Vitamin and mineral supplements are usually formulated to provide 100 percent or less of your recommended daily allowance of essential vitamins and minerals. Many tablet- or capsule-based products require you to take more than one pill per day, which makes it easy to adjust your intake. Many vitamins are safe to take daily, but avoid the temptation to overdose yourself with supplements. Some vitamins accumulate in your body and can be harmful in large enough amounts.
Essential Vitamins and Minerals
The essential vitamins include vitamins A, C, D, E, K, thiamine, folic acid, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, biotin, B6, and B12. The major minerals you should look for in a supplement include calcium, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus and chlorine. Trace minerals include iron, zinc, magnesium and copper. Sodium is also essential, but it's easily obtained through your regular diet. Balz Frei, director of the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University, recommends taking a daily multivitamin supplement because most people don't get all their nutrients from their diet. Look for supplements that have a USP stamp on their label, which indicates that the U.S. Pharmacopeia has verified the quality and purity of the product.
Recommended Daily Intake
The Linus Pauling Institute recommends taking a vitamin supplement that provides 100 percent of your recommended daily amount of vitamins and minerals. The RDA will differ for adult men and women, pregnant and lactating women, and children and infants. No one vitamin supplement is ideal for every person, so do some research and then choose a product that gives you the level of supplementation that you need. Consider a product that provides all the essential macronutrients but also a wide range of micronutrients. Frei cautions consumers to do thorough research before buying any herbal products.
B Vitamins
B vitamins are water-soluble and will not be stored in your body, so it's almost impossible to take too many of them. However, while it's safe to take extra vitamin B supplements on a daily basis, aim for 100 percent supplementation and avoid taking extra amounts. It is often a waste of money since your body quickly flushes the extra vitamins out of your system. A quality multivitamin will not only give you 100 percent supplementation, but will provide the B vitamins in correct proportion to one another.
Vitamins A, D, and E
The fat-soluble vitamins A, D, and E are often lacking in today's diets. The Linus Pauling Institute recommends that you take 5,000 IU of vitamin A per day, and avoid taking more than 25,000 IU per day. Chronic oversupplementation of vitamin A can lead to health problems. Aim for 2,000 IU of vitamin D daily. Most products offer just 400 IU of vitamin D, so consider an additional product to provide enough of this essential nutrient. Also add a vitamin E supplement that will give you 200 IU per day. Some multivitamins do not provide vitamin E.
Iron
Some complete vitamin formulas contain iron. While everyone needs iron for health, it is possible to consume too much iron. The National Institutes of Health recommends a daily intake of 18 mg for adult women, 8 mg for men, and 7 to 11 mg for children and infants. Pregnant women should take up to 27 mg of iron per day to avoid fatigue and anemia. Iron overload can occur from taking too much iron, and the National Institutes of Health cautions men and postmenopausal women to avoid taking iron supplements unless directed to do so by a doctor.
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