How to choose the right vitamins

The easy part is deciding that a daily multivitamin is right for you; the challenge is selecting one from among the hundreds that line the drugstore shelves.

So before you buy, do a little comparison shopping. Bring along your reading glasses, and take a few minutes to review the percent of Daily Values (DV) for each nutrient the supplement contains.

To find the least expensive multivitamin supplement that still provides all the vitamins and minerals you need, keep these tips in mind:

• Avoid supplements that provide more than 100% of the DV for any vitamin or mineral.
• Choose a supplement with no more than 3,000-3,500 International Units (IUs) of retinol or vitamin A.
• Men and postmenopausal women should choose multivitamins with 50% or less of the DV for iron.
• Don’t expect to find 100% of the DV for calcium or magnesium in a multivitamin. Adding these would make the pills very large.
• Look for the USP (United States Pharmacopeia) symbol, a mark of a quality product.
• Most additives, such as herbs, are unnecessary and just drive up the price of the supplement.
• Supplements designed for certain age groups or sexes tend to be pricier. You can usually find a similar formula in a generic brand.

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Category: Features, Wellness and Complementary Therapies