Smart Vitamin Buying

Christina Bates -

To get the most health benefit at the lowest cost from multivitamin supplements...

  • Avoid buying "mega-dose" supplements. They provide far more than l00% of the recommended daily allowance (RDA) for vitamins, antioxidants and minerals. Such doses provide no benefit and might prove harmful.
  • Buy a basic multi supplement. It should provide 100% of the RDA for a large number of vitamins and minerals—a “seniors’ formula” containing an extra amount of vitamin B-12 and lesser amount of iron is fine.
  • Shop by price. Generic and store brands are just as good as higher-priced name brands, and tablets are as good as capsules.
  • Look for "USP" on the label. This indicates that the product meets United States Pharmacopeia quality standards.
  • Avoid vitamin combinations that contain herbs, enzymes and hormones. The benefit of these is unproven and they could be harmful.
  • Don't pay more for unneeded features.

Examples: All natural...timed release... stress formula...starch free...chelated (to promote absorption). They add no value.