Healthy Supplementation via Multivitamins

Vitamin A and D over-the-counter products have been available for a long time. It was in the mid-1930s that supplements containing more than vitamins A and D began to appear on pharmacy and grocery-store shelves. The first multivitamin/multimineral tablets were introduced in 1934.

These supplements were made from vegetable and fruit concentrates; and by 1940, there were several products on the market. Nowadays, the vitamin sections in almost any store that sells groceries or drug store products tend to dominate by their size. Most multivitamins are either one-a-day or twice-a-day strengths. A few vary from this; some are even designed to be taken once every hour.

A majority of Americans take daily multivitamins in some cases because they want to cover all bases as far as nutrition is concerned and in some cases because their doctors recommend it. Who should be taking a multivitamin? Why should anyone take these medications if they are not sick? These are valid questions and even medical experts raise them sometimes. Their safety has even been questioned in some circles.

The question of safety has pretty much been laid to rest (Louis Richard, "Health Benefits of Multivitamins, Why Multivitamins Important," The Free Library by Farlex downloaded 03/10/10 from http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Health+Benefits+of+Multivitamins,+Why+Multivitamins+Important-a01073966520). In fact, they are safer than suffering from a deficiency.

Why Take Supplements?

The one-a-days amount to a daily dose of vitamins and minerals that are intended to boost the functional capacity of the body and contribute in a positive way to physical and mental health. We live in a stressful world, even if we are stay-at-homes, and stress contributes to ill-health and a range of diseases. It’s certainly true that a multivitamin taken daily will help combat your risks for diseases of the cardiovascular system and cancer.

In today’s world of abundance, not many suffer from malnutrition; even so, even the well-nourished person may have a slight deficiency in some nutrient, which can set one up for some diseases. A multivitamin does provide good support for optimum health.

Special situations call for a special vitamin formula, of which you are probably aware if you’ve visited a vitamin counter recently. For example, there are formulas for women, formulas for older people, formulas for older women, etc.

Women who are pregnant have special needs, and their doctors generally prescribe special one-a-day (or even oftener) formulations that will include the supplements they need to stay healthy and to insure that the developing infant’s needs are being met.

Capsules or Tablets?

We have all heard the stories. Don’t buy vitamins in tablet forms as they will go right through your system. You should use liquid vitamins rather than tablets. Then the capsule enthusiasts jump in saying they are the best. The nutrients should be released in the stomach to be effective.

Is there a god answer to thes statements or at least an understanding of what really works.

There are definitely a variety of cheap tablets that do not break down completely in your system and leave the body while still pretty much intact. Whether these manufacturers don’t quite get the picture or they are just plain dishonest is another discussion. The point is that quality made tablets will break down 100% and be just as available as liquid or capsules in the stomach.

As for using a liquid delivery system, frequently the efficacy of the nutrients are damaged during the process of getting them to dissolve or remain suspended in the liquid. Another item to note in liquid vitamins is that most will contain some form of artificial flavoring to disguise the bad taste.

Capsules, quality tablets, and liquids all end up in the stomach, a very harsh environment for a group of nutrients that they should contain.

A quality tablet with an enteric coating will hold the breakup of the tablet until reaching the upper intestinal area, an area much less challenging to the nutrients.

A much more thorough article on Bio Availability may be found in the newsletter area at this site. www.healthysupplementationtips.com/xtend-life-products.html 

Conclusion

Ask your doctor. Even if he has not specifically prescribed a multivitamin supplement, he will be in favor of your adding it to your daily health regimen. Most older patients have been advised by their doctors to include a daily multivitamin in their medications. If you’re pregnant, you should be taking a special vitamin formula. If your doctor hasn’t prescribed it, ask about it.

Be Healthy

Bill

www.healthysupplementationtips.com