It has been reported that 76% of U.S. adults take dietary supplements, with vitamins and minerals being the most commonly consumed supplement category.1
As the world becomes more health conscious, the use of multivitamins is on the rise. People are aiming to optimize their health and wellbeing through making improvements to their diet and lifestyle, as well as introduce supplements to help amplify these health transformations!
Though as with many topics in the nutrition, fitness, and supplement industry, there is a lot of misinformation and confusion around the “best diet”, the “best workout”, or the “best supplement”.
In this article, we take the guesswork out of choosing the right multivitamin for you.
We discuss multivitamins, the reasons for taking one, what to look for in a multivitamin, and which one you should take!
Vitamins and Minerals: A Brief Overview
Vitamins and minerals are nutrients your body needs in small amounts to function properly and stay healthy.
You may have heard the terms “macronutrients” (protein, carbohydrates, and fat) and “micronutrients” (vitamins and minerals) before, which are the nutrients we need to consume through our diet to allow us to survive and thrive.
Our body needs smaller amounts of micronutrients relative to macronutrients, hence why they are labelled “micro”.
Our body cannot produce vitamins and minerals, meaning we must obtain micronutrients from food, which is why they are considered essential nutrients.
Most of us get all the nutrients we need from having a varied and balanced diet, though some people may require a supplement if they have additional nutrient needs, such as pregnant women, athletes, elderly individuals, and those at risk of nutrient deficiencies.
Each vitamin and mineral has a specific role in the body, ranging from immune function and brain development, to preventing and fighting disease. We need an adequate intake of all micronutrients to support these specific functions, as well as for overall health and wellbeing.
What is a Multivitamin?
A multivitamin is a supplement that typically contains many essential vitamins and minerals, often taken as a form of insurance against any potential nutrient deficiencies.
You often hear of people taking multivitamins to “cover all the bases”, meaning that it would help someone make up for any nutrients possibly lacking in the diet.
While supplements ideally shouldn’t replace a poor diet and lifestyle, a multivitamin can be useful for many of us, particularly in certain populations where they are at risk of nutrient deficiencies or have additional requirements.
Let’s explore some of the benefits to taking a multivitamin!
Why Would You Take a Multivitamin?
Generally, individuals more likely to take a multivitamin are those who are typically unable to consume a wide variety of foods or are at risk of deficiencies.2 This could be for health reasons, or if you belong to a specific population, such as:
- Pregnant women
- Elderly people
- Dieters
- People recovering from certain surgeries
- People living with certain diseases
Though for many people, a multivitamin is often consumed to “cover all the bases”, and to sometimes even optimize certain functions in the body, including:
- Mood boosting
- Immune function
- Eye health
- Heart health
- Cognition and brain health
- Anti-ageing
- Bone and muscle health
Now that we have established what multivitamins are and why we may need them, the more difficult part is choosing what multivitamin you should take!
What to Look for in a Multivitamin
The supplement market is absolutely saturated with multivitamins, which can make it considerably difficult to pick the best out of the bunch.
Here are some key things to consider when choosing a multivitamin2:
- Choose a multivitamin that is close to the recommended daily allowance (RDA)
- Note that some minerals contained in a multivitamin will not be of the full RDA due to potential side effects of consuming high doses
- Try not to pick a multivitamin with other fancy ingredients that have bold claims, rather stick to a multivitamin that covers just vitamins and minerals
- Pay close attention to the daily serving size and content of each serving. You ideally want to avoid multivitamins that claim to deliver a high dose of nutrients, and then find the serving size is 8 pills per day to achieve this!
- Consider the company’s reputation. A well-known company with good manufacturing standards will ensure that the product you’re purchasing will be effective!
So, taking these points into consideration, what multivitamin should you take?
What Multivitamin Should I Take?
Whether you’re someone at risk of nutrient deficiencies, someone who has additional nutrient requirements, or simply want to cover the bases with an effective multivitamin, our top recommendation is NutriGenesis® Multi.
This multivitamin helps restore nutrients you may lack from your diet, supporting healthy daily bodily function.
NutriGenesis® Multi contains 17+ essential nutrients, with one being tailored to women and one being tailored to men.
The vitamins and minerals contained within are complexed with natural cofactors such as probiotics, enzymes, and antioxidants, which all enhance the bioavailability and health-supportive activity.
This unique multivitamin doesn’t only support all of your health needs, but is also safe, clean, and eco-friendly!
References
- https://www.crnusa.org/resources/2017-crn-consumer-survey-dietary-supplements
- W. Brown. Should you take a multivitamin? Examine.com. 2019
