Is your multivitamin giving you everything it claims? Is it properly distributing its goods? Consumer Reports tested 21 leading brands, generics, and specialized mixes and found that you're getting nearly the same benefits, if any, from most any bottle.


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Starting from the standpoint that multivitamins are generally unproven to help with the average person's health, Consumer Reports tested 21 multivitamins made for seniors, children, and daily adult use, pulling from both the major brands used by survey correspondents and store brands. Their findings were conclusively similar:

Our tests of 21 multivitamins at two outside labs-including leading brands, five for seniors, and six for children-will allay some of those fears. All but one of the products we tested met their label claims for key essential vitamins and minerals, and none contained worrisome levels of contaminants such as arsenic or heavy metals. Most of the pills we tested also passed the U.S. Pharmacopeia's dissolution test, which involves immersing them in a simulated stomach-acid solution to determine whether they'll dissolve properly in your body


Here's more on their testing and some background on multivitamins in a video:

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Vitamin use and the non-FDA-approved offerings out there are a contentious issue, for sure, but try to keep it civil in the comments. If you've got a say on your own multivitamins, or a good source for saving on them, offer it up.

Multivitamins [Consumer Reports Health via The Consumerist]