San Leandro, CA
A 51-year-old female asked:
Can you take a multi vitamin and a regular vitamin such as vitamin b complex or c?
1 doctor answer • 3 doctors weighed in
Dr. Randy Bakeranswered
Holistic Medicine 41 years experience
Yes: A multivitamin will seldom supply optimal levels of vitamin c, so i often advise that people take additional vitamin c. Some people will benefit from higher intake of b complex than many multivitamins provide and there is no danger in taking an additional b complex. There is no harm in taking lots of b's except limit b6 to 250 day. Excessive Folic Acid may be harmful- see my comment.
5.6k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Dr. Randy Baker commented
Holistic Medicine 41 years experience
Provided original answer
There is some evidence that synthetic folic acid may increase risk of certain cancers. I thus prefer multivitamins and B complex that include the active form of folic acid, L-5-MTHF. Few companies have this currently, but 2 that do have this in their mulitvitamins are Pure Encapsulations and Designs For Health. See http://www.drfuhrman.com/library/folic_acid_dangers_and_prenatal_vitamins.aspx and http://www.drdebe.com/l-5-mthf-new-supplement-that-could-save-your-life.html
Oct 11, 2012
Last updated Jun 25, 2014
People also asked
Connect with a U.S. board-certified doctor by text or video anytime, anywhere.
24/7 visits - just $39!
50% off with $15/month membership
Disclaimer:
Content on HealthTap (including answers) should not be used for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment, and interactions on HealthTap do not create a doctor-patient relationship. Never disregard or delay professional medical advice in person because of anything on HealthTap. Call your doctor or 911 if you think you may have a medical emergency.