Vitamins and minerals form an essential part of a healthy diet. Without them, it would be impossible to live a healthy lifestyle.
However, do you need to start taking supplements to support your body’s need for vitamins, or could you do without them?
In this article, we take a closer look at what you have to consider when taking multivitamins.
Vitamin Quality
Quality should always be a significant factor in anything that you put into your body. The same rule applies to the vitamins that you want to take. Make sure that you’re purchasing vitamins from reputable and trusted suppliers, such as TropicalOasis.
Some suppliers use artificial colorants to make their supplements more appealing. There are also others who don’t invest in proper delivery systems to make sure that your body adequately absorbs the vitamin.
Don’t compromise on the quality of the supplements or the vitamins that you’re taking; the dollar savings might not be worth it.
Vitamin Label
Be sure that you read and understand the label of your vitamin supplement because it can make the difference. Most of the time, the figures quoted on a vitamin label apply to a person with a 2,000 calorie diet. This is because they need to provide generalized information for everyone.
The label doesn’t apply to everyone because we all have unique bodies. Make sure that you only refer to them as a guide.
Also, check if the chelate – the vitamins’ carrier – that they’re using is a bisglycinate. This can make the difference in allowing you to receive the full dosage of the vitamins.
Your Current Diet
One of the best questions to ask yourself is if you require vitamins to supplement your current lifestyle. This is because most of the vitamins that we need can be found in a diet rich in healthy food.
If you find that you’re consuming healthy balanced meals, then there’s a chance that you might need to supplement your diet with vitamins.
However, depending on your current state of health, there are exceptions. For example, a pregnant woman needs more iron in her diet. And, other groups of people might benefit from an increased dosage of different vitamins.
By being able to assess your diet, combined with your specific needs, you can determine your need for vitamins.
There’s still no substitute for getting most of your nutrients from a balanced diet.
If You’re Overdoing Your Vitamin Intake
It’s worth noting that there’s a chance you might be consuming too much of a particular vitamin. This could adversely affect your overall health. This can prove to be a problem if you take a multivitamin that also contains an added dosage of that particular vitamin.
For example, you might already be consuming enough Vitamin E in your diet, but the problem with overdoing Vitamin E is that it may increase your chances of heart problems. It’s the same case for Vitamin A, but this time it’s said that this particular vitamin can be harmful to your bones.
Compatibility With Your Current Medications
Did you know that you can’t have an excess of Vitamin K if you’re on blood-thinning medication or that L-tryptophan will clash with anti-depressants? You need to be careful with the vitamins that you take if you’re on any form of maintenance medications. Some vitamins can also lessen the effects of other medications, which can become a problem.
As a tip, read both the labels on the vitamins that you want to take and the medication that you’re currently on. These small precautions can save your life.
The Opinions of Your Healthcare Professional
This is one thing that a lot of people don’t do when they start taking multivitamins or supplements in general. Multivitamins can adversely affect you if you have a particular condition that does not permit the increased intake of specific components in the multivitamin.
The only person that can help you figure out if you can safely take a supplement is your healthcare professional. Your doctor will be able to assess the state of your health and check if you should take a supplement.
Conclusion
Vitamins are vital for your body to function healthily. However, there are chances that you might not even need them. Before deciding if you should start supplementing a particular vitamin or if you should include multivitamins in your diet, make sure to consult with your medical professional beforehand.
Vitamins are great for deficiencies, but you need to be able to use them well.
