| Individuals in Dallas, Houston, Austin | | | | free of impurities and accurately |
| and elsewhere in Texas have probably | | | | labeled. Also, check vitamin bottles for |
| heard that a multivitamin every day | | | | the U.S. Pharmacopoeia (USP), NSF |
| might help you live longer. | | | | International (NSF), or ConsumerLab (CL) |
| Unfortunately, many industry supplement | | | | stamps of approval. The USP and NSF are |
| industry watchdogs have recently found | | | | nonprofit groups that verify whether or |
| that more than half of the 21 | | | | not companies offer contamination-free |
| multivitamins tested had too much, or | | | | products and incorporate the proper |
| too few, of certain vitamins. Or worse | | | | manufacturing processes. Not all brands |
| yet, had been contaminated with | | | | have these seals of approval. Some |
| dangerous substances like lead. In | | | | manufacturers don't want to submit to |
| addition, a recent, yet controversial | | | | testing. Those that do -- Kirkland and |
| paper from European researchers, | | | | Nature Made -- carry the USP seal and |
| published in the Journal of the American | | | | are reliable. |
| Medical Association, made the claim that | | | | Does a big price equal big benefits? |
| taking vitamins may actually shorten | | | | No. A high price doesn't mean quality. |
| your life. So what's the real story | | | | Some of the highest priced vitamins - |
| about multivitamins? | | | | such as The Greatest Vitamin in the |
| For years, vitamins have been | | | | World and Eniva Vibe -- cost more per |
| recommended to all age groups because | | | | bottle. But they failed the tests. |
| they help you get key nutrients if your | | | | Popular brands, including One-A-Day |
| diet is insufficient regarding fruits | | | | Women's, are usually cheaper per bottle |
| and vegetables. Furthermore, they may | | | | of 100 tablets. |
| even help prevent cancer and heart | | | | If you're a woman living in Texas and |
| disease. It is not very likely that a | | | | are in your childbearing years, your |
| critical paper -- hypothesizing that | | | | multi- vitamin should have 400 |
| vitamin supplements might upset your | | | | micrograms (mcg) of folic acid. This |
| body's natural healing process and boost | | | | assists in making and maintaining new |
| your risk of death -- will change that | | | | cells. Pregnant women should take a |
| at all. | | | | vitamin with 600 mcg of folic acid daily |
| Longtime vitamin experts continue to say | | | | to reduce the chance of birth defects |
| that multivitamins are not dangerous. | | | | like spina bifida. |
| The paper analyzed previous studies that | | | | If you're on a prescription medicine, |
| included people who were sick before | | | | talk to your doctor about drug |
| taking the vitamins. That could mean | | | | interactions. With vitamin E, there may |
| that there is a good chance vitamins | | | | be a problem if you're taking a blood |
| were not responsible for shortening | | | | thinner. If you have cancer, ask your |
| their lives. Experts say the paper also | | | | doctor about assumed risks before taking |
| ignored two major studies that found | | | | vitamins. Cancer grows with some |
| vitamins reduced the risk of death. | | | | vitamins and others can interfere with |
| At the same time, a recent study shows | | | | chemotherapy. |
| that you can't assume that any vitamin | | | | Check that the amount per serving |
| is safe. Currently, there are not | | | | numbers on the label should match the |
| uniform manufacturing rules for | | | | government's Dietary Reference Intakes |
| supplements, so a multivitamin may not | | | | (DRI). If they're higher, it's okay as |
| include what the bottle says it does. | | | | long as they don't exceed the tolerable |
| This means it could be contaminated with | | | | upper limit (UL). Most vitamins are |
| a substance from the manufacturing | | | | listed in milligrams (mg) or micrograms |
| facility. | | | | (mcg), but the label may use IUs |
| So what can you do? How about avoiding | | | | (international units) for vitamins A, D, |
| multivitamins on a popular online list? | | | | and E. The DRI for vitamin A are 2,300 |
| Or ingesting only vitamins from | | | | IUs, 200 for D, and 22 for E. Please |
| established and trusted manufacturers? | | | | keep in mind that the % Daily Value |
| These have been tested, were found to be | | | | column has not been updated since 1968. |