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Beseha
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- Categories:Women's Health and Pregnancy
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The 30-second answer
Totavit is a daily multivitamin tablet after a meal with 13 vitamins and 12 minerals, including iron 18 mg, zinc 15 mg and folic acid 400 mcg. Menestro is a capsule of evening primrose oil with vitamin E, and its dose is not written on the page. A 2022 US review said the evidence is insufficient for multivitamins to prevent heart disease and cancer, and a trial of 3562 older adults found memory better by about 3.1 years of ageing. And evening primrose oil showed no benefit for premenstrual syndrome in the two reviews we opened. There is no study on either product itself.
What are the two products?
#1
20 coated tablets13 vitamins and 12 minerals
Totavit – 20 Multivitamin Tablets
Multivitamin and multimineral from Egyphar, one tablet a day
EGP 87
20 tablets · current price from the product page
- The page: iron 18 mg, zinc 15 mg, vitamin D3 400 IU, folic acid 400 mcg
- The page: one tablet a day after a meal with a glass of water
- The page: a supplement, not a treatment for a deficiency proven by tests
Heads-up: Pregnancy, breastfeeding and children: ask first, and warfarin patients because of vitamin K (from the page)
#2
20 capsulesFor women
Menestro – 20 Capsules
Evening primrose oil with vitamin E
EGP 180
20 capsules · current price from the product page
- The page: evening primrose oil + vitamin E
- The page: after food with water, per the pack, and do not exceed the dose
- The page: a supplement, not a medicine, and it does not diagnose, treat or prevent any condition
Heads-up: The page does not state the oil amount per capsule, so check the pack and ask a pharmacist
How to use them, the dose and the best time
- Totavit: one tablet a day after a meal with a glass of water, at the same time each day, and do not double the dose if you miss one (from the page).
- With tea, coffee and milk: the page advises one to two hours apart for iron absorption. The thyroid medicine levothyroxine should be 4 hours apart, and tetracycline and quinolone antibiotics at least two hours.
- Menestro: after food with enough water per the pack, and do not exceed the dose. The page does not write the number of capsules a day, so the pack is the reference.
- Both together: the formulas differ (a multivitamin and an oil), but Menestro has vitamin E and Totavit has vitamin E too (30 IU), so check the combination with a pharmacist.
- No study on timing: “after food” is the pages’ recommendation, not a study result.
What does the research say?
| Topic | Study | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Multivitamins and prevention | The US USPSTF statement, 2022 | Evidence is insufficient to judge benefit or harm of multivitamins for preventing heart disease and cancer; and it advises against beta carotene and vitamin E for preventing heart disease and cancer |
| Multivitamins and mortality | Alexander review, 2013: 12 cohort studies and 3 trials | No sign they raise mortality, cancer or heart disease, and possibly a modest benefit |
| Multivitamins and memory | Yeung trial, 2023: 3562 older adults for 3 years | Memory better than placebo by the equivalent of 3.1 years of ageing, with no difference on other measures; and only in older adults |
| Evening primrose and PMS | Whelan review, 2009: 62 supplements, trials for 10 | Only calcium has good evidence, and there was no evidence of benefit for evening primrose oil |
| Evening primrose in general | Sharifi review of trials, 2024 | No benefit shown in premenstrual syndrome, and mixed results in other symptoms (such as breast pain and hot flashes), with varied evidence needing better studies |
| Vitamin E in PMS | Whelan review, 2009 | Preliminary evidence only |
All the numbers are for multivitamins in general or a single ingredient, and there is no study on Totavit or Menestro themselves. We opened no source on absorption of iron 18 mg or on the right dose of evening primrose oil.
Side effects and interactions
Totavit has iron 18 mg: the page says not for people with iron overload or hemochromatosis except under medical supervision, and it may cause constipation or dark stools (the constipation article explains the fix). It has vitamin K, so warfarin patients should ask a doctor. And it is separated by 4 hours from levothyroxine and by two hours from some antibiotics. The Totavit page also warns not to combine it with another multivitamin so iron and vitamin A are not doubled. And an excess iron dose is dangerous for children. As for Menestro, the page says a supplement, not a medicine, and advises asking a pharmacist if you take medicines regularly or have a health condition, and we opened no source on its side effects.
Ask a doctor or pharmacist first if
- You are pregnant or breastfeeding, or it is for children.
- You have iron overload or hemochromatosis, or anaemia that is not yet diagnosed.
- You take warfarin, levothyroxine, or tetracycline or quinolone antibiotics.
- You take another multivitamin or supplements with iron or vitamin A or E.
- Premenstrual symptoms are severe or affect your life: that needs a doctor, not a supplement.
Want to ask?
Beseha pharmacists answer on WhatsApp. Tap the “Ask a pharmacist” button and tell them your medicines and condition before you start.
FAQ
Does Totavit really work?
A multivitamin fills dietary gaps, evidence for preventing disease is insufficient per USPSTF, and a trial in older adults improved memory. There is no study on Totavit itself.
How many Totavit tablets a day?
One tablet a day after a meal with a glass of water per the page, and do not double the dose if you miss one.
Does Menestro treat premenstrual symptoms?
No, the page says a supplement, not a treatment, and two reviews found evening primrose oil showed no benefit for premenstrual syndrome.
Can I take Totavit and Menestro together?
The formulas differ but both have vitamin E, so ask a pharmacist and check the doses.
Does Totavit have side effects?
It has iron 18 mg and may cause constipation or dark stools, it is not for people with iron overload, it is separated from levothyroxine and some antibiotics, and it has vitamin K.
What is the best time for Menestro?
The page says after food with water per the pack instructions. We opened no study comparing times of day.
Read next: multivitamins, hormonal balance and iron supplements in Egypt.
The bottom line
Totavit is a multivitamin that fills dietary gaps with insufficient evidence for prevention, and Menestro is evening primrose oil whose benefit for premenstrual symptoms was not shown. Use them as their pages say, watch the iron and medicines, and ask your doctor if you are pregnant, take medicines or have severe symptoms.
Totavit at Beseha → Menestro at Beseha →
Sources
- Mangione et al. 2022 (JAMA): USPSTF statement on multivitamins
- Alexander et al. 2013: multivitamins, cardiovascular disease, cancer and mortality
- Yeung et al. 2023: multivitamin and memory in older adults
- Whelan et al. 2009: herbs, vitamins and minerals in premenstrual syndrome
- Sharifi et al. 2024: evening primrose oil in inflammatory diseases
- Totavit product page at Beseha
- Menestro product page at Beseha
This content is for information and is not a substitute for advice from a doctor or pharmacist. Prices and availability may change; the final price is on the product page.
