4 shopping tips
If you opt for a multi, follow these steps:
| 1 |
The manufacturers of USP-verified supplements have voluntarily asked the U.S. Pharmacopeia, a nonprofit group that sets standards for pharmaceuticals, to test their products. If you can’t find USP-verified multivitamins, stick with major brands, which our tests have shown are generally more reliable than dollar-store or bargain-brand multis. For two good choices, see the box at right. (To learn more about USP-verified supplements, go to www.ConsumerReportsMedicalGuide.org, run by Consumers Union, the publisher of this magazine; search on “USP.”)
| 2 |
Most people don't need extra iron. The one exception is if you menstruate heavily, because bleeding can deplete your body’s iron. Taking supplemental iron can be risky because it could mask internal bleeding, and some people have a frequently overlooked genetic disorder called hemochromatosis that causes iron to build up in the body to dangerously high levels. So if you’re taking a multi, make sure it has no more than 10 milligrams of iron.
| 3 |
High doses of vitamins A and E and beta carotene may slightly increase the risk of death, according to recent evidence. Other research suggests that large amounts of the retinol form of vitamin A (usually listed as vitamin A acetate or palmitate) cause birth defects, liver damage, and may weaken bones, so choose multis with no more than 60 IUs of vitamin E and no more than 5,000 IUs of vitamin A (with at least some A coming from beta carotene).
| 4 |
Claims of aiding weight loss or increasing energy usually have no scientific basis. Even pills supposedly designed especially for men, women, or certain age groups are questionable. For example, while some “women's” multis are slightly higher in calcium, many of us still need a separate calcium pill to get the recommended dose.
| Click any of the links below for a selection of articles from the Spring 2007 issue of ShopSmart;) Editor's Letter Greetings from ShopSmart Editor-in-Chief Lisa Lee Freeman Five ways to shop smarter Online and off, these tips will help you get the best deals Great sites for gift givers Fun and funky presents to buy online for grads, dads, brides, and anyone else on your list How to order wine Order the right wine at any restaurant (even if you have no idea what you're doing) Online shopping The best shopping sites you’ve (probably) never heard of |
