Background Information
There's nothing like a sound, low-fat diet full of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains to supply the vitamins and minerals to stay healthy.
Unfortunately, we don't always eat well. That's why so many experts now recommend that everyone take a daily multivitamin. Even the Journal of the American Medical Association now concludes that all adults should take a daily multivitamin -- to help stave off heart disease, cancer and osteoporosis. This recommendation is a complete reversal of the prestigious journal's historical policy on nutritional supplements.
Drs. Kathleen Fairfield and Robert Fletcher of Harvard Medical School in Boston Massachusetts wrote the new guidelines for JAMA in two separate articles. In the first, the researchers reviewed studies examining the connection between vitamin intake and disease published between 1996 and 2002. In the second, the experts reviewed all available data and concluded that everyone, regardless of age or health status, needs a daily multivitamin.
The last time the journal made a recommendation on the subject was approximately two decades ago when little was known about the role of vitamins in disease. At that time JAMA advised healthy people against taking multivitamins concluding there was no evidence to suggest significant benefits in this group of patients.
But times have changed. In their current examination of the subject, Drs. Fairfield and Fletcher write that, "insufficient vitamin intake is apparently a cause of chronic diseases." While the researchers note that the diet of most Americans is sufficient to prevent diseases associated with extreme vitamin deficiency such as scurvy, studies do suggest that a large proportion of people fail to get the optimal levels of vitamins in the foods they eat. In fact, a recent survey revealed that only 20 to 30 percent of the population eats the government's recommended daily minimum of five servings of fruits and vegetables, the main dietary source of vitamins and minerals.
Studies & Reports
Fairfield KM, Fletcher RH. "Vitamins for chronic disease prevention in adults: scientific review." JAMA 2002; 287:3116-3126.
Fletcher RH, Fairfield KM. "Vitamins for chronic disease prevention in adults: clinical applications." JAMA 2002; 287:3127-3129.
Complete Multi-Vitamin, Antioxidant Supplement -- With Lutein
The Co-op's Multi-Vites provide a full range of vitamins and minerals, with 250 mcg of lutein added. See our Supplement Facts page by clicking above!
Iron-Free Formula
Iron is a mineral that is needed by the body to make red blood cells and it is used in the transport of oxygen. Contrary to what many people may think, however, iron deficiency is rare in healthy older men and women.
The United States Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) for iron for men and women age 50 or older is 8 milligrams a day, an amount that is easily met in our diets. Iron is found in many foods such as meat, poultry, fish, beans, whole grain breads and cereals and in vegetables including asparagus, broccoli, cabbage, tomatoes, to name a few.
In recent years, iron is a mineral of growing concern to many healthcare researchers. Iron acts as damaging free radical or oxidizing agent and has the potential for increasing cancer and heart disease. Elevated levels could be very damaging and the body has no way of eliminating excess amounts except through blood loss. Therefore, our Multi-Vites are iron-free!
No Artificial Color!
Just take a look at the major brands on the market. In many commercial vitamins, you will find the following ingredients:
- FD&C Red #40 Lake
- FD&C Yellow #6 Lake
- Polysorbate 80
The Co-op's Multi-Vites do not include these ingredients. Ours are a bit more plain, with only a clear coating, but they compare ingredient for ingredient to national brands, and at big savings.
