Laboratory test results of 60 multivitamins have shown that a supplement cannot be judged by its label or by its price. “Consumers should know that multivitamins vary widely in quality,” said Tod Cooperman, MD, president of ConsumerLab.com, White Plains, NY. “Fortunately, you don’t have to spend a lot to get a good multivitamin.” ConsumerLab.com’s latest report on multivitamins sold in the U.S. and Canada (including three products for pets) found that the contents of the bottle do not always match the claims on the label. Eight multivitamins contained less of an ingredient than claimed, two contained more than claimed, one multivitamin intended for pets was contaminated with lead, tablets of another multivitamin failed to properly disintegrate, and three supplements listed ingredients in ways that did not comply with FDA requirements. Surprisingly, there was almost no connection between price and quality. Many inexpensive multivitamins (ranging in price from 3 to 14 cents per day) passed every test. At the same time, several relatively expensive products (some costing more than 50 cents or even more than $1 a day) failed ConsumerLab.com’s review. This review is available online.
