Most multivitamin supplements are sold over-the-counter. Multivitamin formulas are made for men, women, children, pregnant women and seniors. Each manufacturer chooses how much they include of each vitamin and minerals in their multivitamin, so some may contain higher levels of certain vitamins than others. This may make choosing the best multivitamin difficult. The Mayo Clinic suggests that when choosing a multivitamin, choose one that is tailored to your sex, age and medical needs.
Women's Multivitamin
Women's One a Day multivitamin formula was voted the best multivitamin for women as of February 2011 by Consumer Search. This multivitamin is designed specifically for healthy adult women to take once per day. Women's One a Day may cause nausea if taken on an empty stomach, so Drugs.com suggests taking your daily multivitamin with a glass of water. This multivitamin contains the recommended daily allowance of iron and calcium that women need during this premenopausal stage.
Pregnancy
During pregnancy both mother and baby require additional nutrients to remain healthy, as well as to ward off birth defects caused by malnutrition. To meet these needs, pregnant women are encouraged to take a prenatal multivitamin. Prenatal vitamins contain a higher folic acid and iron level, but lower levels of the mineral calcium. The mother-to-be needs folic acid to prevent spinal defects, such as spinal bifida, during pregnancy. Non-pregnant women need at least 400 mcg of folic acid and that amount rises during pregnancy. The best prenatal vitamin supplement is Pregnancy Plus Prenatal Multivitamin.
Men's Daily Multivitamin
Just as women do, men require certain nutritional needs, which may be gotten through healthy eating. Taking a multivitamin should not substitute for healthy eating, but rather enhance health by supplementing the vitamins and minerals you may lack. Men require a much lower dose of iron than women--8mg--while women need 18 mg. Men's multivitamin formulas often contain much lower levels of iron or exclude iron altogether. The best multivitamin for men is Target Up and Up Men's multivitamin. These multivitamins can only be purchased at the retail store Target. Another best voted multivitamin for men is GNC Mega Men multivitamins. You can find this multivitamin over-the-counter in GNC.
Seniors
Taking multivitamins over the age of 50 in addition to eating healthily may be a good idea, provided your physician states that its suitable for you. There are many changes that take place in the body during this time, which beacons the need to increases certain vitamin or mineral levels. Certain parts of the body, such as the bones, heart and brain, need extra care. A senior's multivitamin should contain a mixture of B-complex vitamins, which are vital for brain and heart health and vitamin A for the eyes. These multivitamin formulas usually contain an extra amount of calcium to prevent brittle bones due to bone loss. The best senior formula is Centrum Silver as recommended by Consumer Search.
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