BLOG 118 MULTIVITAMINS
Don’t forget to take your vitamin. Sound familiar?? From the time I was a little girl I took my Flintstones chewables. The chalky tasting goodness was a daily routine. The world has been swamped with many different brands now and it’s difficult to know exactly what our bodies call for in terms of deficiencies, what we get from foods, etc…. but we are always told to take a multivitamin. So do we really need to take this supplement?? Our pill driven society tells us to do this, but what are we putting in our bodies??
Multivitamins do support our overall health. Studies vary between the benefits and necessity, but in general it seems that having a multivitamin won’t cause a vitamin overdose or negatively impact a person. In summary, “A balanced diet goes a long way to getting the vitamins and minerals you need to feel good and head off health problems. Trouble is, very few people eat right every day.’When we compare recommendations for vitamin and mineral intakes to actual consumption, many Americans do not even come close to getting what they need for several nutrients,’says Meir Stampfer, MD, DrPH, professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School” (http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/making-the-most-out-of-multivitamins#1) .
Most contain some amount of the following: “riboflavin), B3 ( niacin), B6, folic acid (B9), B12, B5 (pantothenic acid), biotin, A, E, D2 or D3 ( cholecalciferol), K, potassium, iodine, selenium, borate, zinc, calcium, magnesium, manganese, molybdenum, betacarotene, and iron” (http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-and-supplements/nutrition-vitamins-11/choose-multivitamin?page=2). Ideally you want 100% of each of the items, and any amount over that might be too much. Asking your doctor which brand he/she recommends is probably your best bet. Our yearly physicals also let us know what deficiencies we have, so your doctor might emphasize one type over the other.
Ultimately, remember that taking a vitamin isn’t a substitute for healthy eating. I like this statement: “That’s because multivitamins lack a number of beneficial compounds for wellness, including phytonutrients, and fiber, found in plant foods. Multivitamins also typically fall short of the recommend daily amount of calcium and other important vitamins and minerals. Think of multivitamins as an insurance policy, but don’t fool yourself into thinking dietary supplements measure up to the benefits of maintaining a healthy body weight, eating right, and getting regular physical activity, Blumberg tells WebMD” (http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/making-the-most-out-of-multivitamins#1) .
We do want to be in tip top health on your fitness journeys so understanding our bodies needs is important for this. Quality always rules out quantity. Better, more informed choices are required for our best results. Knowledge is power so know what you are putting into your body!!!!
