Multivitamins Pass Tests With Flying Colors

WASHINGTON, DC, February 16, 2001 —An independent testing lab recently tested 27 multivitamin products to determine whether products are delivering what the label claims they provide. Almost all the multivitamins passed with flying colors. Only one instance is cited of a product failing to meet the label claim. Also, none of the products had unacceptable levels of lead. Products that passed included national brands such as One A Day, Centrum, Nutrilite, Geritol, Theragran-M, Stuart Prenatal, and Poly-Vi-Sol, plus a number of store-brand multivitamins including those marketed by Kmart, Walgreen, and Safeway. Of course, in this limited sample, many brands were not tested. The tests were performed by ConsumerLab.com.

Since the fact that almost all of the multivitamins passed the key test might not be considered "hot news," ConsumerLab attempted to create a more compelling story by focusing on the "upper limits" recently recommended by the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies. ConsumerLab says it is "startling" that some products contain nutrients in excess of the newly established upper limits. "There is nothing startling or unsafe about the levels of nutrients found in these multivitamins," said John Hathcock, Ph.D., Vice President for Nutritional Science and Regulatory Affairs for the Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN). "The upper limits established by the Institute of Medicine are intakes that are not only safe, but safe by a comfortable margin. They are not regulatory limits."

The Food and Drug Administration establishes the reference values for nutrient intake to be used in all nutrition labeling, for conventional foods as well as dietary supplements. Since 1973, the FDA reference amount for vitamin A has been 5000 IU for children 4 years of age or older, and for adults. The reference amount for children 2 or 3 years of age has been 2500 IU. These values have served as the basis for safe and beneficial levels of vitamin A in children’s and adults’ multivitamins as well as fortified breakfast cereals for the past 37 years, with no evidence of any problem. "Products with a proven safety record have not suddenly become unsafe merely because the latest report issued by the Institute of Medicine in January 2001 recommends somewhat lower limits for vitamin A for some age groups. The report will obviously be taken into account when FDA revises the existing regulations," said Annette Dickinson, CRN’s Vice President for Scientific and Regulatory Affairs. (NOTE: The Institute of Medicine’s recommended upper limits for vitamin A for young children are: 2000 IU for children 1-3 and 3000 IU for children 4-8. Upper limits for older children and for men and women range from 5700 IU to 10,000 IU.)

All foods containing added vitamins or minerals are required by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to contain 100% of the amount claimed on the label, whether the products are dietary supplements or breakfast cereals. In order to accomplish this, it is necessary to add more than 100%, because vitamins are not stable, and they deteriorate over time. FDA regulations permit appropriate excesses to be added at the time of manufacture, to compensate for this. In its evaluation, ConsumerLab wrongly criticizes some products for containing more than 100% of the recommended amounts of some vitamins, implying a safety issue where none exists. "It is unjustified and counterproductive for ConsumerLab to imply that there is any safety issue involved in consuming vitamins at the levels reported in these products," said Dr. Hathcock.

The Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN) is a science-based, trade association founded in 1973 and represents more than 100 companies in the dietary supplement industry, including ingredient suppliers and manufacturers. CRN members adhere to a strong code of ethics, comply with dosage limits and manufacture dietary supplements to high quality standards under good manufacturing practices.