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Q: Multivitamins or Individual Vitamins? ( Answered,   1 Comment )
Question  
Subject: Multivitamins or Individual Vitamins?
Category: Health
Asked by: peteretep-ga
List Price: $5.00
Posted: 02 Oct 2002 15:30 PDT
Expires: 01 Nov 2002 14:30 PST
Question ID: 71811
I'm trying to figure out whether taking a multi-vitamin is as good as
taking each individual vitamin separately. What advice can you offer?
Answer  
Subject: Re: Multivitamins or Individual Vitamins?
Answered By: easterangel-ga on 02 Oct 2002 18:09 PDT
 
Hi! Thanks for your interesting question. I will try to avoid websites
which sells stuffs so that we could have a more unbiased perspective.

According to this advice from the Carnegie Mellon University in
Pittsburgh:

“Select a multivitamin and mineral that contains about 100% of the
Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA). Megadosing is not necessary, and
may be harmful.”

“Avoid taking individual vitamins and minerals, unless recommended by
a health professional. (An additional calcium supplement may be an
exception.) Vitamins and minerals interact with each other in a
delicate balance. Overloading on one or two individual vitamins or
minerals can interfere with the body's ability to use other vitamins
and minerals.”

Multivitamins & Nutrients
http://www.studentaffairs.cmu.edu/HealthServices/nutrition/nut_quest.html

The Iowa State University website meanwhile says that a physician must
be consulted first before taking individual vitamins.

“It may be better, and cheaper, to supplement a basic multivitamin
with separate pills for the individual nutrients you want to take in
larger doses. Remember to consult a physician before taking large
doses of individual vitamins.”

“A Guide to Dietary Supplements”
http://www.extension.iastate.edu/nutrition/supplements/Multivitamins.html

The Health Sentinel meanwhile also recommends multivitamins because
they provide more value.

“’We recommend multivitamins, rather than individual vitamins, because
multivitamins are simpler to take and cheaper than the individual
vitamins taken separately and because a large proportion of the
population needs supplements of more than one vitamin.’"

Health Sentinel – Vitamins
http://www.healthsentinel.com/Briefs/Vitamins.htm 

Remember to check with your doctor on what multivitamins and
individual vitamins (if any) you would need to take and how should you
take them.

Search terms used: 
Multivitamins “individual vitamins”

I hope these links would help you in your research. Before rating this
answer, please ask for a clarification if you have a question or if
you would need further information.

Thanks for visiting us at Google Answers.

Regards,
Easterangel-ga
Comments  
Subject: Re: Multivitamins or Individual Vitamins?
From: arsenic-ga on 03 Jan 2003 12:26 PST
 
If you're male; you might want to choose a multivitamin without/with less iron.

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