How to Choose a Multivitamin With Iron

Even the most nutritionally sound diets may have gaps in them. Multivitamins make it easy to bridge these gaps by packing all required nutrients in easy-to-swallow pills. Supplements with iron are especially useful to people on restricted diets, menstruating women, and people with certain illnesses. With the plethora of options available, it is no surprise that choosing a multivitamin is not an easy task. Understanding the criteria that create good formulations often results in making more informed choices.

Instructions

• 1

  Assess your needs for taking a multivitamin. Not all multivitamins are created equal. Look for a product that addresses your age group, sex, and individual concerns.

• 2

  See if the multivitamin with iron contains the USP or CL seal on its label. Products endorsed by the U.S. Pharmacopeia or Consumer Lab are tested for certain standards, ensuring a quality multivitamin free of contaminants.

• 3

  Look for a multivitamin that provides no more than 100% of the daily value of required vitamins. While an excess of water-soluble vitamins gets eliminated, an excess of fat-soluble vitamins such as Vitamins A, E, D, and K can linger in the body and cause chronic problems.

• 4

  Find out the quantity of iron in a product formulation. While men don't need more than eight milligrams of iron per day, menstruating women need 18 milligrams. Women who have reached menopause should avoid excess iron, as it increases the risk of developing heart disease.

• 5

  Discuss options with your doctor if you suffer from cancer or other diseases. Certain vitamins can hinder the absorption of prescription medications and chemotherapy.

• 6

  If you are woman between the ages of 20 and 50, choose a multivitamin that has 400 micrograms of folic acid. Folic acid prevents neural tube defects. Women of childbearing age are strongly advised to supplement with the nutrient.

• 7

  Avoid buying products that have fast approaching expiry dates, even if they are on sale. Most products lose their effectiveness after sitting on store shelves for long periods of time.