March is National Nutrition Month!

As we commenorate this month by  making informed foods choices and developing healthful eating habits, we examine the benefits of using multivitamins. The concept of vitamin supplements is not new for us, but the lingering effects of this COVID-19 pandemic brings them into the limelight. They may help us to increase our natural immunity and fight against coronavirus.

Taking supplements is a great way to give your body a nutrition boost, but picking the “right” one for you can be tough. There’s a lot of different supplements out there, and many people are unsure of which ones to take. Among the many options, each one offers different health benefits, which depend on your diet, lifestyle, routine, — and most importantly — your age. 

It’s important to choose wisely because what you take now can make all the difference for your future health. Vitamins are the main building blocks of the body and help you maintain good health. Some believe that multivitamin supplements can also compensate for poor eating habits and even reduce your risk of chronic diseases.

We try to eat right, exercise more, and sleep better, but somehow we lack essential nutrients. We strive for a balance to increase wellness to deal with the stress, poor sleep, and dietary deficiencies that come from a busy lifestyle.

To fill our nutrient gaps, most of us have looked to the once-a-day multivitamin for help.

What are multivitamins?
Multivitamins are a combination of different vitamins and minerals present in food sources. Consumption of multivitamins daily can help us to make up for nutritional gaps to boost our health naturally. Multivitamins are an instant way to fulfil our everyday demands of nutrition and to get our daily servings of all our vitamins and minerals.

Are multivitamins all we need?
If the diet is well-balanced, we might not need a daily multivitamin or specific vitamin pills. But there are situations where we do. For example, women of childbearing age should take a folic acid pill every day. Taking multiple vitamins personalised for your needs is better than taking one multivitamin, but finding a specific supplement and vitamin routine can be difficult and time-consuming.  Sometimes, it’s better to take a single capsule of a multivitamin than taking multiple pills of different vitamins.

What do multivitamins contain?
As the name suggests, it contains various vitamins along with minerals. The human body requires thirteen vitamins and sixteen minerals for healthy growth.
Multivitamin supplements may also contain other ingredients like herbs, amino acids, and fatty acids.

Health Benefits of Multivitamin

Increases Energy Levels
When our body doesn’t meet the nutritional criteria, we may feel weak and lethargic. A regular course of multivitamin capsules as per your doctor’s advice can help you regain your energy. Taking multivitamins and keeping a healthy lifestyle can keep you energetic and fit.

Boosts the Immune System
The multivitamin capsule contains vitamin C, vitamin E, and vitamin D-know for strengthening the immune system. Vitamin C and vitamin E are antioxidants that help to reduce allergy symptoms.

Keeps Heart Healthy
The heart is a vital organ of the body and keeping it healthy is necessary. Various studies suggest that taking high-quality multivitamins may reduce cardiovascular diseases. Vitamins B1, B2, B6, K1, Niacin, and magnesium all play a role in cardiovascular health.

Supports Eye Health
Vitamin A is also known as an eye vitamin because of its benefits. It helps to improve your eyesight and reduce age-related macular degeneration that may cause permanent eye damage. One study suggests vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants may slow down the progression of macular degeneration.

Maintains Muscle Strength
Free radicals in the body are dangerous as they are mainly responsible for muscle ageing-related problems. These free radicals can be destroyed by antioxidants, which are present in multivitamin capsules. Taking multivitamins can help keep these damaging free radicals in check.

Reduces Cancer Risk
Many results suggested that taking a multivitamin daily can reduce the risk of getting all types of cancer. As per your doctor’s advice, you can take multivitamins accordingly.

Improves Brain Function
Some vitamins and fatty acids are slow or prevent memory loss. Vitamins like vitamin B12, herbal supplements such as Ginkgo Biloba, and omega-3 fatty acids help restore brain function.

Reduces Stress & Depression
The vitamins and minerals in your multivitamin capsule can significantly reduce stress and depression symptoms. Vitamin B stimulates your nervous system to produce stress hormones to reduce stress. Acquiring enough vitamins and minerals improves the brain functions responsible for your mood.

Beneficial for Skin
Vitamins and minerals are always best for skin health. They help keep your skin healthy and shiny by providing essential vitamins such as vitamin E and vitamin C. They help to retain the natural oil inside your skin to prevent dryness of the skin. Antioxidants present in it also play an important role.

Good for Healthy Hair
Hair requires the most care, especially in winters. Vitamin B, vitamin C, vitamin E, and some minerals are essential for the healthy growth of hair. They work excellently in alleviating many hair issues.

SPECIAL ROLE OF NUTRITIONAL AND DIET SUPPLEMENTS DURING COVID-19
In light of recent times, the covid-19 pandemic has negatively affected our lifestyle. Not only are there higher chances of infection but the recovery from covid may sustain detrimental side-effects like breathing problems, weaker joints, fatigue, and shortness of breath. Hence, doctors and researchers have collectively agreed on the varied benefits of Zinc, Vitamin C, and Vitamin D nutritional supplements.

These nutritional and dietary supplements are not meant to replace healthy foods. Instead, they act as an additional shield against the covid infection. A healthy and balanced diet with decent amounts of carbohydrates, proteins, and fat is recommended, along with intaking nutritional supplements. 

Vitamin D has previously been useful in creating immunity against epidemics like flu, and chronic illness. It raises your blood levels and is favourable for children and older adults. The nutritional supplements have also been proven beneficial for meeting RDA (Recommended Dietary Allowances) and creating a safety net against diseases. Vitamin C prevents after-effects from the covid infection like inflammation, tissue damage, and cardiac conditions. A dosage of 1.5g per day is recommended. Zinc shortens the duration of the infection and improves the recovery rate drastically.

Types of Multivitamins
Vitamins are broadly divided into two types based on how the body metabolises them, here is a quick guide on both types:

Water Soluble Fat Soluble
Water soluble are carried and absorbed by water whilst fat soluble vitamins are absorbed into the fat.
Water soluble vitamins cannot be stored in the body but fat soluble vitamins can.

This means that excess amounts of water solube vitamins will be removed from the system through regular waste removal. However, fat soluble vitamins accumulate in the liver and fatty tissues and can reach extremely high levels if too much is taken.

Although they mostly do not reach toxic levels, too much Vitamin C can cause some symptoms like diarrhoea Excess fat-soluble vitamins in the body can result in nausea, decreased growth rate, birth defects and more depending on the vitamin.

Water soluble vitamins include Includes vitamin C and all the B-complex vitamins like B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B7, B9 and B12 and are best eaten or consumed with water or water-rich foods. Fat soluble vitamins include vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin E and vitamin K and are best consumed with fatty foods.

FAQs

Constipation, dark stools, diarrhoea, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain may occur in some cases after taking multivitamins. You must always take the medicine in moderation and never exceed the dosage. However, these effects are usually temporary and may disappear once your body adjusts to the medication. If any of these effects persist or worsen, contact your doctor or pharmacist promptly.

Multivitamins which contain zinc, iron, or calcium, can aggravate the symptoms of GERD including heartburn. To prevent this you must avoid taking multivitamins on an empty stomach.

3. How long should you continue taking multivitamins?
In general, multivitamins should be taken only when there is a deficiency; otherwise, you can follow a normal and balanced diet containing all the essential nutrients. You must speak to the doctor regarding this and seek his advice.

In our next issue for Nutrition month we will examine, "The Best Vitamins for Each Age Group."

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BETTER HEALTH & BEYOND Editorial Team

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