Multivitamins are dietary supplements that contain a combination of vitamins, minerals, and sometimes other ingredients. These supplements are designed to provide a convenient way to cover nutritional gaps in the diet. Here are some key points about multivitamins:

1. Contents: Multivitamins typically contain several vitamins and minerals, often including vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin E, vitamin K, and a range of B vitamins (like B1, B2, B3, B6, B12), as well as minerals such as calcium, magnesium, zinc, and iron¹².

2. Forms: They come in various forms, including tablets, capsules, gummies, powders, and liquids³.

3. Purpose: The main purpose of multivitamins is to fill in nutritional gaps and ensure adequate intake of essential nutrients, especially for individuals who may not get enough vitamins and minerals from their diet alone⁴.

4. Usage: Multivitamin use is common, with many people taking them to improve their overall health or prevent deficiencies. The usage rates are particularly high among older adults and individuals with specific nutritional needs⁵.

5. Regulation: There is no standard or regulatory definition for what constitutes a multivitamin in terms of specific components or doses. This means that the composition of multivitamin products can vary widely⁶.

6. Effectiveness: While multivitamins can help address specific nutrient deficiencies, current evidence suggests that they do not significantly reduce the risk of chronic diseases like cardiovascular disease or cancer in the general population⁷.

7. Who Benefits: Certain groups, such as people with restricted diets, older adults, pregnant women, and individuals with specific health conditions, may benefit more from taking multivitamins⁸.

Overall, multivitamins can be a useful supplement for ensuring adequate nutrient intake, especially for those who may have dietary limitations or increased nutritional needs.

Footnotes

1. NIH - Office of Dietary Supplements: Multivitamin/mineral Supplements ↩

2. NCBI Bookshelf - Multivitamin Supplementation ↩

3. Harvard Health - Should I Take a Daily Multivitamin? ↩

4. Examine.com - Do You Need a Multivitamin? ↩

5. LPI Oregon State - Multivitamin/mineral Supplements ↩

6. AS Menon - Multivitamins: Use or Misuse? ↩

7. Rachel C. Shelton - Multivitamin Use among Multi-ethnic, Low-income Adults ↩

8. Elizabeth A Yetley - Multivitamin and Multimineral Dietary Supplements ↩