Should I Be Taking A Multivitamin?
Sep 13, 2023
About half of UK adults take food supplements - multivitamins being the most popular supplement taken. But what are multivitamins used for, and should you take one? Continue reading to find out!
Essential Vitamins
There are 13 essential vitamins that we need to obtain through diet, these are:
- The fat soluble vitamins: Vitamin A, D, E and K
- The water soluble vitamins: Vitamin B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B12, and C, biotin and folate
Fat soluble vitamins are stored in the body, whereas water soluble vitamins are not stored in the body and any excess is excreted in urine. Therefore, water soluble vitamins have to be consumed more frequently than fat soluble vitamins. Because fat soluble vitamins are stored in the body, there is also risk of toxicity if having excessive amounts of these.
Benefits of Taking A Multivitamin
The main benefit of multivitamin supplements is that they can help fill nutritional gaps and prevent deficiencies - just think of them as a nutritional sidekick!
Studies have shown that multivitamin supplementation may reduce the risk of myocardial infarction. There is also a link between multivitamin supplementation and cognitive function, such as improving alertness and reducing symptoms such as negative mood. It may also benefit individuals with age-related macular degeneration by delaying the progression of the disease.
Vitamin deficiencies can lead to a range of health issues such as weakened immune system, fatigue, cardiovascular disease, and cognitive impairment. It is therefore vital that we get an adequate intake of vitamins - and this is where multivitamins come in handy!
Who Should Take Multivitamins?
Certain groups are at higher risks of getting inadequate intakes of essential vitamins; for instance dietary restrictions caused by food intolerances, vegetarianism/veganism and weight loss diets can make it difficult to meet nutritional needs. Individuals who struggle to eat a varied and balanced diet, or who have a nutrient deficiency, malabsorption or increased nutrient needs should consider taking a multivitamin. You can also take individual vitamins if there’s a specific vitamin lacking in your diet, for instance B12 in vegans, or vitamin D which is not found in adequate amounts in foods.
The Bottom Line...
Vitamin deficiencies can be detrimental to health, and multivitamins can help us meet nutritional requirements when diet fails. Which nutrients you need to supplement is individual and will depend on how varied your diet is, so the best way to determine if you need to take a multivitamin supplement is to have blood work done with your GP to look for any nutrient deficiencies or insufficiencies. And if you do want to take a multivitamin, the MOBU range has a variety of multivitamins ranging from tablets to gummies - getting your vits in has never been easier!
