Who needs a multivitamin?
The best source of needed nutrients is a balanced diet. Doctors continue to recommend multivitamins for people whose health conditions, dietary choices, lifestyle habits or medications impede their bodies’ ability to get or absorb proper amounts of key nutrients from foods. For example, people over age 60 are often encouraged to take a multivitamin. Aging can make it more difficult for the body to absorb vitamins such as B-12, a nutrient that may reduce the risk of anemia, and vitamin D, which helps maintain bone strength. What kind of multivitamin is best? Inexpensive brands that offer the basics are as good as more expensive options. Labels should indicate that the multivitamin includes 100 percent of the Daily Value (DV) of most essential nutrients. Large doses (more than the label recommends) of nutrients and extras such as herbs, enzymes and amino acids should be avoided because of possible health risks. Is iron necessary in a multivitamin? For premenopausal women, multivitamins w
