Important elements found in multivitamins. Essential components that every multivitamin should have. Things you should consider when purchasing multivitamin supplements
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While a good diet should ideally supply you with all the vitamins and minerals your body needs, there are instances when a supplementary source of these components becomes necessary.
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Multivitamins combine different vitamins and minerals packaged as a single capsule. These come in handy when a person cannot procure their optimal dietary needs from food alone.
An example of a demographics that need multivitamin intervention in pregnant women and older people. For pregnant women, folic acid supplements are vital in preventing neural tube defects in the unborn baby.
As such, doctors recommend that women of childbearing age should take 400 micrograms of folic acid daily.
An ideal multivitamin supply is packed with essential vitamins for your body. Below, we discuss the critical vitamins and minerals you should always look for when purchasing a multivitamin.
1. Vitamin D
Vitamin D is primarily found in egg yolk, cereals, fruit juices, milk, and fatty fish. It is also possible to acquire vitamin D through exposure to sunlight. When an individual basks in the sun, the body can produce some of its vitamin D from cholesterol in the skin cells.
Vitamin D aids the body with the absorption of calcium, a vital component of bone health.
Where a person lacks vitamin D or where they fail to receive enough of this vitamin, the individual may risk developing bone and back pain.
They may also find themselves more prone to illnesses, bone and hair loss, and bone deformity.
Unfortunately, accessing vitamin D synthesis through the sun is not always possible due to the cold weather conditions in some countries. Furthermore, the use of sunscreen may also hinder the solar-aided synthesis of the vitamin in the skin cells.
Sometimes, such a situation is further compounded by the lack of a proper diet with optimal amounts of vitamin D. In such instances, using a multivitamin containing the vitamin as one of its key components is highly advised.
2. Magnesium
Another component that is vital to your body's energy and bone health is magnesium. Experts link magnesium to more than 300 biochemical reactions in the body.
Like all other essential vitamins, magnesium can be sourced from food or nutritional supplements.
The benefits of magnesium extend beyond bone health, as it also aids in stress relief, promotes better sleep, and aids in muscle control and the functioning of the nerves.
With a healthy dose of magnesium, your body can also manage optimal blood sugar levels, protein production, and the building of DNA.
A multivitamin rich in magnesium is essential for persons unable to access magnesium through a healthy diet.
Sources of magnesium in your diet include artichokes, beans, tofu, spinach, nuts, brown rice, spinach, pumpkin, and soybeans.
A magnesium deficiency may lead to fatigue, anxiety, poor bone health, calcification of the arteries, low energy, high blood pressure, muscle spasms, and cramps. It is thus advisable to go for a multivitamin containing magnesium should your diet be lacking in this element.
3. Calcium
Calcium is essential to the development of good bones and teeth. It aids your body by promoting the growth and maintenance of its bones.
In addition, calcium helps your body regulate muscle contractions, blood clotting, and blood pressure.
Children and young persons are significant as their bones are still developing and growing.
Other people who are in greater need of calcium include women experiencing menopause, as well as pregnant and breastfeeding mothers.
Given that 99% of your bones are comprised of calcium, it is thus essential to ensure that your calcium needs are met.
The dietary sources of calcium include dairy products, soy, salmon, sardines, leafy greens, and fruits such as pineapples, berries, oranges, litchi, apricots, kiwi, and papaya.
Where sources are deficient, one may opt for multivitamins with calcium as one of the critical components.
Failure to get sufficient calcium in the body may result in low bone mass density and osteoporosis. Hypocalcemia (low calcium in the body) may also lead to dental deterioration and cataracts.
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4. Iron
Iron is one of the most vital minerals to the human body, as it is a primary component in the formation of hemoglobin (a protein contained in the red blood cells), which is used to deliver oxygen to the lungs and other parts of the human body.
Iron is also needed by the body when making hormones.
Different individuals need varying supplies of iron in their bodies.
An optimal supply of iron results in enhanced vigor and vitality, good health, and a boost in mental acuity and performance.
As such, your multivitamin should have iron as it not only helps manufacture red blood cells but also keeps them healthy.
Sources of iron include red meat, lentils, poultry, fish, and beans.
Lack of sufficient iron may lead to anemia, fatigue, and shortness of breath. Experts advise pregnant women and women of childbearing age to be especially keen on their iron intake as their bodies need high amounts of iron.
That is because, in these two categories of people, a more excellent supply of iron is required to help develop the unborn child and replenish iron lost to menstruation.
5. Vitamin B-12
The B-vitamin complex is the body's energy builder as it aids our bodies in breaking down all the micronutrients we consume.
That includes all the proteins, fats, and carbs we ingest daily.
As a result of that energy production, our bodies can build DNA and maintain healthy blood cells and nerves.
The sources of vitamin b-12 are primarily animal-based and include eggs, poultry, fish, and meats.
Consequently, vegans run a greater risk of suffering a vitamin B-12 deficiency. For that reason, experts recommend that such groups should opt for a multivitamin that features vitamin-12 within its composition.
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