How To

How to Choose Vitamins

Contributor

By eHow Contributing Writer

Article Rating:

(0 Ratings)

Eating habits, medical conditions and age may cause your doctor to recommend a daily vitamin supplement. Children, pregnant women, smokers and the elderly typically benefit from taking vitamins. You may need a multivitamin if you are dieting or don't eat nutritious foods. Here are some tips to help you choose a vitamin.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Step 1

Read the serving size to determine how many you must take to reach the Percent of Daily Value. Some vitamins, such as calcium, may require more than one dose to get 100 percent of the daily value.
Step 2

Look for the abbreviation "USP" on the vitamin label. Buy a vitamin meets the voluntary standards of the U.S. Pharmacopeia (USP).
Step 3

Take a multivitamin that provides meets the daily value for most of the vitamins and minerals. Avoid supplements that provide a large dose of one vitamin and less than 100 percent daily value for other vitamins. Centrum and One-A-Day are widely-sold brands of multivitamins.
Step 4

Look for chewable tablets or liquid vitamins if you have trouble swallowing tablets. Vitamins for children and many adult vitamins come in chewables that taste fairly good.
Step 5

Buy a quality vitamin without paying extra for "natural" or unnecessary herbs, enzymes or amino acids that only add to the cost.

Tips & Warnings

Never take more than the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) for any vitamin. This can be extremely harmful to your health.
Be aware of generic brands. They may be cheaper, but they make be less effective if they dissolve more slowly or don't meet other USP standards.
Check the expiration date printed on the package before purchasing vitamins.

Who Can Help: