There are so many reasons to take multivitamins. There is no meal plan that contains all the necessary nutrients that the body needs. This is because of issues like poor diets, strict diets, and varying dietary needs as the body changes, among other issues. Filling of dietary gaps is possible through the consumption of multivitamins. However, finding the right multivitamin is not easy. There are many multivitamin options to choose from, ranging from brands to contents and needs. This read will help you identify the right multivitamin to meet your needs.
Why We Should Take Multivitamins?
An ideal diet must contain all the necessary nutrients, to aid in the sustenance of general body health. Nutritionists and doctors strongly advise against substituting food with multivitamins. They are to supplement normal diet plans.
- Multivitamins contain all the necessary nutrients except fiber. Fiber is obtainable from other supplements, even though it is preferable to obtain it directly from foodstuffs.
- It is a health booster. A number of nutrients it contains are beneficial to the immune system of the body, thus warding off any disease-causing germs.
- They improve diets, which do not have enough nutrients. They are consumable at any time so there is nothing like overdosing on multivitamins. The effects of consuming daily multivitamins are all positive. It also helps the body to form a support system that helps in faster healing and keeping off chronic diseases caused by insufficient nutrients. For example, rickets and osteoporosis,
- Multivitamins come in various forms. This is good for some people who find it hard to swallow pills. They come in capsules, liquid, powders, gummies and injecting forms. The difference between all these forms is the absorption rate they provide. Liquids are obviously absorbed faster than pills, which have a coating. The coating prevents fast absorption in the stomach, thus it has to wear off before any absorption takes place.
- They are consumable at any time of the day. Therefore, you will not have to worry about keeping time for taking the pills. To prevent discomfort after orally introducing the multivitamin into the system, try taking the pill with food.
How Do You Obtain The Right Multivitamin?
Shopping for over the counter multivitamins is not an easy task. You will have to know what your body actually needs, and even what to look out for on the multivitamin container
- Check the label. The label of the product contains a lot of useful information. Here, you will find a list of all the nutrients that the multivitamins contain. It even goes ahead to outline a number of nutrients per serving.
- Check the minerals and vitamins present in the multivitamins.
- Look at the percentages of minerals and vitamins present. Since some nutrients are rarely depicted to be a hundred percent present; and they might be the nutrients that your body strongly requires. Some nutrients are always present in small amounts because large servings will increase the size of the capsule to levels that make them not swallow able.
- Some multivitamins contain extra nutrients. The label will show the list of nutrients present. This will also outline the extra nutrients present. The addition of extra nutrients is mainly to cater to the needs of persons with specific dietary requirements. An example of an extra nutrient is an antioxidant or pre and postnatal vitamins.
- Some multivitamins are gender specific, other are even age and health specific. So ensure you know the dietary needs of your age and sex group before purchasing a multivitamin.
- Refrain from multivitamins that contain a hundred percent of nutrient. Please remember that supplements are an addition to the daily dietary foodstuffs. Large intake of some nutrients can cause toxic build up which is detrimental to health.
Age and Sex Specific Multivitamins
Multivitamins cater for various nutritional needs, age and sex being one of them. At different life stages, various vitamins are body requisites. Thus, some vitamins are more age specific than others are. Other multivitamins are specific to sex. Women require more iron in the body than men do, after reaching menstruation and after giving birth, as shown below.
- Nutrients essential for men. They are aged specific to males who are fifty years old and above. They contain higher percentages of nutrients. Their nutrients rarely contain iron.
- Nutrients essential for women. Females desire multivitamins rich in iron, due to menstruation, pregnancy and post pregnancy. They also require folic acid rich multivitamins as a preventive measure for birth defects in those females who are trying to get pregnant.
- Nutrients essential for seniors. This class of people requires mature multivitamins. These consider the age of these senior persons and their metabolic rate. Since their metabolic rate is low, it mostly contains nutrients that are easily absorbed into the body. This either reduces or completely does away with nutrients like vitamins B12 and B6, and even calcium. It is rich in vitamin D. The iron levels also need to reduce or stop altogether due to the stopping of menstruation of senior women.
Make sure that you properly store the multivitamins. Poor storage deteriorates the nutrient content. Also, ensure that you check the expiration date before purchasing and before consumption. Store them in cool, dry environment like cabinets and drawers. Most people also forget to store them away from the rich of children preferably in securely locked areas.
As you purchase, make sure that it meets the approval of the health and safety board of your state. The label should contain an approval sign or stamp, which will give you a go-ahead. This safety mark assures you that consumption of the product is safe and the product is pure. It is always a good choice to consult with your heath care provider or a nutritionist. This will keep you up to speed with your changing dietary requirements and ensure that you are improving your health. It will also help you figure out the conditions and disease that you are susceptible to so that the nutrient intake caters for this and prevents it. Seek medical attention and multivitamin referrals for improved health.
