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Select the best multivitamins
- a practical guide |
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| Many of us find
it hard to make an informed choice in selecting the best multivitamins.
It is simply difficult and confusing to know which is right
daily for your family while scanning labels in the aisle of
our supermarket or health food store. Consider all the variables
- the list of vitamins and minerals included, dosage, potency,
safety, purity, freshness, and finally, cost. There really is
no way to make an informed choice without a bit of help. That
is why we've developed this buying guide - to help you make
good decisions when looking for complete multi vitamins. |
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The recommended daily allowance
for vitamins is insufficient |
| Americans have
relied on the U.S. Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA's) to
help understand how complete multi vitamins help fulfill their
nutritional needs. This set of standards is reflected on nutritional
multivitamin supplement labels as the "Daily Value," a term
adopted by the FDA in 1994. While these standards have been
updated over the years, they were intended to establish the
absolute minimum level of essential nutrients for an adult.
This is a far cry from the level that most of us need to enjoy
the greatest health and longest life. Many nutritionists and
scientists believe that the amounts listed in the RDA's are
not near sufficient enough to prevent degenerative disease and
provide the highest level of health. Also, despite numerous
studies, the traditional medical industry has been resistant
to recommending appropriate standards for supplements. Only
recently has the American Medical Association formally asserted
that all adults should take a nutritional multivitamin supplement
daily. |
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The best multivitamins use pharmaceutical
standards |
| There are currently
no FDA regulations that require dietary supplement manufacturers
to adhere to quality standard practices during manufacturing
like the pharmaceutical industry. The Food and Drug Administration
is in the process of trying to correct this, but today, there
is absolutely no guarantee that what is on the label is even
in the bottle. Many supplements, even national brands, do not
adhere to either USP (U.S. Pharmacopeia) or GMP (Good Manufacturing
Processes) for the manufacturing, storage or packaging of their
products. If the multivitamin you purchase is not produced using
either the USP or GMP standard, you run the risk of impurities,
inaccurate labeling, or poor absorption. |
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Are vitamin supplements safe? |
| The vast majority
of ingredients in complete multi vitamins are very safe - unless
many, many are taken at once. What is actually more important
is the cumulative impact of two common components. While an
essential nutrient, pure Vitamin A, or Retinol, has the potential
to become toxic when large amounts are taken over time. Studies
have found Vitamin A as a suspect in some birth defects and
it is clear that an overdose will make anyone very sick. As
a result, some nutritionists believe that Vitamin A should not
be included in supplements at all. The good news is that the
benefits of Vitamin A can be realized through a safe alternative,
Beta-Carotene, which is a Retinol precursor. Beta-Carotene does
not have the same toxic properties, but will safely transform
to Vitamin A in the body as needed. Many manufacturers will
list Vitamin A on the label and then note, "50% as Beta-Carotene."
Others may have both as separate line items, so we have listed
them separately on our checklist. |
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| Iron is another
element in complete multi vitamins that must be approached with
some caution despite the fact that Iron deficiency is quite
common. It can lead to immune system problems, lack of congnitive
ability, and heart disease. Young women and the elderly are
most likely to have the need to supplement with iron due to
lack of natural sources in their diets. That said, the iron
taken in through red meat is easily absorbed by the body and
does not cause any problems. The issue arises when too much
iron is taken as part of a multivitamin or as a separate nutritional
supplement. The elemental metal form of iron can increase the
production of free radicals through greater oxidation. In short,
if extra iron is needed, eat your spinach or have a steak. In
our guide below, we list the upper daily dosage limit for iron
if supplementation is required. |
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| Visit our Optimal
Daily Intake List now to see the vitamins and minerals
along with dosages that should be part of your complete multi
vitamin. |
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| We've taken
the time to compare the selection criteria in our Optimal
Daily Intake List against the finest merchants to produce
a small group of supplements that meet the majority of content,
dosage, freshness, potency guidelines we've discussed. Most
importantly, our recommendations for the best multivitamins
reflect the greatest value for your money. If you have an old
300 count bottle of Centrum or Equate Womens One Daily vitamins
in the cupboard, do yourself a favor and just throw it out.
Check the label against our list and you'll realize why.
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