What Kind Of Multivitamin Should I Take?

With all the varieties out there, how do you choose a multivitamin?

Walking into a health food store can be intimidating if you are new to it. There are walls and walls of nutrients; how can anyone know what to take or what they are looking for without extensive education on supplements? Health food stores can be an excellent resource, and ideally, the owners and workers there should have an understanding of the products they sell. Many products in a health food store can be valuable additions to your medicine cabinet, particularly for those on the Kaufmann Diet.

It is important to note, however, that supplements always work best in tandem with a solid diet and exercise regimen. Supplements are not drugs, which often have the power to override processes in the body; this power, of course, often can come with some serious side effects and consequences.

A good multivitamin is one of the most basic supplements you can take to support good health. Think of it like an insurance policy; a multivitamin can ensure that you are getting the nutrients you need for your body to operate optimally even when your diet is not perfect. While multivitamins are not encouraged for their anti-fungal abilities per se (despite the fact that many nutrients therein are likely anti-fungal), multivitamins can be a valuable addition to your Kaufmann Diet regimen.

To that end though, which multivitamin should you take? There are so many on the market that it can be overwhelming to decide what the best option to buy might be.

Know when to look for broad-spectrum vs. single nutrients.

You can eliminate some of the “paradox of choice” when walking into a health food store to buy a multivitamin by eliminating single nutrient supplements. Many health food store sell single nutrient supplements, and these can be beneficial for the needs of certain people. You do not, however, need to buy multiple bottles of single nutrients unless you are trying to address a specific deficiency or issue. Focus on vitamin supplements containing a broad spectrum of nutrients. This alone narrows down your options dramatically.

Food-based vitamins can be a good option.

Some vitamin supplements contain nutrients derived from non-food sources––even sources like petroleum! Our bodies are adept at absorbing nutrients from food; for this reason, food-based multivitamins can be beneficial products to look for. Often, these can be rich in phytonutrients. Avoid products high in binders, fillers, fake coloring and sugar. Avoid any supplements that might contain yeast as well.

It can be beneficial to take vitamins with some sort of high fat food or oil.

The saying goes, you are what you eat, but in reality, you are what you absorb. Some nutrients only absorb in the presence of fat (these are known as fat soluble nutrients). It can be beneficial to take your supplements with a food that contains some sort of health fat, such as nuts, olive oil, avocado, salmon, etc. Doing this will ensure that any fat soluble nutrients are absorbed along with water-soluble nutrients.

Look for vitamins that fit your specific needs.

Many companies make formulas that address the needs of specific groups of people; these can be the needs of women, men, children, elderly people or even athletes. Some companies may make formulas richer in certain nutrients than others. Regardless, reading the label of your multivitamins is as important as reading the label on your foods.

Look for companies you can trust.

Because the supplement industry is largely unregulated, it is important to find companies with integrity. To that end, you can rest assured that any companies who advertise with Know The Cause have been vetted and are known to sell high quality products.

Be consistent.

One of the misconceptions of vitamins is that you will immediately “feel” a difference. Another is that taking a multi-vitamin only create expensive urine. In reality, multivitamins perform their tasks largely under the surface, providing support for the body to run optimally. Stay consistent with your supplement regimen and enjoy the long-term benefits.