According to a recent study in the Journal of the American Medical Association, most people do not receive enough vitamins in their diet and that "it appears prudent" for adults to take vitamin supplements.
According to Tufts nutritional scientist and researcher on vitamin supplementation Dr. Jeffrey Blumberg, only about 60 percent of Americans take a multivitamin every day. Whether or not you take a multivitamin may affect your health, but so can the kind of multivitamin you take. So which category do you fit in?
To determine your specific multivitamin needs, consider whether you fall into any of the following categories of people who are at high risk for nutrient deficiencies.
1. People who don't eat the recommended number of servings from the Food Guide Pyramid [6-11 grains, 3-5 vegetables, 2-4 fruits, 2-3 dairy, 2-3 meat/meat alternative].
2. People on a low-calorie weight loss diet [below 1,200 calories per day].
3. Strict vegetarians/vegans (those who do not consume any animal products, including eggs and dairy).
4. People who are lactose intolerant.
5. Women of childbearing age who do not get enough folate from fruits, vegetables, beans, and grains.
6. People who limit themselves to only a few types of food.
7. People with an eating disorder like anorexia or bulimia nervosa.
8. People with multiple food allergies that prevent them from eating a varied diet.
9. People whose family history puts them at risk for heart disease or cancer.
10. Smokers, who need a higher amount of vitamin C and folic acid.
These ten categories cover much of the US population, which is why JAMA researchers recommend that everyone take vitamins.
Since at least one of the above statements most likely applies to you, taking a multivitamin would probably be beneficial to your health. So where do you go from here? One option is to take a trip to your local pharmacy or visit www.vitaminlife.com to check out their assortments of multivitamins.
CVS sells about 14 brands of multivitamins, with 82 different types from which to choose. Vitaminlife sells 17 brands, with 453 types. These include, among others, supplements without allergens, kosher supplements, supplements for vegetarians, high potency supplements and all-natural supplements.
Of course, you can narrow your search almost immediately by eliminating at least a couple of options. For example, if you are under 40, you can automatically eliminate many of the "mature" formulas. However, this still leaves you with dozens of choices!
As a young adult, it is wise to consider a multivitamin plus mineral supplement. All nutrients should come close to meeting 100 percent of the daily value for that nutrient. However, most multivitamins are low in some nutrients, especially calcium, so you may need to take an extra calcium supplement to reach 100 percent.
When purchasing multivitamins, always check the expiration date. Also check for the letters "USP" on the label: this mark tells you that the United States Pharmacopeia has declared that the vitamin actually contains the ingredients and the amounts stated on the label and that the tablets will dissolve effectively. Store brands are often identical to name-brand vitamins.
Avoid multivitamins with an excessive number of ingredients _ a long list of herbs or other added ingredients may be just a tool to help sell the product. Also, "natural" vitamins are often advertised as better than manufactured vitamins, but both have the same chemical structure.
You probably don't need a multivitamin that claims to satisfy stress-related vitamin needs, as the normal stresses of your day will not increase your need for vitamins. Also, steer clear of high-potency formulas, which often contain too much of some nutrients and lack others. Additionally, avoid multivitamins with over 150 percent of the daily value for any nutrient and keep in mind that men's and women's formulas are usually no better than regular multivitamin formulas.
What should you look for in a vitamin? Minerals such as zinc, copper, magnesium, and chromium, though if you eat red meat, you probably will not need iron in your multivitamin.
Once you've chosen a multivitamin, how should you take it? Start by taking only one multivitamin daily, as taking an excess of certain vitamins can actually be harmful. Be sure to take your multivitamin with a meal to help increase absorption, and don't forget to tell your doctor about any supplements you are taking, including other vitamins, minerals, and herbs.
Just remember that multivitamins are not magic pills _ they cannot make up for a poor diet. They do, however, offer fairly inexpensive "nutrition insurance" for students pressed for time who don't always eat as well as they should.
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