5 Things to look for in your multivitamin

There are literally hundreds of different multivitamins to choose from out there. How are you supposed to know which one you should take? It’s not always easy, and one multi might be right for you, but not for your kids, your parents, or your spouse. It’s always a good idea to check with your health care professional first, but here are a few tips.

1.  Look for the amount of biotin on the bottle. Biotin is one of the more expensive vitamins to have in there, so if there’s only a little bit you know they might be cutting corners.

2.  Look for the form of zinc in your multivitamin/multimineral. Zinc oxide is a common form in low quality vitamins.

3.  Look for the type of calcium that is in your multivitamin/multimineral. If it’s calcium carbonate don’t waste your time and money taking it. This form of calcium is up to 66% less likely to be absorbed (it will just pass right on through you).

4.  Look at the amount of vitamin A in your supplements. If the amount is too high it can lead to liver damage, headaches, nausea, and other toxicity symptoms. An upper limit of 10,000 IU has been set for people over 19 years old, for children 4-8 years old the upper limit is only 3,000 IU. The upper limits are set only for certain types of vitamin A, like retinol and retinol esters. If you’re not sure what type is in yours, ask your health care professional.

5.  Iron or no iron? Unless there is a specific reason that you need additional iron, go for the supplement without iron. The most common exceptions are menstruating women, who lose iron through bleeding, and people who have iron-deficiency anemia. It is important to note that not all anemias are caused by low iron.

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Dr. Kauffman is a licensed chiropractor in Loveland, OH. He serves patients in Cincinnati and the areas of Mason Ohio, Lebanon Ohio, West Chester Ohio, and Loveland Ohio.  Please call us today at 513-444-4529 for an appointment with your Loveland Ohio chiropractor, Dr. Kauffman.