Multivitamins can be a great source of the vitamins and minerals necessary to maintain good health. While a well-balanced diet should supply you with all of the necessary nutrients, a multivitamin may act as an insurance policy for your nutrition according the Harvard School of Public Health. One of the most popular multivitamins on the market is One-A-Day vitamins, and they contain various ingredients depending upon the type.
Vitamins
One-A-Day offers several types of multivitamins including those that are specially formulated for women and men. Both types of multivitamins contain vitamins A, B1, B2, B6, B12, C, D, E, K, niacin, pantothenic acid, folic acid and biotin. While these two multivitamins contain nearly all of the same vitamin ingredients, the exact amount of each vitamin may vary slightly based upon the manufacturer's established criteria of the nutritional needs of each gender. The men's One-A-Day formula also contains the antioxidant lycopene, which is not a vitamin but is purported to contribute to prostate health.
Minerals
In addition to vitamins, One-A-Day supplements contain other necessary dietary nutrients called minerals. These minerals include calcium, magnesium, zinc, selenium, copper, chromium and manganese. The only mineral difference between the men's and women's formula is that the women's One-A-Day contains iron and the men's formula does not. Similar to the vitamin ingredients, the mineral amounts vary between the men's and women's formulas.
Inactive Ingredients
Like most medications and supplements that come in tablet form, there are inactive ingredients in One-A-Day multivitamins. These inactive ingredients, like magnesium stearate, cellulose and corn starch are added for manufacturing purposes and as dispersal agents. For instance magnesium stearate, provides lubrication for the machines that press out the tablets. Cellulose and corn starch are fillers that allow all of the ingredients in the multivitamins to bind together and disintegrate in the stomach when taken.
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