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Multivitamin and Multimineral Supplements

Heavy Metals in One A Day?

April 24, 2025
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A CL member contacted us this week, concerned by a recent report of heavy metals in prenatal supplements, including a prenatal from One A Day. See our take on these findings in our Multivitamins Review.

Lead in Prenatals

April 02, 2025
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A group recently reported significant amounts of lead in 15 to 33% of prenatal supplements and prescription vitamins. Read more in the Quality Concerns section of our Multivitamins Review, which includes our Top Picks among multivitamins, including prenatal vitamins.

Also see: Which foods and supplements contain lead, cadmium, or arsenic?

Centrum Silver and Fracture Risk

February 24, 2025
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Did Centrum Silver decrease the risk of bone fractures among older men and women? Find out what a recent study showed in the What It Does section of our Multivitamin Supplements Review, which includes our Top Picks among multivitamins.

Concern with Sorbitol in Flintstones?

January 30, 2025
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A CL member asked if sorbitol in Flintstones multivitamins poses a risk. See our discussion about this in our Multivitamin Review, which includes our Top Pick multivitamins for children and adults.

Also see our article: Sugar Substitutes: Pros, Cons, and Best Choices.

Prenatal for Men

January 16, 2025
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AlphaSperm Men’s Prenatal + was recently Approved for quality by ConsumerLab through our voluntary Quality Certification Program and added to our Multivitamin and Multimineral Supplements Review.

Which Prenatals Have The Right Stuff?

January 06, 2025
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Many prenatal vitamins may not correct nutrient deficits that occur in pregnancy, according to a recent study. Find out which products are closest to providing the right ingredients in the Prenatal section of our Multivitamin and Multimineral Supplements Review.

Heavy Metals in Multivitamins?

January 06, 2025
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Tests conducted by a separate group reported "unsafe" levels of lead, arsenic, and/or cadmium in a children’s multi and a prenatal supplement (which ConsumerLab also tested). See our take on this in our Multivitamin and Multimineral Supplements Review, which includes our Top Picks among multivitamins.

Omega-3 Supplements & Hemorrhage Risk

October 24, 2024
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Many experts recommend intake of the omega-3’s EPA and DHA during pregnancy, but this may not be advisable during late pregnancy, as a new study found such intake to be associated with increased risk of postpartum hemorrhage. Get the details in the Concerns and Cautions section of our Fish Oil Supplements Review, which includes our Top Picks among fish oil supplements.

Also see our Top Picks among prenatal multivitamins.

Recently Approved Gummy

September 21, 2024
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Nature's Way Alive Women's Gummy Multivitamin was Approved and added to our Multivitamin/Multimineral Supplements Review.

Why Take a Multivitamin?

June 28, 2024
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A recent study found that taking a daily multivitamin was not associated with a lower risk of death in subsequent years. So, are there benefits to taking a multivitamin? Find out in the What They Do section of our Multivitamin and Multimineral Supplements Review, which includes our Top Picks among multis for men, women, and children.

New Top Pick Prenatal Multivitamin

March 21, 2024
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Concerned by problems recently identified with 11 of 12 prenatal multivitamins in recent tests, we purchased and tested additional prenatal supplements, leading us to change our Top Pick. Learn why in the Top Picks section of our Multivitamin Supplements Review, which includes multis for men, women, children, and pets.

Multivitamin for Memory?

January 23, 2024
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Did taking a daily multivitamin improve memory in older people in a large, recent study? The answer is both yes and no, as we explain in the What It Does section of our Multivitamins Review, which includes our Top Picks among multis – one of which is very similar to the product studied.

Vegan Multivitamin

November 21, 2023
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A CL member ask our thoughts on Essential Vegan Multivitamin by Future Kind, so we compared it to our current Top Pick multivitamin for vegans in our Multivitamin Supplements Review.

Liposomal Multivitamins?

July 11, 2023
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Are ingredients in a “liposomal” multivitamin better absorbed than from a regular capsule? Find out what a recent study showed in the ConsumerTips section of our Multivitamin and Multimineral Supplements Review.

Also see our Top Picks among multivitamins.

Multivitamins That Cause Nausea

April 25, 2023
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Some people experience nausea or stomach upset after taking a multivitamin. Find out which ingredients may cause this problem and how to avoid nausea when taking a multi in our Multivitamin/Multimineral Supplements Review.

Also see our Top Picks among multivitamins.

Centrum for Preventing Dementia?

April 18, 2023
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Can supplementing with Centrum Silver reduce the risk of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or dementia among older people? Find out what a recent study showed in the Memory and Cognition section of our Multivitamin and Multimineral Supplements Review, and see our Top Pick multivitamin for people 50 and older.

Also find out if supplementing with cocoa flavanols helps with cognition in older people.

