Analogy of a Multivitamin: Which One Should You Choose?

Here’s a quick humorous statement for you to chew on:

“Half of the country (probably much more) is overweight and nearly obese. I’m living in Michigan and I believe that we’re the worst-fit state in the United States…how depressing. What’s worse is that there’s a ton of vitamins we need to put in our bodies everyday that we just aren’t getting.”

OK; rewind the tape…we are majorly overeating and then at the same time we are seeing vitamin deficiencies? What the frick is going on people? Here’s a couple vitamins we’re lacking:

1) calcium
2) folic acid
3) iron
4) vitamin D

No matter how well we’re trying to eat, it’s always a good idea to combat these nasty facts by supplementing our diet with a nice multivitamin (notice I didn’t say “kickass” multivitamin…gotta cut down on the profanity).

So now the tough part sets in…

“How the heck do I choose a good multivitamin that’s going to provide the nutrients that my body needs to keep running like the well-oiled machine it is?”

Maybe not stated exactly like that because that’s just from my own pie-hole, but you get the point.
Here’s a couple short and sweet tips to narrow down your multivitamin candidate playing field:

1) ditch the claims; don’t go for something that over-states the benefits…a true multivitamin isn’t going to claim to cure your osteoporosis…although it’d be nice if it did…true story; next question.

2) go with a brand you recognize; if it’s a nationally known company, you’re most likely to be OK. Check out the manufacturer’s stats too…if it has the “USP” stamp on the label, then you can rest assured that it’s been quality inspected for its ingredients by a non-profit organization named Pharmacopeia ( I belieeeve).

3) check out the vitamin ingredients and percentages; you need to find an adequate amount of vitamins such as Thiamin, Riboflavin, Niacin, A, B6, B12, C, D, E, Zinc, Chromium, Selenium, Vitamin K, and Folic acid. Make sure there’s a decent amount of each vitamin in the formula and beware of non-water soluable vitamins (such as B3 and B5); those tend to build up in your system and are harder to pee out (I like using the word “pee”).

4) keep in mind that excessive is not always better; I just talked about non-water soluable vitamins in point 3. Some of the B vitamins, Zinc, and Magnesium can build up in your system if you take too much and cause problems down the road such as kidney stones (you really don’t want to be peeing those things out)…(pee again).

5) remember that your body is unique; we’re all made different and should look at these guidelines as guidelines…everyone has different needs and should tweek their levels of intake depending on age, health, and gender. Example: men need more zinc and fatty acids than women and younger women need more iron than men or older women…gah, confusing…I know, I know…bear with me; wrapping this one up shortly.

Whatever your reasons for taking a multivitamin (and everyone should be taking a multivitamin at least every other day), don’t expect it to be the cure for aids, colds, cancer, etc… Multivitamins are part of a balanced diet to keep you healthy in the long-run and are not miracle pills that will bring you to the Mecca of perfect health…it takes time and consistency to balance a strong body and a multivitamin is just a piece of the big puzzle…

…for more pieces of the puzzle, stay posted on the blog and check out previous posts…can’t wait to see ya strong and healthy!

Source=Derek Huizinga, Jumpstart Energy