This isn’t an easy topic to write about nor is it an easy topic to find information about since it’s quite complex, however, we will share with you as much information as possibly can about this subject so that you no longer have any questions left un-answered by the end of this article.
What Are Multivitamins?
Multivitamins are also referred to as multis, multiples, or simply vitamins. Most multivitamins should be taken once or twice per day. They’re available in various forms.
Covid-19 Updates
In an editorial in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine titled “Enough Is Enough: Stop Wasting Money on Vitamin and Mineral Supplements,” Johns Hopkins researchers reviewed evidence about supplements, including three very recent studies:.
The Vitamin Verdict
The researchers concluded that multivitamins don’t reduce the risk for heart disease, cancer, cognitive decline (such as memory loss and slowed-down thinking) or an early death. They also noted that in prior studies, vitamin E and beta-carotene supplements appear to be harmful, especially at high doses.
“Pills are not a shortcut to better health and the prevention of chronic diseases,” says Larry Appel, M.D., director of the Johns Hopkins Welch Center for Prevention, Epidemiology and Clinical Research. “Other nutrition recommendations have much stronger evidence of benefits—eating a healthy diet, maintaining a healthy weight, and reducing the amount of saturated fat, trans fat, sodium and sugar you eat.”
The exception is supplemental folic acid for women of child-bearing potential, Appel says. That’s why multivitamins are recommended for young women.” The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that all women of reproductive age get 400 micrograms of folic acid daily.
The amount of iron in a multivitamin may also be beneficial for women of child-bearing potential, Appel adds. “I don’t recommend other supplements,” Appel says. “If you follow a healthy diet, you can get all of the vitamins and minerals you need from food.”.
Why Take A Multivitamin?
Yes, we can get a lot of nutrients from food, especially fruits and vegetables, but the fact is we don’t. Yet, in a recent CDC study, they found that 76% of adults don’t eat enough fruit and 87% of adults don’t eat enough veggies.
So How To Get Your Nutrients?
A multivitamin is like an insurance policy, a daily guarantee to ensure your body gets the vitamins and minerals it needs. Read: Why A Multivitamin And Why Personalized.