Article: The benefit of multivitamins is that most are designed to give you the Recommended Daily Amount (RDA) of many different vitamins and minerals. The RDA is an amount that should be sufficient, but not too much, for most healthy adults. Examine the label on the product. There should be a table that tells you what percent of the RDA the product has for each vitamin or mineral it contains. The best ones provide you with approximately 100% of the daily value for lots of different vitamins and minerals. If your doctor feels it would be beneficial, you can purchase multivitamins over-the-counter at drug stores and grocery stores. If the label on the bottle says that it provides much more than 100% of the recommended daily amount, then it is a megadose. For example, 500% of the RDA is a megadose. Over dosing on some vitamins can actually be harmful: Both too little and too much vitamin B6 can cause nervous system problems. Fat soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K) are easier to overdose on because excess amounts are not excreted through the urine, as with water soluble vitamins. Too much vitamin A can raise the risks of hip fractures. Too much vitamin D can cause the blood to have too much calcium. This can cause vomiting and constipation. Overdosing on iron can cause vomiting and liver damage. Vitamins and minerals are frequently added to processed foods and beverages. If you are taking vitamins that provide a high amount of some vitamins, be aware that you may need to reduce your supplement intake if your diet already provides you with the right amount. Vitamins can degrade over time. This is particularly likely if they are stored in hot, humid places. If your vitamins have expired, it is safer and healthier to simply purchase new ones. If the type you are considering does not have an expiration date on it, don't take it. The contents of vitamins and supplements are not strictly quality controlled the way food is. This means that it is difficult to be sure exactly what is in the pills that you are purchasing. Check with the Food and Drug Administration's website to see if your supplements are under review. The website can also tell you if people have complained of negative reactions.
What is a summary of what this article is about?
Consider a multivitamin. Don't take large doses of any particular vitamin. Don't take expired vitamins. Research the vitamins you are considering.