Label decoder – Specialty multivitamins
Lots of multivitamin labels advertise that they’re specially formulated – for women, men, teenage girls, teenage boys, menopausal women, people who have high cholesterol, or even people who want more energy. Do those multivitamins really give you something different, or is it all just hype? Let’s l. Look at the label decoder at one product, One A Day Women’s Active Metabolism, to see what a special formula really delivers.
Calcium and vitamin D – More calcium than an average unisex multivitamin and a nice dose of vitamin D. But it has 200 fewer milligrams of calcium than you’d get in One A Day’s regular women’s multi, which has more D, too.
B Vitamins – These vitamins help your body to extract energy from food. But taking extra Bs won’t necessarily boost energy. People with vitamin deficiencies due to an underlying condition may need more than a multi can provide.
Caffeine and Guarana Aha – now there’s something that should give you an energy boost. One of these pills has 120 milligrams of caffeine (an 8.4-ounce can of Red Bull has 80 milligrams), plus guarana seed, a natural stimulant that contains caffeine.
Disclaimers – Some dietary supplements include claims that appear next to an “referring to a disclaimer that says the statement hasn’t been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and that the product “is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease”. That’s because supplement manufacturers don’t have to prove to the FDA that their products are safe or effective before being sold to the public. It is the manufacturer, not the FDA, that is responsible for the accuracy and truthfulness of health or other claims that dietary supplements are allowed to make.
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Supplement Facts
Serving Size: One tablet
Amount Per Serving % Daily Value
Vitamin A
(10% as beta-carotene) 2500 IU 50%
Vitamin C 60 mg 100%
Vitamin D 800 IU 200%
Vitamin E 22.5 IU 75%
Vitamin K 25 mcg 31%
Thiamin (B1) 2.4 mg 160%
Riboflavin (B2) 2.7 mg 159%
Niacin 10 mg 50%
Vitamin B6 3.2 mg 160%
Folic Acid 400 mcg 100%
Vitamin B12 9.5 mcg 158%
Biotin 30 mcg 10%
Pantothenic Acid 5 mg 50%
Calcium (elemental) 300 mg 30%
Iron 18 mg 100%
Magnesium 50 mg 13%
Zinc 15 mg 100%
Selenium 20 mcg 29%
Copper 2 mg 100%
Manganese 2 mg 100%
Chromium 120 mcg 100%
Guarana Seed (powder) 50 mg *
Caffeine 120 mg *
*Daily Value not established.
