1. Take three-or-more-a-day Multivitamin/Mineral Supplements to meet most of your requirements. One that gives 10 to 20 times the RDA for the B Vitamins, 500mg to 1000mg of Vitamin C, 200 to 400 IU of vitamin E and at least 500mg of Calcium and 300mg of Magnesium. Note that standard one-a-day multivitamins are too small to give all the required nutrients.

2. Add supplements to your multivitamin to meet individual requirements depending on your family history, personal state of health and lifestyle as even very good multivitamins may not have all that is needed. If your multivitamin doesn’t have enough calcium for instance, supplement with a calcium supplement.

3. Natural supplements are absorbed and utilised more effectively than synthetic supplements. In addition, natural supplements are unlikely to have artificial dyes and additives.

4. Store supplements in a cool and dry place and always check the expiry date.5.Supplements should be taken with food as they are best absorbed this way and are less likely to cause an upset stomach.

6. Never substitute supplements for food. It is important to pay attention to your diet even if you are taking the best of supplements.
7. Talk to your doctor or nutritionist about your needs. Generally, most women require extra antioxidants and 25,000 IU of mixed carotenoids and 2000mg of mixed bioflavinoids are recommended. It is important not to go overboard as excessively high doses of certain supplements may be toxic. Doses of Vitamin B6 more than 62 times the RDA of 1.6mg can cause numbness in the feet and an unsteady gait. Vitamin A in doses higher than 10,000 IU may lead to birth defects in pregnant women.

8. Medical history is important and sometimes a blood test may be needed to diagnose conditions and determine the right dosage. Iron supplements are given in cases of anaemia. Patients prone to kidney stones must be well hydrated when taking high doses of Vitamin C as this may aggravate the condition and precipitate the formation of more stones. High doses of Vitamin C may also cause diarrhoea.

9. Certain medications may be affected by vitamin intake. Patients on blood thinners must limit the amounts of Vitamin E and K taken. Vitamin E in doses on 100 IU or more thins the blood. Some supplements may affect the efficiency and absorption of prescription drugs. Iron supplements for instance could prevent the absorption of some prescription drugs so it is advisable to take them at separate times.