Multivitamins
Alternate names: Multiples, Multis, Multivitamin, Multivitamin-multimineral supplements, MVIs, MVMs, MVMM, Suppléments Multivitaminiques et Multiminéraux, Vitamines Multiples
Background
Multivitamins are supplements that contain multiple vitamins, minerals, and other ingredients in varying amounts. Ingredients vary by product.
Multivitamins are intended to supplement the diet by providing nutrients that might be lacking in foods. There's no standard definition for multivitamins in the US. Supplements are often called a "multivitamin" if they contain three or more vitamins and/or minerals.
People most often use multivitamins for improving general health and well-being. They are also used for vision loss, heart disease, cancer, memory, and many other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support most of these uses.
Don't confuse multivitamins with prenatal vitamins. These are not the same.
Multivitamins are intended to supplement the diet by providing nutrients that might be lacking in foods. There's no standard definition for multivitamins in the US. Supplements are often called a "multivitamin" if they contain three or more vitamins and/or minerals.
People most often use multivitamins for improving general health and well-being. They are also used for vision loss, heart disease, cancer, memory, and many other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support most of these uses.
Don't confuse multivitamins with prenatal vitamins. These are not the same.
Safety Safety definitions
When taken by mouth: Multivitamins are likely safe when used in amounts that don't exceed recommended vitamin and nutrient intakes. But be careful when taking a multivitamin along with other nutrient sources. This can cause some people to get too much of certain nutrients. See specific ingredients for more detailed safety information.
Elderly: Elderly people who are taking multivitamins should use products that come in small tablet form. This may reduce the risk of choking. Many multivitamin tablets are quite large. Elderly people tend to have trouble swallowing large tablets.
Special Precautions & Warnings:
Pregnancy and breast-feeding: Multivitamins are likely safe when taken by mouth at recommended nutrient doses for pregnancy and breast-feeding. But be careful when taking a multivitamin in addition to other nutrient sources. This can cause some people to get too much of certain nutrients. See our monograph on prenatal multivitamins for additional information about specific multivitamins used during pregnancy.Elderly: Elderly people who are taking multivitamins should use products that come in small tablet form. This may reduce the risk of choking. Many multivitamin tablets are quite large. Elderly people tend to have trouble swallowing large tablets.
Effectiveness
NatMed Pro rates effectiveness based on scientific evidence according to the following scale: Effective, Likely Effective, Possibly Effective, Possibly Ineffective, Likely Ineffective, Ineffective, and Insufficient Evidence to Rate.
Possibly effective Effectiveness definitions
- An eye disease that leads to vision loss in older adults (age-related macular degeneration or AMD). For people who already have AMD, taking multivitamins that contain specific antioxidants by mouth helps prevent AMD from becoming worse.
Likely ineffective Effectiveness definitions
- Death from any cause. Taking multivitamins by mouth doesn't reduce the risk of death in adults.
Possibly ineffective Effectiveness definitions
- Heart disease. Taking multivitamins by mouth doesn't reduce the risk of heart disease or prevent heart-related events such as heart attack in people with heart disease.
Dosing & administration
Multivitamins are typically taken by mouth once daily. The ingredients vary greatly between different types of products. There's no standard regulatory definition for multivitamins in the US, and some are created for specific populations, including older adults and children. Speak with your healthcare provider to find out what type of multivitamin product might be best for you.
Interactions with pharmaceuticals
See specific ingredients for interactions with medicines.
Interactions with herbs & supplements
See specific ingredients for interactions with herbs and supplements.
Interactions with foods
There are no known interactions with foods.
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This monograph was last reviewed on 04/07/2024 10:00:00 and last updated on 30/01/2023 04:12:36. Monographs are reviewed and/or updated multiple times per month and at least once per year.
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Natural Medicines rates safety based on scientific evidence according to the following scale: Likely Safe, Possibly Safe, Possibly Unsafe, Likely Unsafe, Unsafe, and Insufficient Evidence to Rate. For more information about Natural Medicines’ Safety Rating System, click here.
The Natural Medicines Effectiveness Ratings are assigned for specific indications. A product might be rated "Possibly Effective" for one condition, but be rated "Likely Ineffective" for another condition, depending on the evidence. For more info click here.
