What’s in Your Multi?

(December, 2010) Health care providers may not always recommend supplements. But more of them take vitamins and minerals than the general population, and a daily multivitamin/mineral tops their list.

Increasingly, research points to numerous benefits of supplementing a healthy diet: helping to prevent cancer, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes, while contributing to mental health and vision. Supplementation is important during pregnancy to protect both mother and developing fetus. At other ages and stages, we may need more of certain nutrients. And specific supplements, including vitamin C, help prevent inflammation and muscle damage after exercising—something we all need to do more often.

Which Form?
Anyone who has trouble swallowing pills will benefit from liquid supplements, but always refrigerate them after opening. Keep an eye on the expiration date, as liquids are vulnerable to loss of potency. Select liquids in amber glass or dark high-density polyethylene, recommends nutritionist Marcia Zimmerman, MEd, CN, and look for natural sweeteners in liquid supplements.

In addition, several supplement companies make chewable or “gummy” multis and single vitamins. This portable form needs no preparation—or even water for swallowing.

Because of their shape, capsules are easier to swallow than tablets, which often cost less. “Tablets must be manufactured according to good manufacturing practices (GMPs) that ensure quality-control tests for tablet hardness, disintegration, and dissolution,” says Michael T. Murray, ND. For best absorption, some brands include enzymes and/or hydrochloric acid. If you’re vegan or have food sensitivities, read labels carefully, as capsules may be made from gelatin (an animal product), and tablets may contain gluten, lactose, or yeast.

When to Take?
In general, most multivitamin/mineral formulas are best taken with meals. But always read and follow label directions carefully. Some water-soluble vitamins (like B complex and C) may be best taken several times a day, rather than in one megadose. On the other hand, some individuals may need minerals, like calcium and magnesium, in higher doses than can be easily combined in a once-a-day multis.

For your own specific nutritional needs, download and save the following free Supplements Chart.