Multivitamins such as One a Day Men's Health Formula have become a huge industry, targeting populations with vitamins "specially formulated" just for them. Although it's important to get adequate amounts of all essential nutrients each day, most people aren't deficient in any major vitamins and thus don't really need a multivitamin. Talk to your doctor about your diet, health concerns and vitamin needs, especially if you're taking other medications that could interact with multivitamins.
Multivitamin Uses
Multivitamins can help fill gaps in your diet left by poor nutrition, special diets, and medical conditions that cause vitamin deficiencies or malabsorption. A healthful diet should provide all the vitamins and minerals you need to stay well, but many people still choose to take a daily multivitamin to make up for not eating enough of certain vitamin-rich foods, such as fruits and vegetables.
Men's Health Support
Multivitamin manufacturers such as One A Day formulate vitamins for certain populations, such as seniors, pregnant women and teenagers. The Men's Health Formula is intended for men younger than age 50 who are not serious athletes. One a Day claims this formula supports men's heart health, immunity and energy with a focus on vitamins B-6, vitamin B-12, vitamin C, vitamin E, folic acid, calcium, magnesium, vitamin D, selenium, pantothenic acid and chromium.
Benefits
Heart disease is the No. 1 killer of men in the United States, and vitamins such as B-6, B-12 and folic acid do help regulate a heart disease-related amino acid called homocysteine. Another touted component of the vitamin, selenium, may help protect men from developing diabetes or prostate cancer. However, the benefits of other components are unclear. For example, the National Institutes of Health does not rate pantothenic acid as effective for raising men's energy levels, as One a Day claims.
Precautions
If you take multivitamins you don't really need, you could be providing your body with more of many vitamins than it can use effectively. Vitamins are not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration, and their labeling cannot legally claim to cure or prevent any disease. If you take a multivitamin, include it on any health forms that ask which medications you're taking and find out if it might negatively interact with other medications. Never exceed the recommended dose, which is usually one tablet per day.
References
- One A Day: Men's Health Formula
- MayoClinic.com: Multivitamins -- Are they the best thing for you?; Jennifer Nelson, M.S., R.D. and Katherine Zeratsky; March 6, 2008
- National Institutes of Health: Multivitamins
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Vitamin B6
- WomensHealth.gov: Heart Disease in Men
- BioMed Central: Selenium Protects Men Against Diabetes; March 17, 2010
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