A multivitamin is a combination dietary supplement that contains several important vitamins and minerals needed to support your overall health. There are many brands and manufacturers of multivitamins, so read the manufacturer's label carefully to make sure you have the right multivitamin that you're looking for.
Dietary supplement
Multivitamins contain vitamins, some minerals, and sometimes other ingredients. They are required for several processes in your body to work properly and help maintain your overall health.
Source: DailyMed
Usually taken once per day
Conveniently combines several active ingredients together
Several manufacturers of multivitamins with different ingredients are readily available.
Some specific multivitamins are brand-name only, which can be expensive.
Some multivitamins are available only with a prescription.
Difficult to customize individual ingredients
Please carefully read the manufacturer's label, and follow the specific directions for the particular product you have or the directions your provider gave you. Different brands of multivitamins can have different directions, since they can contain different ingredients, amount of ingredients, and can come in different formulations.
Keeping a healthy and balanced diet that contains natural sources of vitamins and minerals while taking a multivitamin might help maintain your nutrient levels. If needed, you can talk to a nutritionist about a dietary plan that works for you.
Tell your provider or pharmacist about all the medications and dietary supplements you're taking before starting a multivitamin to make sure there are no interactions. The vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) in some multivitamins can interact with certain Parkinson's disease medications, such as Sinemet (carbidopa / levodopa) or Rytary (carbidopa / levodopa), making them work less well.
Vitamin B6 can also cause a higher risk of bleeding in people taking anticoagulants, such as aspirin or clopidogrel (Plavix).
Store your multivitamin at room temperature and away from children. If your child accidentally took any multivitamins, get medical help or call the Poison Control Center at 1-800-222-1222 right away.
Multivitamin can cause some serious health issues. This risk may be even higher for certain groups. If this worries you, talk to your doctor or pharmacist about other options.
Risk factors: Taking more than the recommended dose | Taking multiple products that contain the same ingredients
Many multivitamin products and dietary supplements can contain the same vitamins, minerals, and other ingredients. If you're taking multiple products, you could take too much of certain ingredients, which could lead to side effects. Always check with your provider or pharmacist to make sure you're not taking too much of any one ingredient, and follow the directions on the label of your product carefully.
Many multivitamins contain folic acid, which can sometimes mask a condition called pernicious anemia (a type of anemia due to low vitamin B12 levels). If you have low vitamin B12 levels, let your provider or pharmacist know, and ask them if a particular multivitamin is right for you.
Some flavored formulations of multivitamins (e.g., chewable tablets) might contain aspartame as a sweetener. One component of aspartame is phenylalanine, which can cause serious health problems if you have a rare condition called phenylketonuria (PKU). Read the manufacturer's label on the multivitamin product you have to see if there's a warning for people with PKU. Talk to a provider so they can recommend a multivitamin for you. There are multivitamin brands and formulations available that might be safer for you.
Dosage | Quantity | Price as low as | Price per unit |
---|---|---|---|
32.5mg/115.2mg/200mg | 90 capsules | $19.66 | $0.22 |
Different brands of multivitamins can have different directions. They can contain different vitamins and minerals, and they're also available in many formulations, such as tablets, capsules, chewable tablets or gummies, and liquids.
Please read the manufacturer's label of the product you have for specific directions. Your provider might recommend or prescribe a dose of the multivitamin that's different from the typical dose on the manufacturer's label. In general:
Tablets or capsules: The typical dose is 1 pill by mouth once per day.
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