American Medical Association Recommends Daily Multivitamin

After 20 years, the American Medical Association (AMA) has completely reversed its previous anti-vitamin stance and now encourages all adults to supplement daily with a multiple vitamin. A landmark review of 38 years of scientific evidence by Harvard researchers has convinced the conservative Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) to rewrite its policy guidelines regarding the use of vitamin supplements. In two reports, published in 2002, the authors conclude that the current North American diet, while sufficient to prevent vitamin-deficiency diseases, such as scurvy and pellagra, is inadequate to support the need for optimal health. The authors conclude that , given our modern diet, supplementation each day with a multiple vitamin/mineral is a prudent preventive measure against chronic disease.

With that in mind, all multivitamins are not created equal. I have put together a brief comparison of some of the available multivitamin supplements sold by our retail locations, at Advance Health and at big box stores. The scientific ratings are assigned by NutriSearch, based on proof of manufacturing and product quality. It is a 5 star rating scale, with 5 being the best rating and < 0.5 being the worst. Prices vary significantly, as do the quality of the supplements. Make a decision about what your health is worth and put your multivitamin where your mouth is.

In good health,
Lucinda