Are you wondering if you need to take a daily multivitamin?
There’s been an ongoing debate in the health and fitness world. The debate tries to answer the question “is it really necessary or not?”
On one hand, a regular nutrient-rich diet should provide all the vitamins and minerals you need to thrive. On the other hand, very few people eat a diet that contains all of the nutrients they need.
Scientists can agree that certain vitamin deficiencies can have disastrous consequences on your health. Vitamin D deficiencies can lead to osteoporosis and a Vitamin B-12 deficiency can lead to anemia.
Keep reading to know 10 other reasons why a daily multivitamin can be good for your health.
1. Promote Weight Loss
While willpower is an important factor in losing weight, it’s not everything.
Taking a daily multivitamin has been shown to help people lose weight. In one study of obese women, one group of women who took a multivitamin without changing their diet or additional exercise lost about 7 lbs. over 26 weeks.
This is mostly because the improvement in nutrient intake led to a better metabolism, which helps the body burn fat.
2. Hair and Skin
Vitamins C and E are essential for healthy skin. Research also shows that Niacin (B3) and Vitamin C is good for healthier, fuller hair.
3. Recover Faster
As we get older, it takes longer to recover from colds and from exercise. When you exercise, your muscles break down and rebuild. That’s how you get stronger. When you have a muscle injury, your body works to repair the muscle.
Vitamins C, E, D, and B can help speed up the recovery process.
When you have a cold, there isn’t much that you can do once you’re sick. The only option is to let it run its course. However, at the onset of a cold, taking Vitamin C, Echinacea, and Zinc may reduce the duration of the symptoms.
4. Better Prenatal Health
Vitamins and nutrients like folic acid are critical for a baby’s development. Taking a daily multivitamin before you get pregnant can reduce the risk of birth defects.
5. Stronger Bones
American Bone Health reports that there are two million preventable fractures that occur every year. They’re preventable due to osteoporosis and other bone-related diseases.
These are caused by bone loss as we get older. Vitamins K, C, D, A, and B12 are excellent vitamins for bone health.
6. Increased Energy
As was noted earlier, taking a multivitamin can increase the metabolism in obese people. This increase in metabolism can lead to an increase in energy.
Vitamin B12 is found to be a key vitamin for energy. It’s only found in animal products, so if you eat a plant-based diet, you will need to supplement this essential vitamin.
7. Better Focus
Do you have a hard time staying focused on simple tasks? Maybe you find yourself forgetting simple things like why you walked into a room or where you put your glasses.
These examples could be a sign that you have a vitamin or hormone deficiency. Sometimes, that’s due to a poor diet, a change in medication, or a hormonal imbalance.
Memory and focus have been linked to Vitamin B12 and Omega 3 fatty acids.
8. Manage Cravings
When you have a craving, it’s usually a sign that your body is missing something. For example, intense chocolate cravings could mean that you need magnesium. A craving for something salty could indicate an imbalance between sodium and potassium or a sodium deficiency.
Taking a multivitamin every day can restore those deficiencies, which in turn will reduce cravings.
9. Increased Libido
Sex is a natural function of the human body. When your body isn’t functioning at its potential, your libido suffers. Having the proper amount of nutrients in the body will improve blood flow throughout the body. That includes sexual organs.
Not only that, Zinc is required to produce testosterone. Testosterone is the hormone of desire in both men and women.
10. Manage Stress and Anxiety
In Australia, a study was done where 50 men between the ages of 50-70 took either a daily multivitamin or a placebo. The ones who took the daily multivitamin showed that they had less stress and more energy. As a result, they were more productive.
What to Look for in a Daily Multivitamin
There are so many multivitamin products on the market, it’s difficult to choose one that’s right for you.
The first thing you want to do when choosing a multivitamin is to see if the product is natural or synthetic. It’s hard to tell the difference on most labels. You’ll want to look for a vitamin that says whole food multivitamin.
Most multivitamins aren’t created equal. Some have inaccurate labels, and others have very low quality. That’s why you need to do your research to find the best options.
Labdoor independently tests multivitamins for quality, label accuracy, safety, and purity. It then compares and ranks the top multivitamins.
They found that 12 multivitamins that were tested had 30% less Vitamin A than what the label said. Out of the 66 products that were tested, over 20% were off on the amount of minerals in the product by 41%.
You also want to be sure that you buy from a reputable source. If you’re in Canada, you can check out an online pharmacy like Canada Wide Pharmacy. Check them out for more info.
Multivitamins are Good for Your Health
Taking a daily multivitamin can be a great thing to do for your long-term health. You’ll be healthier and happier by incorporating a daily multivitamin into your routine.
It’s important to remember that nothing can take the place of a healthy, balanced diet. A multivitamin can still support your health by ensuring you’re getting all the vitamins and minerals you need. Before you start to take and supplement or vitamin, it’s always good to check with your doctor.
If you’re interested in learning more ways to take care of your health, check out our blog.
