April 7, 2017 general

Centrum Silver is the top-selling multivitamin brand in the US. That is not very surprising because the company has a gigantic advertising budget and has succeeded in securing shelf space in every major retailer making it very easy to get. While I understand why even very smart people have been persuaded to take Centrum, I don’t recommend it. Below are some of the reasons that also applies to most of the mass market vitamins:

1. Small amounts of nutrients. Centrum compares its contents (and not very favorably) to the government recommended daily intake levels (DV). Those federal guidelines may protect the average person from third-world type deficiency diseases, but they do not promote optimum function or meet the unique needs of an individual. For example, I consider 60 mg of vitamin C to be a joke. Most studies show that 500 mg is a more rational minimum and some folks need multiples of that amount. The DV suggestions for minerals are a little closer to realistic. But, the 70mg guideline for selenium is way short of 100-200mg that is a more beneficial dose. (Selenium is important for thyroid function, cancer protection and a lot more.) Centrum contains a mere 19 mg of selenium. Centrum also contains more blue dye than it does crucial vitamin B₁₂.
2. Cheap forms of nutrients. Speaking of selenium, Centrum uses the inorganic form sodium selenate which is more toxic, less soluble and less beneficial than other forms such as an amino acid chelate or Methylselenocysteine. The calcium and magnesium are basically just ground rocks. The B-vitamins are not in the active forms. The vitamin E is synthetic rather than the more active natural form.
3. Label trickery. The multivitamin brags that it contains Lutein for eye health. At first, the 250 mcg provided might sound like a lot. However, that is micrograms and is only a little over 1% of the effective dose shown in the studies—18,000 mcg (18 milligrams)! The same principle applies to their talk of Lycopene for heart health. Centrum contains 300 mcg of Lycopene, but to claim a heart benefit, it should have 8,000 (8 mg)!
4. Toxins? Some ingredients worry me. For one thing, it uses nickel as a supplement. On the nutrition tests used in clinics, I always found nickel listed with the toxic elements. Deficiencies are so rare and the side effects of an excess so alarming that most nutritionists believe nickel should only be consumed in food. These 3 ingredients are sources of aluminum: Blue 2 Lake, Red 40 Lake, and Yellow 6 Lake.
5. Unnecessary non-nutritive junk. Natural vitamins that I prefer do NOT contain the following stuff listed in the ingredients of Centrum Silver: Microcrystalline Cellulose, Modified Corn Starch, Corn Starch, Maltodextrin, BHT (preservative), Crospovidone (polyvinyl N-pyrrolidone), Gelatin, Hydrogenated Palm Oil, Hypromellose (hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (a semi-synthetic polymer), Polydextrose (a synthetic polymer of glucose), Pregelatinized Corn Starch, Silicon Dioxide (the major component of sand), Sodium Ascorbate (preservative), Sodium Metavanadate (can cause GI discomfort), Talc, and Titanium Dioxide (a pigment powder used in paint)
6. Centrum is owned by a drug company. Pharmaceutical giant Pfizer’s doesn’t have a great incentive to produce a wonderful multivitamin. Their bottom line profit will be even bigger if people get sick because they did not get the nutrition they needed.
7. Centrum’s website doesn’t make it easy to see what is in the product. I finally gave up and went to the website of a responsible retailer who lists the contents and ingredients of products it sells.
8. Taking Centrum gives people a false sense of security. Having been duped into thinking that they are doing themselves a favor by buying it, consumers miss out on the opportunity to benefit from a high quality therapeutic product. Worse yet, a few probably think that Centrum is a substitute for eating healthful food! (Hah! Even a great multi isn’t that good.)