What you need to know about vitamin/mineral supplements
A quick stroll down the vitamin/mineral supplement aisle at your supermarket
makes it is easy to see why consumers are confused about what type of
supplement to buy.
To help you select a vitamin and mineral supplement that is appropriate
for you, Dr. Jenna Anding, interim program leader and associate professor
and extension nutrition specialist with Texas Cooperative Extension’s
Foods and Nutrition Unit, offers the following tips:
- Choose a multivitamin/mineral supplement that contains no more than
100 percent of the daily value (DV) for the nutrients listed. Those that
are labeled “high potency” often contain levels of nutrients
that are much higher than 100 percent DV. The body can only absorb so
much of a specific nutrient, so excessive amounts are just excreted in
urine. Consuming excessive amounts of some nutrients may also lead to
toxicity or prevent the absorption of other nutrients.
- If possible, choose a multivitamin/mineral supplement that has at least
20 percent of the vitamin A in the form of beta-carotene. The body converts
beta-carotene into vitamin A only in the amounts it needs; what it doesn’t
need is not converted. This helps prevent you from getting too much vitamin
A.
- Select a multivitamin/mineral supplement that is appropriate for your
age and gender. For example, multivitamin supplements for men and postmenopausal
women generally contain less iron than those designed for women of childbearing
years.
- Don’t judge the quality of a multivitamin/mineral supplement
by price alone. Generic and store-brand multivitamins/minerals are often
just as good as national brands. Also, look for the initials USP on the
supplement label. USP stands for United States Pharmacopeia, a non-profit
organization that establishes standards to ensure quality medications
and supplements. Supplements that have the USP designation have been
tested for purity, potency and availability in the body.
- When it comes to vitamins and minerals, you don’t need to have
a constant amount in your body like you do for some prescription medications.
Leave supplements that are labeled “timed release” on the
store shelves. They are usually more expensive than other supplements,
and they are not worth the extra cost.
- Some multivitamin/mineral supplements have added herbs. Nutritionally,
these “bonus” ingredients do not justify any added expense,
so leave them alone. Plus, some herbs can have serious side effects and/or
interact with other medications.
Finally, because some nutrients can interact with medications, Anding
recommends checking with your physician before taking vitamin/mineral supplements.
This information is provided as a service by the Texas Cooperative Extension.
If you have questions or would like more information, talk to your physician
or registered dietician.
H.E.A.D.s Up is a monthly column that features articles on a wide array
of Health, Exercise And Diet issues. Information for these articles is
provided by health and wellness professionals from throughout the A&M
System. If you have questions or story ideas for this column, email Ruth McMullan.
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