Should I Take a Multivitamin?

Hello everyone, I am going to answer a question that I get asked a lot by friends, family and patients. Should I be taking a multivitamin?

Well, there is a time and place for a multivitamin and I will tell you when it could help and when it might not be the best option. The issue with a multivitamin is that there is just a “little” bit of everything in there and most people are not a “little” bit low in everything. When you have nutrient deficiencies, just taking a little bit of that nutrient will not get you to optimum levels or relieve certain symptoms. The best way to figure out what to take is to try to look at your specific symptoms, for example: fatigue, achy joints, constipation, headaches and so on. Those symptoms are your body letting you know what you are lacking. So, if you are looking for a multivitamin to address a specific symptom, it may not be as beneficial as you’d like. The best way to take the guesswork out of this process is by working with a functional nutrition practitioner. This will allow you to target certain symptoms with higher doses of specific vitamins or minerals to really address a symptom and get you the relief you are seeking.

If you are looking for something to take to help with overall health, then yes, a multivitamin can be a great option. I recommend a few different brands that have the most potent form of each vitamin so that you can actually absorb the most from your vitamin instead of just peeing it all out. I also know there are some people that think all vitamins are created equal, but that is absolutely not true. I have a little story for you about cheap multivitamins told to me almost 20 years ago by my grandparents. My grandparents live out on a ranch and one day they had to clean out their septic tank (where all their toilet water goes). When they opened it up there were tiny white pills floating on the top that had gone straight through my grandparents and made it into the septic tank. After I heard that, I vowed I would never take a cheap-o vitamin ever again. This is just one of the reasons why sometimes vitamins get a bad name but there are quality vitamins out there that can absolutely help you. There are some things that are great to get for cheap or on sale but vitamins are not one of those things. You really do get what you pay for so please remember this when looking for a multivitamin or any supplement.  

I’ve compiled a list of brands I recommend. There are some others that are of even higher quality but they are only attainable through a doctor, nutritionist or another functional medicine practitioner. Below I have the supplements that you can buy from Amazon or another reputable site. I like these brands because they are high quality and do not have junky fillers like you may have heard about in the news last year. They are also gluten free and dairy free which is very important to me. They are all dedicated to quality control and follow a strict inspection process of incoming and outgoing products. All the products are also rigorously tested at third party labs. The products are also formulated to include efficacious dosage levels. These are brands I recommend to friends and family because I know they work.

Designs for Health Twice Daily 

Thorne Research Basic Nutrients 2/day 

Pure Encapsulations O.N.E. Multivitamin

Next time I will tell you about Vitamin D, how to get a sufficient dose and why it is important for everyone to get enough!

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