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Clinical Updates
Multivitamin and Multimineral Supplements
Can a Multivitamin Reduce Colds and Flu?
8/20/2020
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
6/21/2019
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
7/09/2018
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
9/30/2017
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?
2/21/2017
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.
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
2/06/2015
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
5/29/2014
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
1/18/2014
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
12/21/2013
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
11/16/2013
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.
- 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.
Multivitamins May Improve Breast Cancer Survival
10/12/2013
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
11/10/2012
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
10/20/2012
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
8/04/2012
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 >>
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?
4/09/2011
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 >>
