had a 9% reduction in cataracts, but that benefit was lost in the subset of those doctors who were also give 500 mg of vitamin C per day. Many studies have shown that too much of an antioxidant from supplements can negate the benefits found with lower doses.