Health supplements are now a lucrative business. Everything from hair vitamins to diet supplements have found their way into our everyday life. But within this highly successful industry, there’s one category that really stands out from the crowd: multivitamins.
Multivitamins are the perfect way to help you absorb all the nutrients your body needs, even if you think you’re living the perfect healthy lifestyle. It’s not always possible to take in the high amounts of vitamins we need from fruit and vegetables, and as such, daily multivitamins are there as an insurance policy.
Vitamin deficiencies can quickly lead to a whole series of diseases and illnesses, so it’s better to be safe than sorry if all it takes is a single multivitamin tablet a day.
It’s not just illness that vitamins help with either. They’re perfect for reducing stress, alleviating anxiety, and promoting healthier skin, hair, and nails.
Unfortunately, there are so many vitamins on the market it’s tricky to understand which ones are the best for all-round health. While there are options for specific vitamins, multivitamins are your best bet for getting everything your body needs.
So, what ingredients should you be looking out for?
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is great for helping our bodies absorb calcium and promoting bone health. If you suffer from back pain or even hair loss, boosting your vitamin D intake can help you feel better in no time. While it’s possible to absorb vitamin D by getting out into the sunshine, for those of us that are unlucky enough to live in more wintery conditions, supplements can help make sure we get the right amount.
Magnesium
This vitamin is ideal for energy production and general bone health. It’s also been found to calm the nervous system and promote better sleep. Magnesium is one of the most essential ingredients your multivitamin should have, so if it’s not listed, move on.
It’s suggested that up to 76% of people in the US aren’t getting the correct daily dose of magnesium. It can be found in nuts, pulses, leafy spinach, and brown rice. If these aren’t really your thing, the easiest way to get your dose is through a trusted multivitamin.
Calcium
Calcium is also incredibly important – especially as we get older. Calcium is needed for strong bones and teeth, and while we were all encouraged to drink plenty of milk or yogurt as children, this routine is often neglected in later life. The older we get, the more bone density we lose, which is why getting the right dose of calcium each day is vital.
Zinc
As we get older, our bodies tend to absorb less zinc, which is crucial for maintaining a strong immune system and helping our body heal wounds quicker.
Zinc can be incredibly hard to get from food sources, and the body can’t actually store zinc itself. That’s why zinc is a common vitamin supplement.
Iron
Iron promotes better brain function as well as healthy red blood cells. But iron is a tricky one to get right. Not everyone requires the same amount of iron, and some will suffer from too much or too little.
If you’re already consuming a lot of red meat, your daily multivitamin probably doesn’t need to include iron, but if you’re going through puberty, are pregnant, or know you have an iron deficiency, it’s definitely worth checking the ingredients.
There are a number of other vitamins, such as folate and B-12, that you should be looking out for when searching for the perfect multivitamin. Supplements come in several forms, including multivitamin gummies, which are perfect for all the family to use. It’s worth mentioning, however, that taking multivitamins is not a free pass for eating unhealthily: you should still aim to find most of your nutrients from natural sources like fruit and vegetables.
