Diet and Nutrition

What is the right multivitamin pack for me?

07/20/2009

Question:

I am really healthy but I want to broaden my athletic and mental ability, i am 20 years, I am an amateur boxer so I run every morning and go boxing in the evening. There are so many multivitamin packs out there I do not know which one is right for me. I am a vegetarian so I might not get the right nutrients, I get protein from Myoplex and milk. Could you please tell me what would be a good multivitamin pack for me?

Answer:

First let me say that there is very little evidence to show that athletes who consume enough calories from a variety of foods need to take a multi-vitamin. If you feel you want to take a multi-vitamin as a sort of insurance policy, I would look for a well-respected brand or a brand that has the USP stamp on the label. The USP stamp ensures that it has the ingredients the label lists and in the amount listed. You can learn more about USP certification at: http://www.usp.org/. In fact, their current page has a nice USP education piece on multi's right now (7/16/2009). There is no research-supported reason to believe that multi's which have mega doses (500% DV and more) have any advantage over those with 100% DV for most nutrients. Find a one-a-day sort of multivitamin that is USP stamped and it should do you well if you feel you need one. Remember that some specific issues such as iron, vitamin D and calcium may have a slightly different answer depending on your health and age group.

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Response by:

Jackie Buell, PhD, RD/LD, ATC, LAT
Director of Sports Nutrition
Department of Human Nutrition
College of Education and Human Ecology
The Ohio State University