A multivitamin may have little or no effect on individuals who consume a healthy diet. Nowadays many online platforms such as https://www.healthworkscollective.com/vitamin-gummies-a-healthy-treat-for-everyone/ provide good quality supplements.A diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, and healthy fats should offer the majority of the nutrients required for optimum health. However, not everyone is able to maintain a healthy diet. Like-
- Elderly: For a variety of reasons, the elderly are at risk for inadequate food intake: difficulties chewing and swallowing food, unpleasant taste changes induced by several drugs, or isolation and loneliness, which can reduce appetite.They also have a hard time absorbing vitamin B12 from their diet. People over the age of 50 consume vitamin B12-fortified meals or take vitamin B12 tablets, which are more easily absorbed than dietary sources.
- Pregnancy: It’s especially important for women who may get pregnant to get enough folate, a B vitamin because it can help reduce the chance of having a baby withspina bifida or anencephaly. Folate must be taken within the first few weeks after conception, frequently before a woman realizes she is pregnant, for it to be successful. Folic acid is consumed by all women of reproductive age in the amount of 600 micrograms per day. This quantity, as well as other essential pregnancy nutrients like iron, calcium, vitamin D, and DHA, are readily available.
- Conditions of malabsorption: Any disease that interferes with regular digestion might raise the chance of nutrient absorption problems. Celiac disease, ulcerative colitis, and cystic fibrosis are just a few examples.
- Surgical procedures that remove sections of the digestive organs, such as a gastric bypass for weight loss or a Whipple treatment involving several digestive organs.
- Excessive vomiting or diarrhea from illnesses might prevent nutrients from being absorbed.
- Alcoholism can hinder nutrients from being absorbed, including numerous B vitamins and vitamin C.
- Medications in particular. Some diuretics used to treat high blood pressure might decrease the body’s magnesium and potassium levels. Proton pump inhibitors, which are used to treat acid reflux and heartburn, can block vitamin B12, as well as calcium and magnesium, from being absorbed. For Parkinson’s disease, the drugs levodopa and carbidopa may impair the absorption of B vitamins such as folate, B6, and B12.
Which Multivitamin Supplement Should I Take?
Multivitamins are available in a variety of formats (tablets, capsules, liquids, powders) and as a specific combination of nutrients (B-complex, calcium with vitamin D) or as a complete multivitamin.Supplements are a multibillion-dollar market with a plethora of designer brands to select from.
However, before starting a multivitamin or any other additional vitamin, you should think about the following issues.
Use a multivitamin for the following reasons:
- I’m on a restricted diet or have a bad appetite, therefore I’m eating less than normal.
- I’ve been on a limited diet for more than a week. This might be a medically recommended diet, such as a liquid diet after surgery, or a self-imposed diet, such as one for weight reduction.
- I have a condition that makes it difficult for my body to absorb nutrients (celiac disease, ulcerative colitis), or I’ve had surgery that makes it difficult for my body to absorb nutrients normally (gastric bypass surgery, Whipple procedure).
- Because I’m pregnant, my nutrition requirements have temporarily increased.
- I’m quite busy and just cannot eat a well-balanced diet on a daily basis.
