Choosing the Best Multivitamin

Wondering which multi-vitamin to buy? Here is a useful guide to choosing the best multivitamin for you…
A multivitamin pill, ideally, contains a dosage of several vitamins and minerals that your body requires. In our hectic lives, we often do not follow a good diet, and lose out on essential minerals and vitamins that our body needs. A multi-vitamin is supposed to make up for that and ensure that we take the recommended dosage of vitamins that our body needs on a daily basis.

But when we go to the store to buy a multivitamin formula, we are puzzled to see so many brands on the shelf. So how to choose the best multivitamin for yourself?

First and foremost, consult a doctor. The doctor, after conducting the required tests will be the best person to determine which vitamins and minerals you need. With this information, he will be able to prescribe the correct multivitamin for you.

Then you also need to see your particular needs in relation to your age, situation, health, and lifestyle and so on. There are different multi-vitamins to suit different needs. People over 50 will need more vitamin D, B12 and calcium. Pregnant women need more folic acid, iron, zinc and calcium. Vegetarian people often need more iron. The vitamin requirements are different for men, women and children of various ages.

It makes sense to see the label if it specifies something like a "suitable for" information.

One also benefits from checking the amounts of the vitamins included in the dosage of the pill. Also check and see if it is free from additives, and does not contain any substances that you are allergic to. It should not contain any dyes and contaminants as well. A certification that it is free from mercury and lead would be ideal.

The multi-vitamin pill should also give you the supply of minerals and vitamins while surviving the acids present in the digestive system. The minerals and vitamins should, ideally, not get destroyed in your digestive tract.

The process of choosing the best multivitamin pill is therefore quite challenging. But the best trial of its success is that it should suit you and benefit you. If within 30 days, the pill doesn’t make much of a difference in your life, then experts suggest changing to another brand.

Overall, it is also suggested that a multivitamin pill is not the only answer to getting the minerals and vitamins that your body needs. You must have a good and healthy diet that includes regular intake of vegetables and fruits. Nothing beats natural and real food.

By Madhavi Ghare
Published: 3/11/2007
 
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