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The Importance Of
Multivitamin
Women, men, those over 50, those with chronic illness,
and vegetarians have special needs to consider when
choosing a multivitamin. Review your special needs
below.
Why Everyone should Take a Multivitamin
There's nothing like a sound, low-fat diet full of
fruits, vegetables, and whole grains to supply the
vitamins and minerals we need to stay healthy.
Unfortunately, we don't always eat well. Add to that
the possible harmful effects of stress, aging, lack of
exercise, pollution, and illness, and supplements
become even more important. That's why so many experts
now recommend that everyone take a daily multivitamin.
The Right Choice: See Our Multivitamin Chart
This chart outlines the key vitamins and minerals your
multivitamin should supply and the main benefits of
each nutrient. It also gives what's called the daily
value (DV) - a new government standard that generally
corresponds to the RDA. The DV satisfies minimum daily
requirements and helps prevent a deficiency disease,
such as scurvy (lack of vitamin C). The higher levels
of vitamins and minerals found in many multivitamins
may actually help prevent disease, delay its onset, or
lessen the severity of certain ailments.
Good Reason to Take an extra-strength Formula
If you eat an optimal diet of low-fat foods, at least
five servings of fruits and vegetables daily, and
chicken, lean meat, or fish several times a week, you
can probably get away with a once-daily formula. But
even those who consume a fairly well-rounded diet and
yield to junk-food lapses only occasionally can
benefit from an extra-strength formula. If your idea
of lunch is a slice of pizza and a diet soda, look for
a multivitamin in the upper ranges of our chart.
Finding the Right Multivitamin for You
Special Needs
Women of all ages need at least 1,200
mg of calcium daily, through supplements or diet, to
slow bone loss. Most multivitamins don't supply this
much: A separate calcium supplement is probably your
best bet. Younger women, especially those with heavy
menstrual periods , need plenty of iron (18 mg a day
). Those considering pregnancy should get extra folic
acid and avoid high-dose vitamin A. Special
"women's formulas" may contain expensive
herbs you may not need.
Men should avoid multivitamins
containing iron: Iron build-up has been linked to
heart disease. Be wary of "men's formulas that
tout ingredients like saw palmetto for prostate
complaints : Many of these high-profile
"extras" are present in such small amounts
that they provide little or no therapeutic benefit.
Over 50,opt for iron-free formulas:
Too much of the mineral can cause heart problems. Look
for vitamins B6 and B12 in the higher ranges, because
as people age, they often have trouble absorbing these
nutrients. Older women and men can benefit from the
bone-strengthening effects of extra calcium (1,200 mg
a day) and vitamin D (400 to 600 IU a day).
Chronic Illness can lead to poor
eating habits or deplete nutrient stores.
Extra-strength formulas are especially important if
you suffer from a long-term digestive ailment or have
liver or gallbladder problems. Consult your doctor
before taking supplements.
Vegetarians who avoid all animal
foods, including dairy and egg products, need at least
100 mcg daily of vitamin B12. Zinc, iron, and calcium
are also very important minerals for strict
vegetarians.
By wholehealthmd.com
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