supplement advisor
By Vera Tweed
multivitamin myths: part 2 Five more misconceptions about this fundamental part of every health regimen
L
ast month, we took a look at five of the most common misconceptions about multivitamins. But that was just the tip of the iceberg. Here are five more persistent myths about this foundational nutrient.
1. You shouldn’t take a multivitamin if you take prescription drugs. There are many scary warnings about combining supplements and drugs. However, the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, one of the National Institutes of Health, has concluded that multivitamins containing no more than 100 percent of the Daily Value of vitamins and minerals typically do not cause a problem with medications, with one exception. If you take warfarin (Coumadin or Jantoven), to thin blood, vitamin K will decrease its effectiveness. Your doctor can adjust the dose of the drug to compensate, or you can take a multivitamin without vitamin K. Other blood thinners may not react this way, but to be sure, check with your doctor before taking vitamin K in a multivitamin or other supplement if you take blood thinners.
2. If you take a multivitamin every day, it doesn’t matter what you eat. Supplements, by definition, are meant to supplement nutritious food rather than replace it. If your diet consists of junk food, supplements can help, but you’re fighting an uphill battle. Foods contain many more nutrients than anyone could pack into pills. 3. If your urine turns yellow or orange, something is wrong. Vitamin B2 (riboflavin) turns your urine yellow or orange when you excrete amounts your body can’t use. It’s quite normal and nothing to worry about. If you don’t like the color, drink more water. 8
DAILY VALUES: WHAT THEY MEAN Daily recommended amounts, which are estimated to be adequate for most men or women at a certain age, have been established for many basic nutrients. Daily Values, usually listed in Supplement Facts on labels as “%DV,” are not recommendations but are designed to be a guide for comparing products. HOW DAILY VALUE IS CALCULATED
The Daily Value is based on the highest recommended amount of a nutrient. For example, women need 700 mcg of vitamin A, while men need 900 mcg. The Daily Value of vitamin A is 900 mcg—the higher amount. If %DV is 100, the product contains 900 mcg of the vitamin, and if %DV is 50, it contains 450 mg. INDIVIDUAL NEEDS
Daily Values don’t take individual needs into account. Vegans and older people, for example, are likely to need extra B12 in addition to a multivitamin. Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding should take a multi designed for those situations. Some products also include herbs or other natural ingredients for specific benefits, such as joint health or easing menopause or stress. For optimum benefits, it makes sense to choose a product designed for your specific needs.
4. All multivitamins are basically the same. The number of nutrients in a multivitamin can vary from a few to more than two dozen. Although products with few ingredients can be beneficial, they don’t provide as much nutritional insurance. For example, only 10 percent of American adults get enough choline, which is essential for the brain and nervous system, but only some multivitamins include it. In addition, some products are formulated for women or men at different stages of life, as requirements vary. In the case of iron, which can be toxic in high doses, premenopausal
women require 18 mg daily, but women after menopause, as well as men of all ages, require only 8 mg.
5. It doesn’t matter if your multivitamins are old. Multivitamin products have expiration dates for good reason: Their potency will eventually decline. If you’ve had a product for a long time, check the date. If it’s expired, get a new one. Store supplements away from moisture and heat, not near a stove or microwave, not on top of the fridge, and not in a bathroom cabinet. A cool kitchen cupboard or drawer is a good storage option.
February 2020
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12/21/19 6:35 AM
