Should you take a daily multivitamin?

Short answer

Some people with special diets or medical conditions need to take vitamins daily. As long as you eat a balanced diet, your body can usually get the nutrients it needs from food.

Evidence shows that taking a daily multivitamin will not significantly benefit your health. However, if you still want to take one, this usually poses little to no harm. You should understand that the Food and Drug Administration does not regulate or test over-the-counter supplements and vitamins. This allows many vitamin manufacturers to make false claims about their benefits.

Long answer

What exactly are vitamins and minerals? Vitamins are molecules or groups of molecules that your body needs in small amounts to function. They must be obtained from diet, as your body cannot create them.

Vitamins help build bones, maintain the immune system, and regulate cell growth. Vitamin deficiencies can lead to rare but serious diseases. Diseases that we rarely see these days, such as scurvy (yes, like a pirate) and rickets (yes, like Tiny Tim).

Minerals are nutrients like iron, calcium, and sodium that your body needs in small amounts to function properly. They are helpful for building bones, making hormones, regulating your heartbeat, and supporting healthy muscles and brain function.

Many people take daily multivitamins hoping to prevent disease or extend life, but current evidence suggests they do neither. For the average person, multivitamins have not been shown to prevent cancer, heart disease, dementia, or recurrent infections.

So maybe there is no benefit from taking a daily multivitamin, but is there any known harm? For most people, probably not, but consider the following:

• Typically, multivitamins are OK, but many supplements can interact with other prescription and over-the-counter medications.
• Many vitamins are water-soluble; generally, your body will “filter out” any excess amounts (I.E., they come out in your urine). Some vitamins—especially A, D, E, and K—can build up in the body and become harmful at high levels.
• Unlike medications, vitamins and supplements are not required to prove their safety, effectiveness, or claims before being sold. Do not be fooled by a product stating that it is "natural." This is essentially meaningless labeling. Keep in mind that mercury, cocaine, arsenic and cow feces are also in the category of "natural."
• A few organizations offer some level of optional regulation. If a product carries a seal from a trusted testing organization, it has been verified for quality, potency, and purity. These “seals of approval” don’t guarantee safety or effectiveness. However, they do confirm the product matches its ingredient list and is free of harmful contaminants.

Caveat

If you are in doubt about the need for multivitamin supplementation, safety or brand, then ask your physician.

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