Some Things You Should Know About Multivitamins (Part 1)

The best way to get your vitamins and minerals is through a balanced diet. Sometimes there is a need to take a vitamin pill, known as multivitamins, to supplement what may be lacking from the foods that you eat. If you don’t eat well and you need to take daily multivitamins, this article is for you.

You need multivitamin supplement if…

1. As mentioned previously, if you don’t eat well or you don’t have enough appetite to take in a balanced diet, you need a supplement of multivitamins in order for you to get the daily vitamins and minerals requirements.

2. If you don’t eat the recommended servings of fruits and vegetables.

3. If you have to limit your diet because of food allergies or intolerance to certain foods.

4. If you suffer from acute or chronic illness, abnormal absorption of foods and liquids brought about by some clinical conditions, and in some situations that may result to appetite loss; multivitamin supplement is indicated.

5. You will benefit from multivitamins if your diet is not equal to your body’s calorie expenditure, like in strenuous exercise and activities.

6. Multivitamins are recommended to strict vegetarians who eat no animal products.

7. Seniors who are over 65 years old and seniors less than 65 but due to variety of reasons are unable to get the nutrients they need.

8. Pregnant women and those who are breast-feeding may benefit from multivitamin supplements.

Some logical advice on multivitamins

1. The efficacy or efficiency of multivitamins is not price-related. In other words, multivitamins don’t need to cost too much. Most generic products and store brands are fine.

2. Look for a third-party verification on the label, such as USP or NSF. This means that the product has been tested in a laboratory and meets standards of quality.

3. Look for a multivitamin that contains a wide variety of vitamins and minerals in the appropriate amounts usually 100 percent of the Daily Value (DV). Check the contents to make sure you’re not getting too much of any nutrient, which can be harmful. In most cases, if the tablet does not exceed 100 percent of the DV, it’s considered safe.

4. Take your multivitamin with food. If it contains iron, don’t take a calcium supplement at the same time, since calcium interferes with calcium absorption.

5. Claims such as “stress formula,” “high potency,” “natural,” or “slow release” are often just marketing ploys and only add to the price.