In the world of health and fitness, whey protein, fat burners, and creatine tend to dominate the supplement spotlight—causing one of the most important supplements to be overlooked. That supplement is your daily multivitamin. Multivitamins replenish your body with key nutrients and minerals that boost your metabolism, strengthen your immune system, and promote a healthy and fit physique. Though these micronutrients are essential building blocks for the body, humans are unable to produce these vitamins on their own and require a nutrient rich diet supported by a daily supplement in order to sustain full health and functionality.
Individuals who exercise, weight train, and diet, need to be especially avid about taking their daily multi in order to help their bodies build strong muscles and bones, recover from injuries quickly, and use energy efficiently. (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1844404)
Failing to take a multivitamin supplement—or taking one that does not offer a wide enough variety of nutrients—can cause many unwanted side effects to your body, like fatigue, damage to the nerves, heart conditions, and a weak immune system.
In order to protect your body from the strain of heavy exercise or careful dieting, it is essential that you supplement your fitness regimen with a daily multivitamin that will keep your body fully nourished and in top functioning shape.
Key Ingredients to Look For
- Vitamin B: Vitamin B is essential to your metabolism as it helps break down carbohydrates, fats, and proteins into energy that your body can consume. B group vitamins also play key roles in protecting the nervous system, and Vitamin B 12 promotes heart health by supporting blood vessels.
- Vitamin C: This antioxidant-rich vitamin boosts your immune system, helping protect it from germs and infections. Vitamin C also promotes the synthesis of collagen in your body, a protein that makes up much of your bones, teeth, and skin. Healthy collagen production also allows your body to heal wounds and recover quickly.When shopping for a daily multi, compare the source of vitamin C amongst brand. Many supplement products offer vitamin C in the form of ascorbic acid, which is a great source of the nutrient, however it is only one of its form. Products that offer vitamin C from more organic sources, say citrus fruits or acerola cherries, will provide you with a more holistic version of the nutrient.
- Vitamin E: A powerful antioxidant that helps protect the cells from free radicals.
- Vitamin A: An antioxidant that helps the body produce white blood cells. This ingredient can also improve vision and help shape bones.
- Iron: Iron transports oxygen and hemoglobin protein throughout the body. Having an iron deficiency can leave you feeling fatigued and make it difficult for your body to fight off infections.
- Vitamin D and Calcium: Calcium promotes healthy bones and nervous system functionality, and Vitamin D optimizes calcium absorption.
- Magnesium: Magnesium works with calcium to promote strong and healthy bone density. This mineral also supports healthy muscle function and energy production.
- Zinc: Zinc helps repair the body’s tissues.
- Omega-3: Omega-3 promotes heart healthy and helps control cholesterol levels.
- Iodine: Iodine is important to healthy growth, and it also supports a healthy thyroid—the gland responsible for the hormones that affect your body’s metabolism. This nutrient can help regulate your body weight.
Differences between Men’s Vitamins and Women’s Vitamins
Both men and women need to take a multivitamin daily to nourish their bodies, however, there are some key differences in their nutritional needs. To begin, women often require higher supplement levels of iron, as much of their iron is lost during menstruation. Men, on the other hand, require higher levels of Zinc, as this mineral supports male reproductive health.
How Age Affects Multivitamin Needs
As we age, our bodies may require higher supplement levels of certain key nutrients. Calcium and magnesium, for example, are especially important as we age in order to preserve strong bones. Vitamin C is also an important nutrient, as our body naturally slows the production of collagen as we age. Omega-3s are also important, helping us regulate blood pressure and cholesterol levels in order to prevent heart disease.
We hope this guide has helped you realize why you need to be taking a multivitamin so that you can start today!
