A Handy Guide to the World of Multivitamins

July 14, 2020

What are multivitamins?

In the most basic sense, multivitamins are essentially supplements or tablets that are a combination of many different vitamins and minerals along with some other good for you ingredients. Other common names for this are multiples, multis, multimineral, or simply just vitamins as well. The trend of consuming vitamin tablets has really caught on in the past few years with the increasing awareness around health and hygiene. People are increasingly becoming aware and conscious of the fact that relying on their diet alone is not enough to get the daily dosage of nutrients that the body requires because of the increase in consumption of junk and processed food. This has made them look for other alternatives to get their daily dosage of vitamins and other essential nutrients which has caused a lot of brands to jump on this bandwagon and come out with their own products. Today, at any pharmacy, supermarket, discount store, and even online websites, these can be found in various forms such as capsules, tablets, powders, chewable gummies, and even liquids. There is however no set nutrient composition that can be found and it usually varies from brand to brand.

What are the benefits of taking a multivitamins?

It is important to understand the role a multivitamin performs for your body before you decide to take one. Multivitamins are essentially made up of sixteen vitamins and minerals that are important for the body like vitamin D, calcium, magnesium, zinc, and iron along with some amino acids, fatty acids, and herbs. Each of these multivitamins and minerals benefits the body in different ways as each body is different. However, there are some common benefits of multivitamins that we have listed down for you which will help you understand and decide why you should consume it.

Helps to maintain the muscle strength – the main demons behind muscle-aging related problems are free radicals. These damaging free radicals can be kept in check with the daily consumption of multivitamins.
Reduces stress and anxiety – it is said that giving the body its daily requirements of vitamins and minerals significantly reduces stress and anxiety levels. This happens because the body uses Vitamin B it gets to convert food into energy and keeps the nervous system functioning properly. This in turn keeps the stress hormones at bay thus resulting in overall reduced stress and anxiety for an individual.
Improves short-term memory – there are enough studies that suggest that meeting the daily requirement of vitamins and minerals keeps the brain functioning properly overall which in turn supports the short-term memory function.
Increases energy levels – when the body is deprived of certain minerals and vitamins then it has to work extra hard to perform simple tasks, resulting in lethargy and other health-related problems. Having the required dosage daily and maintain a healthy lifestyle will improve the overall functioning of the body resulting in increased levels of energy.
Improves overall mood – as mentioned above, getting the daily requirements of vitamins and minerals keeps the brain functioning properly which even extends to the brain function which is responsible for our mood. This is why people often notice positive effects on their mood and emotional well being when they start living a healthier life.

These are some of the uses of multivitamins, however, the list does not end here. The benefits are long term and multi-fold as they also keep a lot of diseases away by maintaining the daily health quotient of the body. These benefits are often overlooked but the only way to lead a healthy life is to have a healthy mind and body.

What are the best multivitamins?

The body of men, women, and kids differ significantly from each other and each come with their own sets of needs and requirements. It becomes important to understand your requirements and then take the tablets accordingly.

We have broken down the multivitamin requirements for men, women, and kids so that you can make an informed decision.

1. Multivitamin for men

it is known that the nutritional requirements and specifications of men differ from that of women. Their body needs certain nutrients more than the others and this composition often differs from that of women. One major point of difference is that of iron requirement. Men do not lose blood every month as women who menstruate do, hence their iron requirements are less compared to that of a menstruating woman. Apart from iron, let us have a look at some other best multivitamin for men:

Vitamin A – this improves the health of eye, skin and the immunity system
Vitamin C – this is essential for collagen production and strengthening of the immune system.
Vitamin E and Selenium – they help in protecting the cell from damage.
B Vitamins – help increase red blood cell production, increased metabolism, and higher levels of energy.
Vitamin D, Vitamin K, Calcium, Magnesium, and Zinc – strengths the bone and improves their overall health.

Having said the above, men might have different reasons for the consumption of vitamin tablets. Some may want to take it for overall health improvements, some to target a specific area of their body and some even for weight gain. The market has some best multivitamins for weight gain which individuals can have a look at based on their needs. If they want to target a specific area like their hair then hair vitamins for men are also available in the market.

2. Multivitamin for women

Women, as they age, tend to lose out on essential nutrients specifically due to pregnancy, menstruation, and any other dietary restrictions. Thus, it becomes essential for a woman to get their daily dose of vitamins from supplements. The various multivitamin for women available in the market aims to bridge the nutritional deficiencies of the following essential vitamins.

Calcium – this is one of the most essential minerals which starts depleting with age. It is important for maintaining bone strength which is especially important as an individual grows older.
Magnesium – this helps in moderating the blood sugar levels and is also said to be good for the bones as well.
Vitamin D – this nutrient helps in absorbing calcium from the gut, thus keeping diseases like osteoporosis and osteomalacia at bay. Maintaining the right levels of vitamin D also helps in preventing cancer and reduces the risk of certain heart diseases.
Vitamin B12 – this important nutrient is used by the cells of the body especially the ones in the brain and the spinal cord. As a female grows older, a deficiency of B12 often leads to confusion, hallucination, and agitation.
Vitamin B6 – helps in improving metabolism and strengthening the immune system.

