Although we live in the land of plenty — and for the most part overeat — there are some critical vitamins that Americans tend to be short on, especially women. These include calcium, folic acid, iron, and vitamin D. Despite trying to eat well, we may not get all the nutrients we need, so taking a daily multivitamin is a good idea. More difficult than the decision of whether to take a multivitamin, though, is which one to take. How do you make that decision? It can be difficult, given the aisles of choices that face us today. Here are some guidelines to help you find a good multivitamin that will provide you with the safety net you're looking for:
尽管我们生活富裕——大部分地区的人吃得过饱——但是美国人还是缺乏一些重要的维生素，尤其是女性。这些包括钙，叶酸，铁和维生素D。即使我们试着吃好一点，还是不能获取所需的所有营养，所以每天服用复合维生素是一个好方法。比决定是否服用复合维生素更难的是该服用哪种维生素。你如何做决定呢？这挺难的，因为我们今天面临着多种选择。这里是一些指南，帮你找到好的复合维生素提供你一直寻找的安全网。
Select a trustworthy manufacturer. Look for the USP stamp on the label. The United States Pharmacopeia is a volunteer-based, not-for-profit organization that tests supplements — if the manufacturer requests it and pays for it — to verify that the pills contain what the label says they do. The USP acts as a quality control check on the ingredients.
选择一个可靠的制造商。 寻找标签上盖有USP的印章。美国药典（USP）是一个非盈利性的志愿者组织，它检验营养补充品——如果厂商要求并付钱——证实药品中含有标签上所标的营养物质。USP作为成分的质量管理检验。
Beware of hollow promises. Don't make choices based on the claims on the label — words like"Performance Enhancer," and "Stress Control" have no science to back them up.
谨防空洞的承诺。 不是依靠标签上的说明就做出选择——如“增强表现力”和“控制压力”这些词语都是没有科学根据的。
Search for a vitamin with most of your daily needs. Look for a vitamin with 100 percent of the daily value for the following vitamins: vitamins A, B1 (thiamin), B2 (riboflavin), B3 (niacin), B6, B12, C, D, E, and folic acid.
寻找一种日常最需的维生素。从下面的维生素中找出一种每日营养摄入量100%的维生素：维生素A，B1（硫胺素），B2（核黄素），B3（烟酸），B6，B12，C，D，E和叶酸。
Take calcium separately. Because calcium is bulky, you can't get the daily value in a single tablet or capsule. Take a calcium supplement if you're not getting enough from your diet instead of trying to make up for it with two or more multivitamins a day
单独服用钙片。 因为人体所需的钙是大量的，你不可能服用一颗药片或胶囊就获取每日营养摄入量。如果从饮食中不能获取足够的钙，就服用钙补充品，代替每天服用两或三种复合维生素。
(恒星英语学习网原创编译,转载请注明出处!)Watch out for missing ingredients. Some multivitamins are short on some vitamins and minerals — check for brands with at least some of the daily value amount of chromium, selenium, zinc, and vitamin K. Note however, if you take blood thinners, vitamin K could be a problem (which is why a lot of multivitamins don't contain vitamin K); ask your doctor if you can take it and how much is optimum for you.
小心缺少的营养成分。有些复合维生素缺乏一些维生素和矿物质——检查商标上铬，硒，锌和维生素K这些至少每日营养摄入量。然而，需要注意的是，如果你使用血液稀释剂，维生素K可能是个问题（这就为什么许多复合维生素不含维生素K的原因）；询问医生你能否服用并且适合服用多少。
Remember that more is not better. Too much of a good thing can cause harm: High amounts of vitamins in supplements plus what you get in food can put you over the safe limit. There are several vitamins that you can go overboard on: vitamin A, vitamin B6, vitamin E, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, and zinc. Beware of mega-amounts — several fold beyond the daily value — in supplements.
记住不是越多越好。 好的东西太多会造成伤害：营养补充品维生素含量过高，加上你从食物中获取的营养会使你超出安全标准。有几种维生素你可以较多摄入：维生素A，维生素B6，维生素E，铁，镁，磷，和锌。谨防超额摄入营养补充品——超过每日营养摄入量的几十倍。
Take your age and gender into account. The amount of iron you need depends on both. Men and postmenopausal women need only around 8 mg a day, while premenopausal women need 18 mg a day. Going with one of the age formulas — under or over 50 — is a good idea.
把你的年龄和性别考虑进去。 你身体所需的铁根据这两者而定。男性和绝经后妇女每天只需8毫克，而绝经前的妇女每天则需18毫克。跟年龄公式之一相配合——低于或超过50岁——是一个好方法。
Finally, don't expect a multivitamin to be a miracle pill. Your daily diet should be the main source of your nutrients, including vitamins and minerals. Be sure to eat a wholesome diet of plenty of fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, lean proteins, low-fat dairy products, and good fats (such as those found in olive oil, nuts, and cold-water fish like salmon and tuna).
最后，不要期望复合维生素是一种神奇的药。你每天的饮食才是营养的主要来源，包括维生素和矿物质。要确保一个有益健康的饮食，包含着丰富的水果，蔬菜，豆类，全谷类食物，瘦肉蛋白质，低脂乳制品和优质脂肪（如橄榄油，坚果和像鲑鱼和金枪鱼之类的冷水鱼）。
(恒星英语学习网原创编译,转载请注明出处!)