來源: http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/2012/04/top-selling-vitamin-supplements/index.htm
Multivitamins: Skip the wild add-ons
If you eat a healthful diet, you probably don't need a multivitamin/multimineral supplement, commonly referred to as a"multivitamin." And large clinical trials have repeatedly found that the pills don't improve the average person's health. But you wouldn't know that from visiting the vitamin aisles, which are filled with not just basic multivitamins but also special formulations for men, women, teenagers, seniors, menopausal women, and dieters, among others.
Do you even need a multivitamin, and if so, should you bother getting one targeted to your specific demographic? Use this quick guide to decide.
Who needs a multivitamin?
Some people might not be able to meet their nutritional needs through diet alone. Those include women who are pregnant, breast-feeding, or trying to conceive; those consuming fewer than 1,200 calories a day or who are cutting out an entire food group (carbs, for example); and those who have a condition that depletes nutrients, such as cancer or diabetes.
In addition, people older than 50 might need help getting the recommended 600 international units of vitamin D (or 800 iU for those older than 70) and at least 2.4 micrograms of B12 daily, since the body's ability to absorb those from food declines with age. A multivitamin is one source for those nutrients, but so are individual supplements and fortified foods (such as a breakfast cereal with B12).
How to choose
Formulas that contain iron can be a good choice for premenopausal women, who might need to compensate for iron loss from menstruation. Men and older people typically don't need more iron and should look for a formulation without it. Botanical ingredients and food extracts found in some specialty formulas are often present in such small amounts that they're essentially useless—and that's if they even had a proven benefit to begin with. And look out for unexpected additions: One a Day Women's Active Metabolism contains 120 milligrams of caffeine per pill—more than the amount in a can of Red Bull—plus guarana seed, a natural stimulant.
In addition, these tips can help you wade through the claims:
- Think outside the gender box. An older man who doesn't eat dairy might be better off with the higher dose of calcium in his wife's vitamins. And a vitamin for men might be a better choice for an older woman who eats lots of calcium-rich foods or already takes calcium pills. (But be sure to check the other ingredients to make sure they're safe for you.)
- Don't swallow all the claims. Extra B vitamins won't necessarily boost energy; ginkgo hasn't conclusively been found to sharpen the mind; and supplemental vitamin E won't help your heart. if you look closely, you'll usually find a disclaimer stating that the claims haven't been evaluated by the Food and Drug administration.
- Talk with your doctor if you have a medical condition. In particular, if you take a multivitamin that has an active ingredient with a known biological effect—such as the plant sterols in Centrum's Cardio formula, which can help lower cholesterol—it should be evaluated and monitored along with any other treatments you're using.
- Avoid megadoses. Unless your doctor tells you that you need more than 100 percent of the recommended daily intake of a particular nutrient, you don't.
