How to Decide If Multivitamins Are Right for You
Consider your diet., Think about your age., Make sure your vitamin has USP verification., Make sure a multivitamin has what you need., Don't forget micronutrients., Eat a healthy diet.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Consider your diet.
Many people who are on restricted diets may benefit from taking multivitamins.
For example, if you are trying to lose weight, you may eat less and therefore not be taking in as many nutrients as you should.
Vegetarians and vegans (people who don't eat meat and people who don't consume animal-based products) may need supplements to receive their daily minimum requirements.If you eat fewer than five servings of fruits and vegetables per day, you may want to consider taking multivitamins.
If you are a vegan and consume no animal products, it is important you take vitamin B12, which is only available in animal foods like meat, dairy, fish, eggs, etc.
You can also look for plant products fortified with B12 — just make sure you're getting it somehow, or you risk anemia or neurological problems, such as difficulty concentrating.If you have gained or lost more than 10 pounds in the previous six months without trying to, you may benefit from taking multivitamin supplements. -
Step 2: Think about your age.
Your vitamin needs vary according to your lifespan.
Older men and women are less able to absorb certain vitamins from natural food sources, such as vitamin B-12, and will require supplements.
Women of child-bearing years may require additional iron and Vitamin C., The U.S.
Pharmacopeial Convention (USP)is a nonprofit agency that verifies whether a supplement contains the ingredients it claims on its label.
Look for the seal associated with the USP verification — don't be fooled by finding the letters USP on the label of your vitamins.If your vitamins aren't certified by the USP, they may be worthless.
Or, they may be actively harmful.
In a manufacturing error, the amount of vitamin D found in a non-certified supplement varied from nine to 146 percent of what was listed on the bottle.
There was even inconsistency from pill to pill within the same bottle.Consumer Lab is a newer agency that provides verification services for multivitamins.
Look for its label, CL. , The contents of a multivitamin vary.
You'll want to consider your own dietary needs to make sure you're taking the best multivitamin for you.
If you're an older adult, you'll need more calcium, vitamin D, and B6.
If you're a premenopausal woman, you'll need more iron.Consult a dietitian or your family doctor to ensure you're getting the right vitamin balance for your health needs. , Micronutrients are vitamins and minerals that are required, but in small amounts.
They include iron, iodine, vitamin A, folate and zinc.
Your body can't produce micronutrients; they must be taken in through food and vitamin supplements.
Good multivitamins should include a range of micronutrients.Certain micronutrients are necessary for healthy fetal development.
All women of child-bearing age who are planning to get pregnant are recommended to take folate supplements as soon as they start trying.Talk to your medical provider about folate, iron and folic acid supplements.
Multivitamins may contain other ingredients for which there are no FDA standard guidelines.
Talk to your doctor before purchasing these multivitamins. , Your daily vitamins can be best absorbed when found in your daily food intake.
Before taking a multivitamin, consider your daily food intake.
Make sure you're eating 5 portions of fruit and vegetable per day.Get plenty of fiber by including beans and legumes; nuts and seeds; oats and whole grains; and unprocessed fruits and vegetables.
Increase the amount of by potassium you take in by including the following within your daily diet: beans and legumes; potatoes; low-fat milk and yogurt; lower-sodium canned tomato products; fruits; and lamb, pork, and fish.
Include high-calcium foods in your diet, such as milk, cheese, and yogurt; calcium-fortified, plant-based milks; orange juice; cereals; tofu (prepared with calcium citrate); and almonds. -
Step 3: Make sure your vitamin has USP verification.
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Step 4: Make sure a multivitamin has what you need.
-
Step 5: Don't forget micronutrients.
-
Step 6: Eat a healthy diet.
Detailed Guide
Many people who are on restricted diets may benefit from taking multivitamins.
For example, if you are trying to lose weight, you may eat less and therefore not be taking in as many nutrients as you should.
Vegetarians and vegans (people who don't eat meat and people who don't consume animal-based products) may need supplements to receive their daily minimum requirements.If you eat fewer than five servings of fruits and vegetables per day, you may want to consider taking multivitamins.
If you are a vegan and consume no animal products, it is important you take vitamin B12, which is only available in animal foods like meat, dairy, fish, eggs, etc.
You can also look for plant products fortified with B12 — just make sure you're getting it somehow, or you risk anemia or neurological problems, such as difficulty concentrating.If you have gained or lost more than 10 pounds in the previous six months without trying to, you may benefit from taking multivitamin supplements.
Your vitamin needs vary according to your lifespan.
Older men and women are less able to absorb certain vitamins from natural food sources, such as vitamin B-12, and will require supplements.
Women of child-bearing years may require additional iron and Vitamin C., The U.S.
Pharmacopeial Convention (USP)is a nonprofit agency that verifies whether a supplement contains the ingredients it claims on its label.
Look for the seal associated with the USP verification — don't be fooled by finding the letters USP on the label of your vitamins.If your vitamins aren't certified by the USP, they may be worthless.
Or, they may be actively harmful.
In a manufacturing error, the amount of vitamin D found in a non-certified supplement varied from nine to 146 percent of what was listed on the bottle.
There was even inconsistency from pill to pill within the same bottle.Consumer Lab is a newer agency that provides verification services for multivitamins.
Look for its label, CL. , The contents of a multivitamin vary.
You'll want to consider your own dietary needs to make sure you're taking the best multivitamin for you.
If you're an older adult, you'll need more calcium, vitamin D, and B6.
If you're a premenopausal woman, you'll need more iron.Consult a dietitian or your family doctor to ensure you're getting the right vitamin balance for your health needs. , Micronutrients are vitamins and minerals that are required, but in small amounts.
They include iron, iodine, vitamin A, folate and zinc.
Your body can't produce micronutrients; they must be taken in through food and vitamin supplements.
Good multivitamins should include a range of micronutrients.Certain micronutrients are necessary for healthy fetal development.
All women of child-bearing age who are planning to get pregnant are recommended to take folate supplements as soon as they start trying.Talk to your medical provider about folate, iron and folic acid supplements.
Multivitamins may contain other ingredients for which there are no FDA standard guidelines.
Talk to your doctor before purchasing these multivitamins. , Your daily vitamins can be best absorbed when found in your daily food intake.
Before taking a multivitamin, consider your daily food intake.
Make sure you're eating 5 portions of fruit and vegetable per day.Get plenty of fiber by including beans and legumes; nuts and seeds; oats and whole grains; and unprocessed fruits and vegetables.
Increase the amount of by potassium you take in by including the following within your daily diet: beans and legumes; potatoes; low-fat milk and yogurt; lower-sodium canned tomato products; fruits; and lamb, pork, and fish.
Include high-calcium foods in your diet, such as milk, cheese, and yogurt; calcium-fortified, plant-based milks; orange juice; cereals; tofu (prepared with calcium citrate); and almonds.
About the Author
Andrea Moore
Enthusiastic about teaching crafts techniques through clear, step-by-step guides.
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