 Multivitamins
can benefit your health in many ways. But selecting the right
ones can definitely be overwhelming, with so many types and
brands on the market. Adding to the challenge is the fact
that there are confusing claims about the effectiveness of
some, which can be misleading. Plus, choosing the wrong type
of multivitamin can actually worsen your health, instead of
improving it. So, when it comes to buying vitamins, it’s
important to know before you go.
Some of the nutrients commonly lacking in people’s diets
are vitamins A, D and C, as well as essential fatty acids.
Every nutrient performs a certain function in the body, and
they are all needed to help the body function properly. Generally,
multivitamins should be well rounded and they should have
synergetic effect to ensure that every component is beneficial
to the body. Keep the following things in mind and you’ll
be well on your way to a healthier you.
1. Know the nutrients your body needs. This will be based
on many factors, from blood type to regular diet to age. Look
for the nutritional value of each dosage on the bottle’s
label—some have way more than you need and overdosing
can be dangerous.
2. A good multivitamin will contain the essentials. According
to studies, women need to have 30 vitamins and minerals, as
well as fatty acid formulas such as EPA and DHA.
3. Look for bioavailability. This means that the vitamins
found in the capsule are formulated so the body can easily
absorb them.
4. Go natural. Some multivitamins contain dyes, artificial
preservatives and other contaminants, while fatty acid formulas
sometimes contain mercury or lead. Make sure that your multivitamins
are free from these harmful ingredients.
5. The FDA has imposed certain manufacturing standards to
ensure that multivitamins are safe for consumption. When you
buy multivitamins, find out if the product of your choice
is produced by a manufacturer that is FDA-approved.
6. Just as every pharmaceutical drug on the market has to
pass laboratory tests, so should every nutritional supplement
be approved by an accredited lab. Look for evidence that testing
has been done to ensure the product contains all the ingredients
it says it does, and that it’s safe for consumption.
7. Invest in an appointment with a certified and licensed
nutritional consultant or health care professional with experience
and knowledge about nutritional supplementation.
8. Measure their practical effectiveness. Usually, multivitamins
take effect after a few days. If yours doesn’t make you feel
better in a few days, try another formula. Multivitamins should
improve your health, and the effects should be noticeable.
The final rule of thumb for nutritional health? Nothing beats
eating a balanced diet of whole, fresh, unprocessed foods
found in nature. Eat in balance and watch your sugar. Remember
to consume one half your body weight in ounces every day,
giving your body the chance to absorb and retain the foods
and nutrients that you consume.
Here’s to your health!
Beth Aldrich, mother of three, is a Healthy Lifestyle-Green
Living Expert, media personality, writer and public speaker.
She is the publisher and founder of,forherinformation.com,
the online magazine for women and former host of the PBS TV
series, For Her Information. To find out more about Beth,
log on to bethaldrich.com.
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