I recently bought a bottle of Nature's Way 'Alive' Daily Multivitamins (as recommended to me on this forum ) and when reading the back, I noticed that the amount of many supplements exceeds 100% daily dosage. For example, Vitamin C is 1667% of the daily recommended dosage.

1) Why does the amount in the vitamin exceed the daily recommended dosage?

2) Can my body actually absorb all of this vitamin C?

3) How do companies determine how much of each vitamin to put in a 'daily' multi-vitamin?

Thanks for your help!

1. Many of us think of the RDA as a philosophical point, not anything that has basis in fact in our lives. I take 7 g of C a day, which is some enormously higher % above the RDA.

2. Possibly. Certainly won't hurt you. It's water soluble.

3. What ever is cheap enough to hit the price point, is water soluble, and fits in the pill. They tend not to overdo the fat soluble vitamins, which can become toxic, and they don't overdo the minerals, ditto, but the Bs and Cs are cheap and water-soluble and wash right on out if you don't need all of them, so they make for better advertising.

The RDA is where they have proved that if you don't take at least that much per day - bad things will happen to you.

It is not the optimal amount - it is the minimum amount.

vitamin c (10 g) is helpful in preventing and reversing heart disease and has been found effective in the treatment of HIV, alzheimer's and schizophrenia. It helps repair damaged skin and a host of other things. It's a wonder vitamin. It is true that your body excretes what you don't need, but different people need different amounts.

Your bowels are an indicator of too much C..if they are thin and you get the runs, you'll know..

More C is always good..

True enough about too much C having a laxative effect, but it's unlikely to happen with the amount of C in a multiple and if the OP takes enough multis to cause a C-flush, she's WAY overloading on some other stuff... plus wasting money.

I have gone to 35 G of C before noticing that effect, BTW.