7 Ingredients Your Multivitamin Should Have According To Nutritionists

There are multiple options when you look for multivitamins, but not all supplement your health the same way. Here are a few ingredients to check for in your multivitamin.

All multivitamins are not the same. Actually, “multivitamin” does not have a universally accepted meaning. According to the NIH, manufacturers have discretion over which nutrients to add and in what amounts. Several criteria, such as your age, gender, nutrition, and way of life, should be considered while deciding which one is best for you. However, a few essential nutrients are necessary for human health. If you want to make sure the multivitamin has all you need, check out these seven components.

Vitamin B12

You can’t function without vitamin B12, one of the eight B elements your body needs. In addition to helping your neurological system, vitamin B12 is required for making red blood cells, production of DNA, and metabolic function. Although it is theoretically feasible to obtain all the vitamin B12 you need through food alone, several factors might lead to an insufficient intake. For example, a lack of stomach acid and other digestive problems as you age might reduce your body’s capacity to absorb vitamin B12. In addition, vegetarians are especially vulnerable to a lack of this vitamin since it is concentrated in meat and other animal products.

Folate

Many individuals need more folate from their diets, even though it is present in foods, including fruits, vegetables, and legumes. Vitamin supplements (like the multivitamin you take) provide a form of folate that is more readily absorbed by the body than folate found in food, according to Harvard Health. The necessary daily allowance for folate, 400 mcg by most individuals and 600 mcg while pregnant, is met by several multivitamins.

Vitamin D

The sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays cause skin cells to create vitamin D when they strike the skin. In addition to helping keep calcium levels in your body where they should be, this mineral also helps keep your bones strong and healthy. In contrast, many individuals don’t receive enough sun to make enough vitamin D, especially in the fall and winter.

Iron

Consuming an adequate amount of iron guarantees robust circulation and efficient delivery of oxygen from the lungs to the body’s other organs. Most multivitamins include the total daily value of iron (18 mg) as iron, the form most suited for absorption. According to the NIH, iron insufficiency is relatively frequent. Therefore it’s important to include iron in your multivitamin.

Calcium

Maintaining healthy bones, heart, muscles, and brain depend on getting enough calcium in the diet. Depending on their ages and gender, adults require between 1,000 and 1,200 milligrams of calcium daily. However, many people, especially vegans and vegetarians, don’t get enough calcium. In addition, even if they get enough calcium in their diet, some people may still need a supplement if they have digestive problems or overeat protein or salt.

Magnesium

Magnesium is essential for several reasons, including its involvement in sustaining muscle and neuron function and helping control heart rate and blood sugar. Magnesium deficiency is often asymptomatic in those who suffer from it. However, if the deficit persists for a long time, it can lead to hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and bone loss. Magnesium intake for adults should be between 310 and 420 milligrams.

Zinc

Zinc is an essential element for metabolism and also helps with immunity, tissue repair, and maintaining our taste and smell senses. Men should take 11 mg every day and women 8 mg daily. Even if you consume zinc-rich foods like meat and dairy, obtaining a minimum of 100% of U.S. RDA from the supplement is good because it is difficult to overdose on zinc (the maximum safe limit is 40 mg daily).