Daily Multivitamin Benefits

You are always better off by eating healthy meals every day and getting all the necessary nutrients directly from foods rather than relying on tablets to get daily multivitamin benefits..

…but most people that live in cities in modern societies these days don’t tend to follow healthy diets rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, healthy fats, dietary fiber and this is where taking a daily multivitamin comes in.

Multivitamin supplement as a way of providing you with the minerals and vitamins you need daily is usually a convenient and cost-effective way of doing so. They are generally aimed at providing overall well-being and should never be seen as substitute to a balanced diet and they should be used along with it.

 

Taking multivitamins daily can prevent mineral and vitamin deficiencies. These tablets may give you the extra energy you need to carry on during the day and function better, to deal with stress better, may help your brain work better and may help prevent chronic diseases.

Having said that, I don’t particularly see daily multivitamins as a significant way to avoid diseases. A recent massive study found 8% reduction rate in certain cancers in those that take daily multivitamins and no reduction in cardiovascular diseases and strokes. You will be better off by quitting smoking and excessive drinking, exercising regularly and eating healthy for disease prevention. Multivitamin supplements should only be thought of as offering an added benefit.

When you are buying a multivitamin supplement, you need to check the ingredients rather than the name of the brand. What you are looking for is sufficient amounts of Vitamins B (7Bs and B12), E, K, D, C, A, iron, zinc and copper. You don’t need to get big-dose multivitamins except for vitamin D. A standard multivitamin tablet will contain sufficient amounts of essential vitamins and minerals you need. With vitamin D, an average person needs more than the recommended daily allowance.

You will often see at supermarkets and pharmacies that many multivitamins are made for different groups of people: Men, women, kids and older adults.

Taking a daily multivitamin during pregnancy (initial three months) will ensure that you get the essential minerals and vitamins and there are sufficient nutrients for the baby as well.

Men don’t need as much iron as women so you won’t find iron in multivitamins for men and you are quite likely to get the recommended daily allowance of 8mg per day from the foods you eat, especially if you are a meat eater, but you will find extra selenium to help prevent prostate disease in multivitamins for men.

Women need extra iron of roughly 18mg per day to make up for the blood loss during their monthly periods. Extra folic acid and vitamin A for women who wish to have babies- pre-natal vitamins.

Kids probably take enough nutrients, vitamins and minerals from the foods they eat, they don’t need as much as adults so they probably don’t have to take daily multivitamins.

For senior adults, B12 is an important one- to help absorb minerals and vitamins. They don’t want to take too much of iron so multivitamins for senior people won’t contain iron. Vitamin K is another one they need to help with hip troubles as they get older.

And if you are a vegetarian or a vegan, you’ll probably need a hell lot of vitamins and minerals that you won’t be getting from a diet without meat or dairy: Selenium, calcium, iron, magnesium, zinc , vitamins B12 and D are the big ones for you.

You can always take other common supplements along with multivitamins. My favorites are Omega 3 Fish Oil and garlic supplements. Fish oil is good for preventing heart diseases by lowering bad cholesterol- triglycerides and preventing pancreas inflammation. Daily garlic tablets or chopped up raw garlic contain allicin, which offers many many health benefits such as preventing common colds and flu. Garlic is the natural antibiotic.

But always remember that everything in life should be in moderation and this works for multivitamin supplements as well. Be careful to not overdo it.

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