Many Prenatal Multis Found Lacking

April 14, 2023
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As ConsumerLab has pointed out in the past, many prenatal supplements don't contain the right amounts of key ingredients. A recent analysis by nutrition experts of over 400 products on the market in the U.S. came to the same conclusion. Get the details in our Multivitamin/Multimineral Supplements Review, which includes our Top Pick prenatal multivitamin as well as our Top Pick overall multi and Top Picks by age and gender.

Cause of Low Phosphorus?

February 17, 2023
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A CL Member who takes numerous dietary supplements reported having low blood levels of phosphorus. Find out which supplements, conditions, and medications can contribute to this in the Phosphorus section of our Multivitamin and Multimineral Supplements Review.

Too Much Copper?

January 20, 2023
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Experts in Europe recently cut in half the daily upper limit on how much copper people can safely consume. Find out how this compares to the limit in the U.S. and to amounts in multivitamins in the Copper section of our Multivitamin and Multimineral Supplements Review.

Also see: What are trace minerals and do I need them?

Multivitamin for Slowing Cognitive Decline?

September 20, 2022
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Can taking a popular multivitamin slow cognitive decline in older men and women? Find out what a large, recent study found in the Memory and Cognition section of our Multivitamin and Multimineral Supplements Review.

Caution With Children’s Multivitamins

May 24, 2022
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Many multivitamins for children exceed tolerable daily intake limits, as noted in a recent report. Find out which nutrients are most often too high in the Children's section of our Multivitamin and Multimineral Supplements Review.

Manganese for Tinnitus?

April 12, 2022
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Can taking manganese help treat symptoms of tinnitus? Find out what research suggests in the Manganese section of our Multivitamin Supplements Review. Also see our answer to the question: Do any supplements or lifestyle changes reduce the symptoms of tinnitus?

Multivitamins & Cancer Risk

March 22, 2022
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Did a popular multivitamin for seniors reduce the risk of cancer diagnosis in a three-year-study? Find out in the Cancer Risk section of our Multivitamin and Multimineral Supplements Review. Also see our Top Picks among multivitamins.

Prenatal Top Pick Changed

December 09, 2021
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A CL member alerted us that a prenatal multivitamin that was our Top Pick has been reformulated, changing its amounts of key vitamins and minerals. Learn how the changes affect our opinion of this supplement.

Severe Reaction to Multivitamin

November 10, 2021
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A middle-aged woman developed a skin rash, hives and difficulty breathing immediately after taking a multivitamin, according to a recent report. Learn why in our update to the Multivitamin and Multimineral Supplements Review.

Multivitamins and Kidney Disease

November 10, 2021
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People with chronic kidney disease are often advised to limit their intake of an ingredient that, they may not realize, is common in multivitamins. Learn more in the ConsumerTips section of the Multivitamin and Multimineral Supplements Review.

Moldy Multivitamin?

November 08, 2021
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A CL member notified us of online reviews reporting "mold" on a supplement that was Approved by CL. We investigated. Learn what we found in an Update to our Multivitamin Review.

Concern With Kids Multis

October 22, 2021
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Do "children's" multivitamins and minerals? Not necessarily, according to a recent study. Find out why in the Children's Multivitamins section of our Multivitamin and Multimineral Supplements Review. Also, see our Top Pick multivitamin for children.

Copper and Alzheimer's Disease

October 04, 2021
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Can excess copper from the diet or supplements increase the risk of Alzheimer’s disease? Find out what research suggests in the Copper section of our Multivitamin and Multimineral Supplements Review.

Can a Multivitamin Reduce Colds and Flu?

August 20, 2020
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Can regularly taking a multivitamin reduce the chance of getting a cold or flu, or lessen the symptoms and duration of illness among older people? Find out what a recent study showed in the What They Do section of the Multivitamin and Multimineral Supplements Review. Also see our Top Picks among multivitamins for women, men, seniors, children and pets.

Vitamins Needed by Pregnant Women

June 21, 2019
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A recent analysis of nutrient intakes by pregnant women across the U.S. revealed the vitamins and minerals they were getting too much or too little of. Get the details in the Prenatal section of the Multivitamins Review, which includes our tests of prenatal supplements.

Multivitamins & Cardiovascular Disease

July 09, 2018
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Does taking a multivitamin reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke? See what a recent analysis concluded in the Background section of the Multivitamin Review. (Also see our Top Picks among multivitamins.)

Paleo Diet and Iodine

September 30, 2017
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The "Paleo" diet excludes table salt and dairy products, which are sources of iodine. A recent study investigated whether or not this causes iodine deficiency (which is also a concern with a vegan diet). Get the details in the "Iodine" section of the Multivitamin/Multimineral Supplements Review >>

Does Your Multivitamin Have Too Much Folic Acid?

February 21, 2017
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Folic acid is in multivitamins because it is provides the essential B vitamin, folate. Getting too much folate, however, carries risks. What most people don't know is that you actually get 70% more folate from folic acid than labels currently reveal and many supplements expose you to amounts of folate which are not only way above what you need but over the daily limit for tolerable intake. Companies now have until mid-2018 or later correct their labels, but until then you may be in the dark.

