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How do I Choose the Best Multivitamin with Minerals?

Laura M. Sands
Laura M. Sands

Taking a multivitamin with minerals is sometimes necessary for good overall health. In order to choose the best one, however, you will first have to compare the labels of several different multivitamin supplements to familiarize yourself with the ingredients each contains. Next, ask individuals currently using a multivitamin with minerals which brand each prefers and why. Upon doing so, select the one that offers you all of your daily requirements, as well as the one that is easiest for you to ingest on a daily basis. Also, if you have special needs, are taking prescription medications or are on a restricted diet, your health care provider can help you choose a complete multivitamin.

When reading labels, only consider a multivitamin with minerals offering between 50% and 150% of the daily recommended value. The only exception to this is calcium, since a single vitamin isn’t large enough to offer you all of the calcium that you need in a capsule or pill. Also, any multivitamin with minerals you consider should offer 400 micrograms of folic acid.

Multivitamin supplements with minerals.
Multivitamin supplements with minerals.

Besides labels used to indicate the nutritional value of a multivitamin with minerals, other labels should not matter. Some multivitamin with mineral brands can actually be quite pricey, so be sure to also compare generic brands while shopping. There are many types of multivitamins, and generic store brands are often just as effective as other popularly advertised brands.

Reading labels to ensure a vitamin contains at least 50 percent of the recommended daily value is important.
Reading labels to ensure a vitamin contains at least 50 percent of the recommended daily value is important.

If you have friends or family members who are taking a multivitamin with minerals or multiminerals, ask for feedback on the brands being taken. If possible, ask for a sample vitamin in order to conduct an absorbability test. This test is easily performed at home by simply placing a single vitamin in a cup of vinegar. Each pill tested should dissolve in an hour or less and, if not, it is likely that the same vitamin may also not dissolve inside your digestive system and you may not get the full benefit of its contents.

After narrowing your choices, choose the multivitamin with minerals that offers you all of the nutrients you desire in a complete multivitamin, along with any additional minerals you may need. Individuals such as vegetarians, vegans, those with allergies to certain foods or individuals who are not able to properly digest certain foods may benefit from multivitamins with minerals. If you fall into one of these categories and your doctor hasn’t already made a suggestion or if you are currently taking prescription medications, ask your doctor to recommend a multivitamin with minerals for your unique dietary needs.

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    • Multivitamin supplements with minerals.
      By: compuinfoto
      Multivitamin supplements with minerals.
    • Reading labels to ensure a vitamin contains at least 50 percent of the recommended daily value is important.
      By: Kadmy
      Reading labels to ensure a vitamin contains at least 50 percent of the recommended daily value is important.