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Do I need to take a multivitamin or supplement?
This is one of those questions that often gets asked. Including vitamins and minerals into your diet can be helpful and is often recommended on an individual basis.
For example, if your iron stores are low, you can include an iron supplement in addition to increasing iron-rich foods. As for a general, all-around multivitamin, I recommend one daily as a supplement (I take one myself). A multivitamin shouldn’t take the place of vitamins or minerals from food, however. They should simply supplement daily intake.
Studies haven’t shown that taking a multivitamin will prevent disease, but a multivitamin can help ensure that you’re getting enough of nutrients you might be missing in your overall intake. For most of us, eating a healthy, well-balanced diet should do the trick, but not everyone eats the same.
For instance, if you don’t enjoy dairy products or if you avoid them, you could be running low in calcium; a vitamin might just do the trick and supply you with the extra calcium you need. A general multivitamin or supplement should provide both vitamins and minerals (e.g. vitamin C, calcium, iron, etc.) and not exceed the recommended dietary allowances (>100%).
When it comes to specific brands to use daily, there are several to choose from. To meet the basic requirements, stick with a general multivitamin (such as eDiets Advanced Multivitamin) that doesn’t have additional supplements, herbs or ingredients you’ve never ever heard. Make sure it’s a brand that has been tested.
Remember, try to get the most nutrients you can from whole foods and only use the multivitamin as a backup. Your body prefers the vitamins and minerals the natural way!
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