Multivitamin supplements are a vital part of daily nutrition support. They support your health and are essential to ensure that you get all the vitamins and minerals that your body needs to function optimally. There are several extrinsic factors that affect your diet, making it important to choose the best multivitamin to prevent any nutritional deficiencies.
This focus on daily multivitamin supplements has resulted in the development of several products. So, it is challenging to know which one is right for you. Here are some practical tips that you can use when you buy a multivitamin to support all your nutritional requirements.
Why You Need the Best Multivitamin Supplements
The role of supplements in your diet is to prevent any nutritional gaps. That said, one of the most common deficiencies is that of vitamins and minerals. The number of multivitamins that are required for the body makes it difficult to include all multivitamin food in your regular diet. Since there are 21 essential minerals and 13 essential vitamins that the body requires, it is a good idea to choose the best multivitamin to suit your requirements.
Studies show that even with a healthy and balanced diet, people tend to suffer from calcium, potassium, magnesium, Vitamin A, Vitamin E and Vitamin K deficiencies largely. This impacts the body in many ways as the body requires an array of these micronutrients in the critical cell, tissue and organ functions. A good daily multivitamin supports the functions and structures. There are multiple benefits, such as improved immunity, bone strength, eye health, energy and a lot more.
According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, it is especially important that you include multivitamins in your diet if:
- The daily calorie consumption is less than 1600 calories.
- You have food restrictions as a result of a medical condition or allergies.
- You are vegetarian or vegan or have made dietary restrictions voluntarily.
- You have a physically demanding lifestyle.
There are other vitamin and mineral requirements based on age, lifestyle, gender and more. For example, older adults are at a higher risk of vitamin D deficiency, while women are at a higher risk of iron deficiency.
Features of the Best Multivitamin Supplements
Understanding what to look for in the best multivitamin is the first step. Here are the most important features that make up a good quality multivitamin supplement:
- Complete array of nutrients: Check the label for the list of nutrients included in the supplement. It should contain all the vitamins and all the essential minerals, including zinc, potassium, calcium, magnesium and iron and others that are commonly overlooked like selenium, iodine, molybdenum, manganese and chromium. If it contains trace elements such as silica and boron, it is an added bonus.
- Opt for supplements with active forms of nutrients: Minerals and vitamins in their active form are better absorbed by the body. For example, instead of synthetic B Vitamins, it is better to choose methylated B vitamins. Similarly, chelated minerals are easily absorbed by the body.
- Avoid products with additives: Whatever form of multivitamin you choose to include in your diet, the best multivitamin is one which does not contain any artificial sweeteners, flavours, fillers, and unwanted ingredients.
- The product should be certified: Always choose a product that contains a GMP or Good Manufacturing Practices. This means that the product complies with the current quality and safety standards when manufacturing products. It is even better if the product that you choose is third-party tested. Some examples of third-party verification companies are ConsumerLab.com and NSF International.
- Choose well-known brands: It is a good idea to ask for recommendations when choosing a daily multivitamin for the first time. Brands that have been in the market and have been used by consumers for a long time are the most reliable ones.
Customised Nutrition with Multivitamin Supplements
Multivitamins for kids differ from those required for women or men. When it comes to multivitamins, there is no one size fits all. For optimal health, you need close to 30 vitamins and minerals each day. However, the quantity of each nutrient varies according to lifestyle, gender, age, health history and other factors. Here are some categories that you can look out for when looking for the best multivitamin.
Multivitamins for Women
Men and women have different hormones, physiologies and metabolic processes. Therefore, the nutritional requirements also vary significantly. A multivitamin for women also varies according to the stage of life that she is in. For instance, the requirement of a woman during pregnancy is drastically different from the requirement during menopause.
Overall, for women, some of the important nutrients to look for when choosing a daily multivitamin are Vitamin B12, Folic acid, Vitamin D, Iron and Calcium. It is a good idea to purchase multivitamins that are specifically labelled for women as they consist of the right nutrients in the required quantity per day. However, if you are pregnant, breastfeeding or menopausal, it is important to check with your doctor before adding any supplement to your diet.
Multivitamins for Men
The nutritional requirements of men are quite different. The factors that tend to affect the health and lifestyle of men are stress, a sedentary lifestyle, and lack of sleep, among many others. Men also are at risk of health issues like prostate cancer. So, when looking for a multivitamin for men, make sure that it is rich in nutrients that support good health based on these external factors and prevent specific health issues.
One of the most important nutrients to look for in the best multivitamin for men is Vitamin E as it helps improve prostate health. Multivitamin for men also contains antioxidants like Vitamin C and Vitamin E and minerals like zinc and selenium. While a lot of attention is paid to women’s bone health, men must be equally cautious. Therefore, choosing a supplement with vitamin D and calcium is important as these are among the major causes of deficiencies in men, too.
Some supplements contain additional ingredients like carotenoids that help prevent macular degeneration. B vitamins are essential for men as it plays an important role in energy production, processing protein and maintaining the structure of the muscles.
Prenatal Multivitamins
There are specially formulated multivitamins for women who are planning to get pregnant. The nutrients in these supplements are important for both the mother and the foetus. According to the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, women should consume at least 400mg of folic acid each day in their childbearing years.
When you are planning a pregnancy, avoiding excessive Vitamin A is important as it can lead to birth defects in the baby. So, consulting your doctor about the right dosage is recommended. During pregnancy, only use the supplements that your doctor prescribes as they take into account various health factors affecting you and your baby.
Multivitamins for the Elderly
As you age, the metabolism slows down. As a result, nutritional requirements also change. Another major change that occurs when you are older is a reduction in appetite. So, getting all the nutrients that you need is harder. This is why using a multivitamin is highly recommended, especially after you are 50 years old.
The most important nutrients to take when you are above 50 are vitamin D and calcium. Bone-related injuries are higher when you are older, and it is important to maintain strong bones and prevent them. Vitamin B12 is vital to stay energetic and support several metabolic functions when you are older.
The best multivitamin for older individuals is one that contains a good dosage of potassium as it reduces the chances of hypertension, specifically when you’re also on a healthy diet.
Multivitamins for Kids
A daily multivitamin is essential for children and there are various reasons supporting this statement. To start with, there’s a chance of some underlying nutritional deficiency that may lead to issues in a child’s development. Kids tend to be fussy when it comes to eating healthy food, which leaves the parents with limited choices. This makes it difficult for them to ensure that their children get optimum nutrition in their crucial years. Moreover, if your child is active and/or athletic, it is important that they receive the right amount of nutrients.
The age group of a child determines the best multivitamin for them. This will help you ensure that your child is not overconsuming anything as overdose may lead to adverse effects on their health. It is important that you choose a supplement for them that has been formulated using natural ingredients and does not contain flavours or artificial colours.
Make sure that the multivitamins that you are choosing for your kids contain high amounts of calcium as well as vitamin D in order to improve bone strength. Also, zinc is responsible for aiding in strengthening the immune system and supporting proper development. And since vitamin A deficiency is quite common in kids, look for a supplement that contains Vitamin A, as it helps in eye health and also keeps the skin and hair healthy. Immunity-boosting vitamins like Vitamin C and Vitamin E are also powerful antioxidants that your child needs every day in an adequate amount.
Conclusion
Whenever you are choosing a supplement for the first time, make sure that you consult an expert. The best multivitamin is one that supports your health and provides nutrients in the right amount and not more or less than the recommended daily allowance.
