Choosing The Right Multivitamin For You

It can be challenging to balance your diet in a way that lets you get the right nutrients and feel your best.

Multivitamins can be a good first step to ensuring you’re getting the vitamins and nutrients that you need.

I’m Dr. Sheila Dyer, a naturopathic doctor in Toronto, and if you’ve ever been intimidated by the wall of vitamins at your local health food store, you’re not alone.

Today, we’ll take a closer look at multivitamins.

What Is A Multivitamin?

Multivitamins are supplements that contain a variety of vitamins and minerals that you may not get enough of from the amounts present in the food you eat.

Standard multivitamins contain a combination of water soluble and fat soluble vitamins, and minerals.

Water soluble vitamins (like vitamin C) tend to pass more easily through the body.

On the other hand, fat soluble vitamins (like vitamin A, D, E, and K) tend to stick around in your body for longer as they are stored in your fat cells.

It is a good idea to be more cautious with these vitamins as they can become toxic at high doses.

Minerals are inorganic materials that help your body function – like iron and magnesium.

Should Everyone Take a Multivitamin?

Some people are more likely than others to need a multivitamin, and among those who benefit from taking them some types may be more helpful than others.

Many factors can increase the need for a multivitamin, including pregnancy, advanced age, injury, or dietary restrictions that prevent proper vitamin and mineral intake from food alone.

However, it’s no secret that our lives have become more stress-filled, frantic and fast-paced than ever.

As a result, it’s sometimes hard to get all the nutrients you need from food.

After all, not everyone has the time to prepare a healthy, nutritious meal every day.

A multivitamin is no substitute for good nutrition, but if your diet has been slacking a bit, it can help make up any shortcomings you may have.

Factors To Consider When Choosing A Multivitamin

With the abundance of multivitamins on the market there can be a lot of information to keep track of when picking one.

Here are six things to keep in mind to make it easier to narrow down your options and pick the multivitamin that will best suit your needs.

1. The Quantity Of Vitamins You Need

If you have a specific reason for needing a multivitamin, keep an eye out for a multivitamin formulated for your situation.

There are formulas meant for those above 50, people who are pregnant, those experiencing menopause, and much more.

As well, if you’re deficient in a specific nutrient, this is important to keep in mind as well.

In these cases, though, a multivitamin may not be enough and you might consider taking an individual supplement.

You should also note how the amounts of vitamins and minerals in the multivitamin compares to the daily recommended amount, and keep in mind that you will get some of the contents of the multivitamin from your diet.

2. The Quality Of Ingredients

Some multivitamins contain ingredients that serve no purpose in the human body and are included only to help hold tablets together or make them visually appealing.

An example of this would be red dye number 40, a petroleum byproduct which a 2012 study by Koblyewski and Jacobson found to cause hypersensitivity reactions, and to be contaminated with carcinogens.

They can also contain food ingredients like wheat, corn, eggs, and gelatin that are allergens for some people.

Keep an eye out for multivitamins that contain very few ingredients outside of the vitamins and minerals that you need and avoid any that contain agents that you’re allergic to.

3. How They’re Tested

There are different types of testing that can occur at different stages in production of a multivitamin.

From raw materials to the finished product the ingredients for a supplement undergoes many steps of processing, and it’s important to make sure that all of them are performed safely.

If you’re not sure, check the Licensed Natural Health Products Database – a database put together by Health Canada to show they’ve been found safe.

These products will have a Naturopathic Product Number (NPN) or Homeopathic Medicine Number (DIN-HM) printed on the package.

4. Absorption

Different vitamins are broken down in different parts of the digestive system and carried from the gut into the blood where they can be carried to the parts of the body that need them.

Alcohol, certain medications, and digestive health conditions can all affect how well your body absorbs different types of vitamins.

The formulation of different multivitamins can also affect how well your body absorbs the nutrients they contain.

Some ingredients are used because they are cheaper alternatives or take up less space in a tablet than their better absorbed counterparts.

Finally, certain nutrients can impair the absorption of others.

For example, calcium and iron impair absorption of each other and vitamin A (in large doses) inhibits vitamin K absorption, while deficiency in zinc inhibits vitamin A absorption.

5. Formulation

Some multivitamins contain significantly less than the required amounts of certain ingredients, especially ones that are expensive.

Conversely, especially for fat-soluble vitamins that can build up in the body, having too much can also be harmful.

Make sure to check the amounts of vitamins and minerals contained in the formula of the multivitamin you’re buying against the daily recommended amounts.

This way, you can avoid paying for vitamins you aren’t getting enough of or getting too much of any one vitamin.

6. Your Individual Needs

Specialized multivitamins exist for those who are more likely to need help needing specific nutritional requirements.

For example, women’s multivitamins often contain more iron and calcium than those specialized for men.

Everyone’s body needs different things and those may not match up with a widely marketed multivitamin.

Multivitamins are generally well tolerated, so in most cases it’s not a bad idea to take them.

But to make sure your multivitamin is providing you with the greatest benefits, it’s a good idea to book an appointment with me, Dr. Sheila Dyer, ND.

We’ll talk about your health concerns and overall needs, and from there I can put together a plan that works for you.