Overview

Multivitamins are supplements that contain multiple vitamins, minerals, and other ingredients in varying amounts. Ingredients vary by product.

Multivitamins are intended to supplement the diet by providing nutrients that might be lacking in foods. There's no standard definition for multivitamins in the US. Supplements are often called a "multivitamin" if they contain three or more vitamins and/or minerals.

People most often use multivitamins for improving general health and well-being. They are also used for vision loss, heart disease, cancer, memory, and many other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support most of these uses.

Don't confuse multivitamins with prenatal vitamins. These are not the same.



Uses & Effectiveness

Possibly Effective for

  • An eye disease that leads to vision loss in older adults (age-related macular degeneration or AMD). For people who already have AMD, taking multivitamins that contain specific antioxidants by mouth helps prevent AMD from becoming worse.

Possibly Ineffective for

  • Heart disease. Taking multivitamins by mouth doesn't reduce the risk of heart disease or prevent heart-related events such as heart attack in people with heart disease.

Likely InEffective for

  • Death from any cause. Taking multivitamins by mouth doesn't reduce the risk of death in adults.

There is interest in using multivitamins for a number of other purposes, but there isn't enough reliable information to say whether it might be helpful.

Side Effects

When taken by mouth: Multivitamins are likely safe when used in amounts that don't exceed recommended vitamin and nutrient intakes. But be careful when taking a multivitamin along with other nutrient sources. This can cause some people to get too much of certain nutrients. See specific ingredients for more detailed safety information.

Special Precautions and Warnings

When taken by mouth: Multivitamins are likely safe when used in amounts that don't exceed recommended vitamin and nutrient intakes. But be careful when taking a multivitamin along with other nutrient sources. This can cause some people to get too much of certain nutrients. See specific ingredients for more detailed safety information.

Pregnancy and breast-feeding: Multivitamins are likely safe when taken by mouth at recommended nutrient doses for pregnancy and breast-feeding. But be careful when taking a multivitamin in addition to other nutrient sources. This can cause some people to get too much of certain nutrients. See our monograph on prenatal multivitamins for additional information about specific multivitamins used during pregnancy.

Elderly: Elderly people who are taking multivitamins should use products that come in small tablet form. This may reduce the risk of choking. Many multivitamin tablets are quite large. Elderly people tend to have trouble swallowing large tablets.

Interactions

We currently have no information for Multivitamins overview.

Dosing

Multivitamins are typically taken by mouth once daily. The ingredients vary greatly between different types of products. There's no standard regulatory definition for multivitamins in the US, and some are created for specific populations, including older adults and children. Speak with your healthcare provider to find out what type of multivitamin product might be best for you.
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CONDITIONS OF USE AND IMPORTANT INFORMATION: This information is meant to supplement, not replace advice from your doctor or healthcare provider and is not meant to cover all possible uses, precautions, interactions or adverse effects. This information may not fit your specific health circumstances. Never delay or disregard seeking professional medical advice from your doctor or other qualified health care provider because of something you have read on WebMD. You should always speak with your doctor or health care professional before you start, stop, or change any prescribed part of your health care plan or treatment and to determine what course of therapy is right for you.

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