Equate Multivitamin Ingredients
The best way to get vitamins is by eating a well-balanced diet. In addition to your daily diet, your doctor may recommend taking a multivitamin supplement as another source of these important nutrients. Equate Multivitamins, distributed by Wal-Mart, is a brand that's likely as effective as some produced by larger manufacturers, according to a 2009 "The New York Times" article. Before taking any multivitamin supplement, consult your doctor for the recommended dose, especially if you're pregnant or have any health issues.
Multivitamin tablets can't replace whole foods. (Image: milosducati/iStock/Getty Images)Fat-Soluble Ingredients
Your body requires 13 vitamins daily, including the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K, to function properly. These essential nutrients promote good vision, strong bones, digestion of foods and blood clotting. Walmart.com and DailyBurn.com indicate that Equate Complete Multivitamin Supplement contains 70 percent of the percent daily value, or DV, of vitamin A, 100 percent of the vitamin E DV and 100 percent of the DV of vitamin D. This multivitamin supplement also provides 31 percent of the DV of vitamin K.
Water-Soluble Ingredients
Your body also needs vitamin C and the eight B vitamins, which are all water-soluble and must be supplied regularly. Your body needs these vitamins for tissue repair, collagen production, energy metabolism, nerve conduction, immune functions and DNA synthesis. Each serving of Equate Complete Multivitamin Supplement provides 150 percent of the vitamin C DV, as well as 100 percent of the DV of vitamins B-1, B-2, B-6 and B-12. Each serving also gives you 125 percent of the DV of folate, 100 percent of the pantothenic acid DV and 100 percent of your DV of biotin.
Other Ingredients
Equate Complete Multivitamin Supplement also includes several minerals. One tablet provides 115 percent of the DV of manganese, 100 percent of DV of iodine, 79 percent of the DV of selenium and 73 percent of the DV of zinc. It also contains 60 percent of the DV of molybdenum, 29 percent of chromium, 25 percent of magnesium and 11 percent of phosphorus. These minerals are important for many body functions -- they support strong bones and teeth, boost the immune system and have many other essential roles in keeping you healthy.
Warnings
Don't take any multivitamin or dietary supplement without consulting your doctor first. Exceeding the recommended dosage might cause potentially serious side effects and could even prove fatal in extremely rare cases. Take your daily dose of multivitamins with water, not milk, because the calcium in milk decreases absorption of some of the ingredients. Call your doctor immediately if you have any symptoms of an allergic reaction to the vitamin, such as difficulty breathing, hives or swelling of your lips, tongue or throat.
