You dish out good money for your multivitamins, but do you know what you're getting for your dollars? How do you separate the nutrition from the marketing nonsense?

Here are eight tips from health experts to ensure you're not wasting your money:

•  Choose a reputable brand. It's better to buy vitamins from a well-known brand than a cheaper unknown.

•  Check the label to make sure it cites "standardized" active ingredients, such as vitamins, enzymes or herbs, instead of just listing the whole amounts of vegetable or fruit products, which can vary in nutritional quality.
 
•  Check for certification. Are the vitamins certified to be of high quality? If so, the label will show a logo of "GMP certified" (Good Manufacturing Practice) or "ISO 9000," an international standard of quality.

•  Ask your doctor. The best way to buy safe is to first check with a doctor, health care provider or nutritionist.

•  Remember that cheaper isn't always better. The difference between a $30 and a $3 bottle isn't just the price - it can also be the quality. If the price on the bottle seems too good to be true, it probably is - the company may have cut corners to produce it.

•  Look for the country of origin. Certain countries like China don't require vitamin manufacturers to meet high standards.

•  Check the expiration date. If it's not shown, don't buy the vitamins.

•  Call the company. If consumers have any questions or concerns, they should always call the company directly and ask for documented proof of quality.

Consumer investigation 

The importance of picking out the right multivitamin was highlighted earlier this year after an investigation by ConsumerLab.com on 21 brands of vitamins found that 11 flunked quality standards.At least one multivitamin was contaminated with lead, another contained toxic amounts of vitamin A, and others contained more or less of a particular vitamin than was listed on the labels.

According to ConsumerLab, a company in Westchester, N.Y., that independently verifies health and nutrition products, some of the vitamins didn't dissolve correctly, which means they would pass through your body without being fully absorbed. However, several popular multivitamins on the market passed ConsumerLab's standards.

Dr. Sohrad Mobarhan, a program director in Loyola University Health System's Clinical Nutrition Unit in Chicago, says if you're under 50, eat right, exercise and do most things in moderation, you don' t usually need to take vitamins or supplements. He recommends that healthy people over 50 take one multivitamin daily.

Check these out!

•  Vitamin Basics, a Nubella chart of the "essential" vitamins.

•  Mineral Basics, a Nubella chart of major "minerals."

Nubella News, a division of Marketing Technology Solutions, Inc., offers content intended for informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. We encourage our readers to seek prompt medical care for health issues and consult their physicians before starting a new diet, fitness regimen, or medical treatment.