Multivitamins are supplements that contain multiple vitamins, minerals, and other ingredients in varying amounts. Ingredients vary by product.
Multivitamins are intended to supplement the diet by providing nutrients that might be lacking in foods. There's no standard definition for multivitamins in the US. Supplements are often called a "multivitamin" if they contain three or more vitamins and/or minerals.
People most often use multivitamins for improving general health and well-being. They are also used for vision loss, heart disease, cancer, memory, and many other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support most of these uses.
Don't confuse multivitamins with prenatal vitamins. These are not the same.
NatMed disclaims any responsibility related to medical consequences of using any medical product. Effort is made to ensure that the information contained in this monograph is accurate at the time it was published. Consumers and medical professionals who consult this monograph are cautioned that any medical or product related decision is the sole responsibility of the consumer and/or the health care professional. A legal License Agreement sets limitations on downloading, storing, or printing content from this Database. Except for any possible exceptions written into your License Agreement, no reproduction of this monograph or any content from this Database is permitted without written permission from the publisher. Unlawful to download, store, or distribute content from this site.
For the latest comprehensive data on this and every other natural medicine, health professionals should consult the Professional Version of NatMed. It is fully referenced and updated daily.
© Copyright 1995-2019. Therapeutic Research Center LLC, publishers of NatMed, Prescriber's Letter, and Pharmacist's Letter. All rights reserved.