To find out which multivitamins exceed the tolerable limit for folate, see the update in the Multivitamins Review. You'll also learn how the daily requirements for many other nutrients have changed and differ from what labels currently tell you.

Fewer Heart Disease Deaths Among Multivitamin Users

February 06, 2015
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A new study found that multivitamin-mineral users were 35% less likely to die of heart disease than non-users over a period of about 20 years. The apparent benefit was greater for certain people and depended on the type of multi. For more details, as well as our product reviews, see the Multivitamin and Multimineral Supplements Review >> 

Not Enough Iodine in Prenatal Supplements

May 29, 2014
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There is growing concern about inadequate iodine intake among pregnant and nursing mothers. Find out how much should be taken as a supplement -- and which vitamins do or don't have it -- in the update to the Multivitamin and Multimineral Supplements Review >> 

Multivitamin Lowers Cataract Risk

January 18, 2014
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A large, long-term study using a low-dose multivitamin found that it reduced the risk of developing cataract (a clouding of the lens of the eye) by 9% compared to placebo. Interestingly, the reduced risk of cataract was negated when a separate vitamin C supplement was also taken. For details about the study and dosage, as well as our tests and comparison of multivitamins, see the updated Multivitamin and Multimineral Supplements Review.   

More Evidence of What Multivitamins Don't Do

December 21, 2013
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Several new studies about multivitamins were published this week. The bottom line: In well-nourished people, multivitamins don't reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease or overall-mortality, nor improve cognition and memory. Although some studies have suggested a modest benefit in reducing the risk of certain cancers, no clear cancer benefit for multivitamins has been established. For more information, see the updates to the Multivitamins and Multimineral Supplements Review >>  

Latest Supplement Recommendations

November 16, 2013
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New draft recommendations on vitamin and mineral supplement use were published this week by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. The recommendations apply only to healthy adults without nutritional deficiencies. They focus only on the use of supplements for the prevention of cardiovascular disease and cancer at doses not exceeding tolerable upper intake levels. The recommendations are based on existing science and are generally consistent with information already presented in ConsumerLab.com's Product Reviews.  We have summarized the recommendations below, with links to more information in ConsumerLab.com's reports:

- Beta-Carotene and Vitamin E:  Supplementation with either does not provide a benefit. Vitamin E does not pose a risk of harm, but beta-carotene increases the risk of lung cancer in people at risk for lung cancer.

- Other Single Vitamins, Minerals, Pairs, and Multivitamins: There is inadequate evidence regarding a benefit or a risk of harm.

The task force stressed that at excessive doses (above tolerable upper intake levels) there is evidence of harm with supplementation, such as with vitamin A and vitamin D. 

Multivitamins May Improve Breast Cancer Survival

October 12, 2013
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A study of women with invasive breast cancer found that those who took multivitamins were 30% less likely to die of the disease during the study than women who did not take multivitamins, suggesting a possible role for supplementation. For more information about the study, as well as tests of popular multivitamins, see the updated Multivitamin and Multimineral Supplements Review >> 

Multivitamin and the Heart

November 10, 2012
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Does taking a daily multivitamin reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke? No, according to a recently published, major U.S. study. Those who took the popular multi, however, were more likely to report a particular side effect than those who took placebo. For details, see the update in the Multivitamin Supplements Review. More >>

Multivitamin Reduces Cancer Risk in Some

October 20, 2012
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You may have heard that a new study found reduced rates of cancer among men taking a specific daily multivitamin. But there's more to this story... Certain types of men were much more likely to benefit than others. Several multivitamins like the one studied have been tested by ConsumerLab.com, and some Quality Approved products cost as little as 3 cents a day -- a very reasonable investment if it can help you! For details, see the update in the Multivitamin Supplements Review.  More >>

Be Careful with Iodine -- Especially If You're Pregnant

August 04, 2012
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Unlike over-the-counter medicines, dietary supplements are generally not required to carry warning labels, even if they contain toxic amounts of ingredients. If you don't know how much of a vitamin, mineral, or other ingredient you really need, it's easily possible to get too much. This is what seems to have happened to some pregnant women taking a widely-sold iodine supplement, according to a recent medical report. Just one tablet contained 57 times the daily iodine they needed and more than ten times the limit associated with increased risk of toxicity. Their children were born with congenital hypothyroidism, apparently due to getting too much iodine from their mothers.

Find out which product these women took in the updated Iodine section of the Multivitamin Supplements Review. You'll also find appropriate levels of other vitamins and minerals and see which products in the Review did or did not exceed tolerable intake levels of vitamins and minerals. More >>

Do Multivitamins Help You Live Longer?

April 09, 2011
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Based on recent analysis of a study following over 180,000 people aged 45-75 years for about 11 years, the use of multivitamins was not associated with a reduced risk of dying over that period. However, the results were not analyzed by specific type of multivitamin. See the Multivitamin/Multimineral Review for more >>