Many people around the world use multivitamin tablets every day to improve their health and wellbeing. Multivitamins consist of several different vitamins, combined into a single tablet for convenience; these tablets can be specialised to cater for a variety of needs and demographics.
Why do we need Vitamins
While many of the vitamins and minerals needed by the body are provided through a balanced diet and healthy lifestyle, it is important that the correct quantities are provided to the body. Vitamins are vital in the regulation and processes that occur in the body, across muscles, blood flow and wellbeing.
Who Should not Take Multivitamins?
While many people can benefit from multivitamins, there are certain groups that are advised to avoid using them without the advice of a doctor. People that are being treated for cancer are often told to not take multivitamins, as there is a link to the growing of cancer cells during treatment. This is because the extra nutrients required by the cancerous cells are provided by the multivitamin, where the goal is to deprive the cells of any nutrients.
Lack of Vitamins
Across a large timescale, a lack of vitamins can have detrimental effects on the body, which can sometimes be severe. In the absence of iron or vitamin B12, nerve damage can occur and poor cognitive function can occur. Because vitamin B12 can be found in meat products, it is crucial to supplement it with a multivitamin for those that choose not to consume meat. Furthermore, vitamin B12 supplements may also assist in this regard. . Multivitamins cannot fully replace the need for vitamins within a healthy diet, but can act as an insurance for the wellbeing of the body.
Combating Disease
Studies have shown that daily consumption of multivitamins can help to reduce the harm of likelihood of some chronic diseases, such as colon cancer, heart attacks or osteoporosis.
Key Vitamins in a Multivitamin
Within multivitamins, there are particular vitamins to look out for that could be more beneficial to individual needs:
Vitamin A
While vitamin A can be useful to those that have a deficiency, excess vitamin A can be detrimental to health and is shown to have negative effects on the bones or liver. The liver is responsible for a large part of the detoxification process and metabolism processes. It also stores a majority of the vitamin A in the body, so it is very important that the intake of this vitamin is controlled. The various cells of the liver such as hepatocytes, stellate cells, kupffer cells, and others, work together to enable the organ to work properly. Research suggests that an excess of vitamin A can lead to liver injury, so a balanced intake of the vitamin is a must.
Vitamin C
It is important to have a good level of vitamin C to promote healthy cells and skin. A variety of different foods including peppers, strawberries, and blackcurrants are all good sources of vitamin C. Also, taking dietary supplements like lypo-spheric vitamin c is another good way of being able to make sure that your body gets all of the nutrients it needs to stay healthy.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is an important vitamin for calcium regulation in the body, while also having links to cancer prevention. It can be necessary to need more vitamin D than the multivitamin contains.
Vitamin E
Vitamin E acts as an antioxidant within the body, helping to prevent damage to cells caused by free radicals.
Iron
Iron is used within the body for the production of red blood cells, which are used to transport oxygen. While this can be useful in a multivitamin for women, it is not usually necessary for other groups.
Folic Acid
Pre-menopausal women can benefit from the addition of folic acid in a multivitamin, as it can prevent potential defects and issues within the early stages of pregnancy.