Apart from improving overall health, there are certain tablets that target specific concerns that a woman may experience. A woman experiencing acute hair loss might want to consume vitamin tablets for hair as this will strengthen the roots, decrease hair fall, and increase the growth of the hair. Someone who is facing bad skin issues might want to consume multivitamin for skin as this will help in regenerating the growth of the cells on the face and giving the skin a new and improved healthy layer. For someone looking at solving both hair and skin concerns might want to opt for vitamins for skin and hair both. Apart from this, there are even vitamins available for the nails in case someone is suffering from brittle nails that break easily.

3. Multivitamin for kids

As a child grows, it becomes imperative to ensure that they get the daily dose of vitamins and minerals from an early age as it not only ensures a healthy mind and body, but it also helps them cultivate a certain mindset that places emphasis on the health of the body. Mothers ensure that kids get their daily nutrients from a healthy diet, however, in some cases, one might have to turn to multivitamins with minerals to ensure that the child has a healthy body.

The nutrient requirement for kids depends on their age, sex, growth, size, activity levels, and overall lifestyle. Each of these factors contributes to the health of the child and therefore what they require and what they do not.

Parents often turn to the best multivitamin for kids under the following circumstances which might lead to them losing out on the necessary vitamins and minerals required for a healthy mind and body. These are:

When the child is following a vegetarian or a vegan diet then chances are that the food that is being consumed is not enough to provide all the necessary nutrients that the child requires for a healthy body. Such kind of a diet often tends to eliminate certain food groups either partially or completely and hence the parent might want to consider turning to tablets.
Due to some disease if a child has had surgery that impacts the stomach or the intestine then it might be advisable to take nutrient supplements.
If the child has a condition that affects the increase or the absorption of important nutrients such as cancer, celiac disease, inflammatory bowel disease or cystic fibrosis then in such cases the doctor might advise to take the help of multivitamin tablets which will increase the health levels of the body and give it the necessary strength to fight against these diseases or any other that might occur.
If the child is an extremely picky eater and or struggles to eat a certain variety of food then chances are that they are not getting the necessary daily dose of nutrients which will help their body grow. Hence it is important to take tablets to make up for this gap.

The above conditions or reasons are not restricted to just these and there might be several other reasons why a child needs these tablets which differs from person to person. Before starting any medication is it is best to consult a doctor and only then do as advised to avoid any complications.

Do I need to include multivitamins in my daily life?

As discussed above, it is mentioned that taking daily multivitamin tablets results in overall greater health for the body along with other benefits as well. There have been various studies that have been conducted and reports developed which tells us about the benefits of taking multivitamins daily however, it is best to understand your own body and what it requires because no one else will understand it better than you do. Some individuals prefer switching up their diet instead and getting all the daily nutrients from the food they eat while some prefer taking the help of vitamin tablets, and both are okay, as long as your body is healthy at the end of the day. Whichever side of the spectrum you choose to be at, some of the best vitamins to take daily or include in your daily life are Vitamin C, Vitamin D, Vitamin D12, and B-Complex which is a combination of 8 important vitamins.

Do Multivitamin have any Side effects?

Multivitamins like any medicine will not cause any serious side effects when it is consumed as directed by your doctor, however having said that there are some common but mild side effects of multivitamins that differ from individual to individual.

The common multivitamin tablets side effects that one may face usually are:

A headache
An upset stomach
Dizziness
An unpleasant or unusual taste in your mouth

These side effects are temporary in nature and will go as quickly as they come, however, if you experience continued uneasiness, then it is best to reach out to a doctor.

Multivitamin Dosage: How and When Should I take a multivitamin?

A lot of individuals are quick to jump on this vitamin bandwagon after getting influenced by some influencer they saw on social media or by some friend who is consuming multivitamin products. However, what happens, in this case, is that they are often left wondering about when to take multivitamin tablets because they have not done their research properly. To answer the why of when to take multivitamin it is usually recommended once or twice a day however it is best to either consult a physician or follow the recommended dosage mentioned on the product that you are consuming. The dosage will differ who woman who are pregnant or are breastfeeding and for any individual who has some other disease, hence, it is best to consult your doctor beforehand. Like any other medicine, it is recommended you swallow a tablet with a full glass of water, chew it completely if you have purchased the chewable gummies or one spoonful if it is a liquid.

With the increase in the number of brands selling multivitamin products, it becomes essential to choose the best of the lot. Purayati is one such homegrown Indian brand which aims to fulfill the gap that exists between the food you eat and the nutrients your body requires on a daily basis. Their range of nutritional supplements for both men and women, after careful research, is made of the finest quality ingredients and is made available for their consumers at the most honest prices that one can find in the market.

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