How do I Choose the Best Multivitamin with Iron?

When you choose a multivitamin with iron, your final selection should be determined by your age, diet, gender and the other vitamins included in the multivitamin. As you progress through various ages of your life, your need for mineral supplements such as iron will vary. Depending on the types of food that you eat and how often you consume them within a given day, you might already be ingesting enough iron. Your need for a multivitamin supplement might be contingent upon whether you are male or female, because there are physiological differences between men and women. Finally, you might be better served by a multivitamin without iron if that supplement has adequate vitamins, minerals and nutrients that complement your current diet or health condition.

According to health experts, men between the ages of 19 and 50 require 8 milligrams of protein per day, and women in the same age range should consume 18 milligrams per day. Children in the midst of puberty should take 15 milligrams, and people younger than 13 or older than 50 should take 8 milligrams. Iron aids in the production of red blood cells and the circulation of oxygen. The younger or older you are, the more your age should be factor when you are choosing the best multivitamin with iron.

You should evaluate your current diet before you choose a multivitamin with iron. Foods such as meat, fish, spinach, broccoli, fruits, nuts and grain cereals are all rich sources of iron. If you are consuming reasonable portions of these foods on a daily basis, you likely do not need a multivitamin with iron, or you should choose a multivitamin containing only a small amount. Of all the added ingredients in multivitamin mineral supplements, the body stores iron the longest. Therefore, a high intake of iron could lead to excess levels that damage vital organs.

Women typically require more iron than men, so if you are a female, you should note this when trying to choose between two or more types of multivitamins with iron. Women are at a higher risk for low red blood cells because of their menstrual cycle. Multivitamin mineral supplements such as iron help replenish blood cells. Also, if you are pregnant, experts recommend consuming 27 milligrams of iron. Therefore, the best multivitamin with iron for a woman should have iron levels that are slightly higher than those that the average male would take.

Any form of multivitamin product on the market is an aggregation of multiple vitamins. Consequently, you should carefully evaluate the other vitamins comprising a multivitamin with iron. Your body, diet or current state of health might require you to consume more or less of vitamins A, B, C, D or E. Usually, you should not consume more than 100 percent of the recommended daily dose of vitamins. In a manner similar to iron, some of these vitamins at high doses can cause health problems.