The evidence suggests that people who take multi-vitamins are less healthy than those who don't. This may however be a cause vs effect question. Do people who don't eat well try to make up for it by taking multi-vitamins? (Which wouldn't work.) Or do multi-vitamins give people a false sense of security leading them to not eat well? (It's possible). Or do multi-vitamins actually reduce peoples' health. (Which is possible, but seems unlikely).
To be on the safe side,
unless you're pregnant, eat well and toss the multi-vitamins. If you are pregnant follow your doctors advice which will usually be to take iron with folic acid (which prevents neural tube defects in the fetus) or iron with a multivitamin (same reason).
What do I take?
- two Vitamin D3 1000 IU (routine, as most people are Vitamin D deficient)
- one 81 mg ASA (advice of a cardiologist to prevent stroke from periodic irregular heart beats)
- anti-hypertensives/anti-arrhythmics (advice of a cardiologist)