Are Multi-Vitamins Important?

ARE MULTI-VITAMINS IMPORTANT?

The other day a customer mentioned that she had heard on the news that multi-vitamins were worthless.  Apparently, there was a study showing that they were not effective.  My first thought was, “Who paid for the study?”  Usually, following the money trail can help determine the validity of a study.  My second thought was, “Which multi-vitamin did they study?”  You simply cannot group all companies into one.  Quality varies greatly and there are likely some worthless ones on the market.

How can you tell if you are purchasing a high quality vitamin supplement?  First, look at the price.  A quality product costs money to manufacture.  Remember the time-tested quote, “You get what you pay for”.  A cheap product really is a waste of money.  Second, how does the multi-vitamin make you feel?  I can always tell when I don’t take my multi-vitamin for 3-4 days.  Muscle testing is a great way to evaluate which multi-vitamin works for you.  Each person has unique, individual needs and will absorb the vitamin differently.

I eat healthy food, so why do I need to take a supplement as well?  In reality, how many of us each 5-7 fruits/vegetables every day?  Even if we do manage to eat this many, are they organic and do we eat a wide variety?  Other considerations, almost out of our control, are the quality of the soil, the harvesting of the food when it is fully ripe, and its irradiation.  Vegetables simply do not contain the same amount of vitamins as they did in the past.  Most of us need the additional “boost” a multi-vitamin can provide.

Why do most multi-vitamins recommend 3-6 tablets daily?  A multi-vitamin should contain the minimum nutrients to keep you from serious illness.  If you think about condensing that into a tablet…do you really think that one tablet is enough?  Especially if your vitamins contain whole foods, you will have to swallow several tablets. 

A quality multi-vitamin is a good place to start for the average person in improving their health.  Of course, it does not provide everything your body needs, but it does help fill in the gap left by an inadequate diet and the stressful, fast-paced lifestyle of our modern society.

Lisa A. Purdy ND, MH, CNHP

Lisa A. Purdy is not a physician and all communications herein are not to be considered diagnosis or prescription. Any information given is for educational purposes only.  You are personally responsible for your own health choices and any and all information is solely to assist in making those choices.