Editing Multivitamin (section)

{{short description|Dietary supplement containing vitamins}}
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[[File:B vitamin supplement tablets.jpg|thumb|Multivitamins contain multiple [[micronutrient|micro-nutrient]]s, such as [[vitamin]]s and [[dietary mineral]]s.|alt=Multivitamins]]
A '''multivitamin''' is a preparation intended to serve as a [[dietary supplement]] with [[vitamin]]s, [[dietary mineral]]s, and other nutritional elements. Such preparations are available in the form of tablets, capsules, [[pastille]]s, powders, liquids, gummies, or injectable formulations. Other than injectable formulations, which are only available and administered under medical supervision, multivitamins are recognized by the [[Codex Alimentarius Commission]] (the [[United Nations]]' authority on food standards) as a category of [[food]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Guidelines for Vitamin and Mineral Food Supplements |date=2005 |url=http://www.fao.org/input/download/standards/10206/cxg_055e.pdf |id=CAC/GL 55 - 2005 |access-date=2019-10-06 |archive-date=2012-04-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120425084829/http://www.codexalimentarius.net/download/standards/10206/cxg_055e.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>

In healthy people, most scientific evidence indicates that multivitamin supplements do not prevent [[cancer]], [[Coronary artery disease|heart disease]], or other ailments, and regular supplementation is not necessary.<ref name=":Bjelakovic2012">{{cite journal | vauthors = Bjelakovic G, Nikolova D, Gluud LL, Simonetti RG, Gluud C | title = Antioxidant supplements for prevention of mortality in healthy participants and patients with various diseases | journal = The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews | volume = 2012 | issue = 3 | pages = CD007176 | date = March 2012 | pmid = 22419320 | pmc = 8407395 | doi = 10.1002/14651858.CD007176.pub2 | hdl-access = free | hdl = 10138/136201 }}</ref><ref name="ods" /><ref name=philly>{{Cite news|url=http://www.philly.com/philly/health/new-study-on-supplemental-vitamins-proves-theyre-useless-and-a-waste-of-money-20180605.html|title=New study on supplemental vitamins proves they're useless and a waste of money| vauthors = Litman RS |date=June 5, 2018|work=Philly.com|access-date=July 9, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180709233520/http://www.philly.com/philly/health/new-study-on-supplemental-vitamins-proves-theyre-useless-and-a-waste-of-money-20180605.html|archive-date=July 9, 2018}}</ref><ref name=jourcardio>{{cite journal | vauthors = Jenkins DJ, Spence JD, Giovannucci EL, Kim YI, Josse R, Vieth R, Blanco Mejia S, Viguiliouk E, Nishi S, Sahye-Pudaruth S, Paquette M, Patel D, Mitchell S, Kavanagh M, Tsirakis T, Bachiri L, Maran A, Umatheva N, McKay T, Trinidad G, Bernstein D, Chowdhury A, Correa-Betanzo J, Del Principe G, Hajizadeh A, Jayaraman R, Jenkins A, Jenkins W, Kalaichandran R, Kirupaharan G, Manisekaran P, Qutta T, Shahid R, Silver A, Villegas C, White J, Kendall CW, Pichika SC, Sievenpiper JL | title = Supplemental Vitamins and Minerals for CVD Prevention and Treatment | journal = Journal of the American College of Cardiology | volume = 71 | issue = 22 | pages = 2570–2584 | date = June 2018 | pmid = 29852980 | doi = 10.1016/j.jacc.2018.04.020 | doi-access = free }}</ref><ref name=aha>{{cite journal | vauthors = Angelo G, Drake VJ, Frei B | title = Efficacy of Multivitamin/mineral Supplementation to Reduce Chronic Disease Risk: A Critical Review of the Evidence from Observational Studies and Randomized Controlled Trials | journal = Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition | volume = 55 | issue = 14 | pages = 1968–1991 | date = 18 June 2014 | pmid = 24941429 | doi = 10.1080/10408398.2014.912199 | s2cid = 19463847 }}</ref><ref name=aoim>{{cite journal | vauthors = Khan SU, Khan MU, Riaz H, Valavoor S, Zhao D, Vaughan L, Okunrintemi V, Riaz IB, Khan MS, Kaluski E, Murad MH, Blaha MJ, Guallar E, Michos ED | title = Effects of Nutritional Supplements and Dietary Interventions on Cardiovascular Outcomes: An Umbrella Review and Evidence Map | journal = Annals of Internal Medicine | volume = 171 | issue = 3 | pages = 190–198 | date = August 2019 | pmid = 31284304 | pmc = 7261374 | doi = 10.7326/M19-0341 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://healthyfiy.com/should-you-take-vitamin-supplements-everyday/|title=An Untold Truth of Vitamins|access-date=15 October 2020|website=Healthyfiy|archive-date=20 October 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201020175046/https://healthyfiy.com/should-you-take-vitamin-supplements-everyday/|url-status=live}}</ref> However, specific groups of people may benefit from multivitamin supplements, for example, people with poor nutrition or those at high risk of [[macular degeneration]],<ref name="ods" /><ref name="HHS2006" /> and women who are pregnant or trying to get pregnant.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Nutritional interventions update: multiple micronutrient supplements during pregnancy |url=https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240007789 |access-date=2024-12-12 |website=www.who.int |language=en}}</ref>

There is no standardized scientific definition for multivitamin.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Yetley EA | title = Multivitamin and multimineral dietary supplements: definitions, characterization, bioavailability, and drug interactions | journal = The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition | volume = 85 | issue = 1 | pages = 269S–276S | date = January 2007 | pmid = 17209208 | doi = 10.1093/ajcn/85.1.269S | doi-access = free }}</ref> In the United States, a multivitamin/mineral supplement is defined as a supplement containing three or more vitamins and minerals that does not include [[herb]]s, [[hormone]]s, or [[drug]]s, where each vitamin and mineral is included at a dose below the tolerable upper intake level as determined by the Food and Drug Board, and does not present a risk of adverse health effects.<ref>National Institutes of Health State-of-the-Science Panel. National Institutes of Health State-of-the-Science Conference Statement: multivitamin/mineral supplements and chronic disease prevention" ''Am J Clin Nutr'' 2007;85:257S-64S</ref>